WPScan Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide to WordPress Security Scanning
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WPScan Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide to WordPress Security Scanning and Security Auditing
Introduction
WordPress powers more than 40% of websites on the internet, making it one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world. Its popularity, however, also makes it a frequent target for attackers looking to exploit outdated plugins, vulnerable themes, weak passwords, and security misconfigurations.
For website owners, administrators, developers, and cybersecurity professionals, regularly reviewing WordPress security is essential.
One of the most trusted tools for this purpose is WPScan.
WPScan is a free and open-source WordPress security scanner designed specifically to identify WordPress installations, detect plugins and themes, enumerate publicly accessible information, and check for known vulnerabilities using the WPScan Vulnerability Database.
In this guide, you will learn:
What WPScan is
How WPScan works
How to install WPScan
How to perform WordPress security assessments
How to identify plugins and themes
How to review publicly exposed information
How to check for known vulnerabilities
Best practices and legal considerations
What is WPScan?
WPScan is a specialized WordPress security scanner used by:
Security Professionals
Website Administrators
Penetration Testers
WordPress Developers
Security Researchers
WPScan helps identify:
WordPress versions
Installed plugins
Installed themes
Public usernames
Security weaknesses
Known vulnerabilities
Unlike general web scanners, WPScan focuses specifically on WordPress environments.
Why Learn WPScan?
WPScan helps users:
✅ Improve WordPress security
✅ Discover outdated software
✅ Identify exposed information
✅ Audit WordPress installations
✅ Maintain plugin inventories
✅ Review security posture
For WordPress administrators, WPScan provides valuable visibility into website security.
Key Features
WordPress Detection
Identifies WordPress installations.
Plugin Enumeration
Discovers installed plugins.
Theme Enumeration
Identifies installed themes.
User Enumeration
Discovers publicly exposed usernames.
Vulnerability Database Integration
Checks discovered components against known vulnerabilities.
Reporting
Generates detailed assessment reports.
Installing WPScan
Kali Linux
WPScan is commonly available in Kali Linux.
Install:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install wpscan
Verify installation:
wpscan --version
Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install wpscan
Ruby Installation
gem install wpscan
Verify:
wpscan --version
Obtaining a Free API Token
WPScan offers a free API token for vulnerability information.
Steps:
Register at WPScan.com
Verify your account
Login
Copy your API token
Store it securely.
Understanding WPScan Syntax
Basic syntax:
wpscan --url https://example.com
Where:
–url specifies the target WordPress site.
Performing Your First Scan
Example:
wpscan --url https://example.com
WPScan will attempt to identify:
WordPress version
Active theme
Security headers
Public information
Example output:
WordPress version identified: 6.4.1
Theme detected: Astra
Enumerating Plugins
Plugins are one of the most common sources of WordPress vulnerabilities.
Identify plugins:
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate p
Possible output:
Elementor
WooCommerce
Contact Form 7
Wordfence
This helps maintain plugin inventories and identify outdated software.
Enumerating Themes
Themes can also introduce security risks.
Identify themes:
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate t
Possible output:
Astra
GeneratePress
Twenty Twenty-Four
Review themes regularly and remove unused themes.
Enumerating Users
WordPress websites may expose usernames publicly.
Identify users:
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate u
Possible output:
admin
editor
author
Administrators can use this information to review user exposure and account management practices.
Checking for Known Vulnerabilities
Use your API token:
wpscan --url https://example.com --api-token YOUR_TOKEN
WPScan compares discovered components against its vulnerability database.
Possible findings may include:
Outdated plugins
Outdated themes
Known security issues
Always verify findings manually and review vendor recommendations.
Saving Results
Export results:
wpscan --url https://example.com --output report.txt
Generate a complete report:
wpscan --url https://example.com \
--api-token YOUR_TOKEN \
--output wordpress_audit.txt
Useful for:
Documentation
Internal reviews
Security audits
Practical Demo (Authorized Lab Environment)
Lab Setup
Create a WordPress testing environment.
Examples:
Local WordPress installation
Docker WordPress lab
Virtual machine
Personal WordPress site
Only test systems you own or are authorized to assess.
Step 1: Install WordPress
Deploy a local WordPress instance.
Example:
Step 2: Verify Access
Open the site:
Confirm the site loads correctly.
Step 3: Run Basic Scan
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local
Review:
WordPress version
Headers
Theme information
Step 4: Enumerate Plugins
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local --enumerate p
Document:
Installed plugins
Plugin versions
Step 5: Enumerate Themes
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local --enumerate t
Document active themes.
Step 6: Enumerate Users
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local --enumerate u
Review:
Public usernames
User exposure
Step 7: Run Vulnerability Review
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local \
--api-token YOUR_TOKEN
Review findings.
Verify manually.
Step 8: Generate Report
wpscan --url http://wordpress.local \
--api-token YOUR_TOKEN \
--output report.txt
Store results securely.
Understanding Results
WordPress Version
Example:
WordPress 6.4.1
Verify that the installation is updated.
Plugin Inventory
Example:
WooCommerce
Elementor
Wordfence
Review:
Updates
Necessity
Vendor support
Theme Inventory
Example:
Astra
GeneratePress
Keep themes updated and remove unused themes.
User Enumeration
Example:
admin
editor
Review username exposure and account management practices.
Common WPScan Commands
Show Help
wpscan --help
Basic Scan
wpscan --url https://example.com
Enumerate Plugins
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate p
Enumerate Themes
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate t
Enumerate Users
wpscan --url https://example.com --enumerate u
Save Output
wpscan --url https://example.com --output report.txt
Real-World Uses
Security Assessments
Review WordPress installations.
Asset Management
Maintain plugin and theme inventories.
Security Awareness
Understand website exposure.
Compliance Reviews
Document security posture.
Website Administration
Improve overall security management.
Best Practices
✅ Keep WordPress updated
✅ Update plugins regularly
✅ Remove unused plugins
✅ Remove unused themes
✅ Use strong passwords
✅ Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
✅ Review WPScan reports regularly
✅ Verify findings manually
Legal and Ethical Considerations
WPScan is a legitimate security assessment tool.
Always:
Scan websites you own.
Obtain written authorization before assessing third-party websites.
Follow organizational policies.
Respect applicable laws.
Unauthorized security testing may violate laws, contracts, or website terms of service.
Advantages of WPScan
✔ Free
✔ Open Source
✔ WordPress-Specific
✔ Easy to Learn
✔ Fast and Lightweight
✔ Large Vulnerability Database
✔ Widely Trusted
Conclusion
WPScan is one of the most valuable tools for WordPress administrators and cybersecurity professionals. By helping identify plugins, themes, users, and known vulnerabilities, WPScan provides visibility into WordPress environments and supports proactive security management.
For beginners, practicing in a local WordPress lab environment is the safest way to learn how the tool works while building practical WordPress security skills.
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