According to WordFence research, there are tens of thousands of websites using a nulled version of the WordFence plugin. We can then assume that there are tens or even hundreds of thousands more websites on the web using nulled plugins.
Why? Well, some WordPress site owners find the best plugins expensive, and instead of buying plugins from authorized websites, they opt to use nulled plugins because of the lower/non-existent cost.
Nulled plugins are essentially pirated plugins that have had any licensing verification removed, allowing users to bypass any payment requirements. These unauthorized versions may appeal to some users, but often they contain malicious code injected by hackers that want to access your website.
But that’s just one reason why you should stop using counterfeit WordPress plugins. We’re going to explore several more reasons, and then show you how to detect malware in these pirated plugins if you’ve already installed one on your WordPress website.
5 reasons you shouldn’t use nulled WordPress plugins
Security
In terms of security, most nulled WordPress plugins contain malicious codes that spread malware on your website. Infection with malware negatively affects your website and makes it vulnerable and difficult to detect if your website is hacked. In other words, these pirated plugins are extremely dangerous for your website.
In terms of security, many nulled WordPress plugins contain malicious codes that spread malware on your website. If your website becomes infected with malware, this makes it vulnerable.
And what many site owners don’t realize is that these malicious codes are often deliberately designed to remain dormant for weeks or months before activating. This delayed approach means you might not notice any issues initially, giving you a false sense of security.
When the malicious code does activate, it can create backdoors that allow hackers complete access to your WordPress installation. These security vulnerabilities can manifest in several ways:
- Remote code execution exploits that let attackers run arbitrary code on your server
- SQL injection vulnerabilities that compromise your database
- Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks that target your visitors
- File inclusion exploits that expose sensitive server information
Plugins are responsible for more than 96% of website vulnerabilities and security issues, making them the primary attack vector for hackers targeting WordPress sites.
Loss of Personal Data and Information
Malicious scripts in tampered plugins can do much worse than crash your website; they can also allow hackers to steal your customers’ personal data from your website.
The hackers can then go on to disclose all usernames, email addresses, passwords and credit cards or bank accounts of customers to others, often selling the stolen information on the dark web. This is especially important if you have a membership website where users submit their customer details, as it’s your responsibility to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Not only is this terrible for your customers, but the theft of personal data gives your company a bad reputation and damages your traffic and sales. The damage extends beyond immediate financial loss. Customer trust, once broken, is extremely difficult to rebuild.
And we already know that approximately 60% of small businesses close within six months of a major data breach, so taking care of your customer’s data is crucial to success.
Negative SEO Effect
Nulled plugins will likely be modified before they are published versions, and sometimes you’ll find they redirect your website visitors to sensitive and dangerous websites. This has a negative impact on your user experience, and in turn, your SEO rankings may also decline as a result.
If you have spent a lot of time and effort to improve SEO positions in the SERPs, it can be extremely disheartening to find out that you’ve been hacked, and all visitors to your website are landing onto a spam page.
Search engines like Google have advanced algorithms that detect suspicious link patterns and malicious redirects, and once your site is flagged for such behavior, it can be difficult to restore your previous rankings.
Many nulled plugins insert hidden links to pharmaceuticals, adult content, or gambling sites – some even implement cloaking techniques that show different content to search engines than to users, which is prohibited by Google’s guidelines and can result in complete de-indexing of your site.
Risk of Litigation
As mentioned earlier, well-hidden codes in decrypted WordPress plugins cause data breaches, data fraud and the distribution of illegal material. The worst consequence of this scenario is that your customers suffer from data breaches and take legal action against you. This will force you to pay a hefty fine to the courts due to the data leak.
It’s not just customers who can sue you. You could also be sued by:
- The original plugin developers for copyright infringement
- Payment processors for violating their terms of service if cardholder data is compromised
- Regulatory bodies that enforce data protection laws
- Business partners whose systems might be affected through integration with your compromised site
Data breach lawsuits are never quick or cheap. Even if you win, the legal fees alone can be devastating for small to medium sized businesses. Most cyber insurance policies exclude coverage if the breach was caused by using unauthorized software, leaving you exposed to those costs.
Ignorance is not a defense here either – as the website owner, you are responsible for ensuring all software used on your site is legitimate and secure.
No Access to the Latest Update and New Features
Because hackers or pirates are bypassing the key licenses to release the plugins for free, users of nulled plugins cannot receive notification of updates from the original author. Over time, the developers of the plugin will update it to improve the performance of the plugin, fix any bugs and add new features.
If you don’t buy the authorized version plugin from the official provider, you won’t get access to the updated version of the plugin, and will be stuck with the old features. Many premium plugins offer you regular free updates for a year or renew on an annual basis, as there’s a whole team behind the plugin keeping it updated.
In case you are using nulled plugins, it’s time to scan malware by following our instructions below.
How to Detect Malware in Nulled Plugins
If you think you already have nulled plugins on your site, don’t panic – but do act fast. Detecting and removing malware should be your top priority.
Among the many security scanners available in the WordPress repository, MalCare stands out as one of the best security plugins that gives you results in no time.
Unlike many basic scanners that only check surface level files, MalCare scans deep to find obfuscated malware hidden in nulled plugins.
Malware Detection Process
- Install a security scanner: Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard and search for “MalCare”. Click Install and then Activate.
- Setup your scan: After activating MalCare on your WordPress site, you’ll need to create an account or enter your registered email. This is to track your site’s security over time.
- Start the scan: Once you click on the “Secure Site Now” button, your site will be scanned automatically. MalCare will scan your entire WordPress installation including all plugin files, themes and core files.
- Wait for the analysis: Scanning your site will take a few minutes – the time depends on your site’s size and complexity. MalCare works in the background so you can continue other admin tasks while waiting.
- Review the results: After the scan, MalCare will tell you if your site is clean or attacked. A clean result will show a secure status with a green indicator.
If your site is attacked, MalCare will warn you and show you the specific files affected and the type of malware detected. You will be prompted to clean up your site immediately.
Conclusion
The malware in nulled plugins isn’t just theoretical – it’s a real and present danger to your WordPress site’s security, reputation and business. When hackers get in through these compromised plugins they can harvest your data, redirect your visitors to malicious sites, inject spam links that kill your SEO and even lock your whole site for ransom.
Given these risks there’s only one responsible choice: avoid nulled plugins altogether. If you’re using pirated plugins on your WordPress site now, take action to replace them with legitimate ones. The few dollars you save today could cost you thousands tomorrow in lost business, recovery costs and potential legal penalties.
