Zombie Detector

Zombie Detector is a WordPress plugin designed to help site administrators identify and manage potentially risky plugins on their websites. It addresses the issue of hacked or slow WordPress sites caused not by a single problematic plugin, but by the accumulation of forgotten or neglected plugins. By scanning every plugin installed on a WordPress site, Zombie Detector assigns a Risk Score to each one.

The Risk Score is calculated based on several factors: whether a plugin is currently active or has been inactive for weeks or months, the time elapsed since its last update on WordPress.org, its compatibility with the site's current WordPress version, whether it executes code on every front-end page load or is limited to the admin area, and whether the plugin is still findable on WordPress.org. For custom or premium plugins that are not listed on WordPress.org, a manual review is suggested.

Zombie Detector provides a single dashboard where all plugins are sorted by their risk level. Each plugin's score comes with plain-English explanations detailing the reasons behind its risk assessment. From this dashboard, users can deactivate plugins with a single click, either individually or in bulk. The plugin emphasizes that it does not delete any plugins, only deactivates them.

The tool is delivered as a plugin for WordPress sites and is intended for those managing WordPress installations who are concerned about site security and performance due to outdated, inactive, or abandoned plugins.