How to scan your WordPress site for malware (free)

A free, no-signup scan can surface outdated plugins, known vulnerabilities and other red flags in seconds. Here's how to run one and what the results mean.

If you run a WordPress site, "is it currently infected?" is a question worth answering regularly — not just after something looks wrong. A malware scan checks your site against known attack patterns and outdated software, the two most common ways WordPress sites get compromised.

1. Run the free passive scan

WP Clinic's free scan needs no account and no installation. Go to the free scanner, enter your site's URL, and submit. The scan reads only what's already publicly visible on your site — the same information a visitor's browser or a search engine sees — so it's safe to run against any WordPress site, including ones you don't own.

In seconds you get a report covering:

WordPress core version, and whether it's outdated
Installed plugins and themes it can detect, matched against known CVEs
Exposed sensitive files (config backups, debug logs, etc.)
The site's actual login URL, including hidden/custom login paths
PHP version issues that affect security or compatibility

2. Read the results

Findings are grouped by severity. Outdated plugins or themes with a known CVE are the most urgent — update them first, since public vulnerability databases mean attackers can find and target that exact version too. Exposed files and unusual login paths matter but aren't proof of an active infection by themselves.

3. Go deeper if something looks off

A passive scan can only see what's public. It can't read your files, database, or anything behind login — which is exactly where malware, webshells and backdoors usually hide. To check those, install the free WP Clinic plugin on your own site and run a deep scan. It inspects every file across your whole hosting account (not just the WordPress folder — malware outside WordPress can still reinfect it), looking for malware signatures, webshells, PHP dropped into your uploads folder, injected posts, suspicious admin accounts and nulled (pirated) plugins carrying backdoors.

4. If you find something

Paid plans add AI-powered repair: WP Clinic takes a full backup first, applies an audited patch to remove the malware, then runs a health check on the live site. If anything looks broken afterward, it automatically rolls back to the pre-repair backup. See our guide on cleaning a hacked WordPress site safely for the full process.

How often should I scan?

A one-off scan is a snapshot — new vulnerabilities are disclosed constantly, so a plugin that's safe today can be exploitable next month. Registering a free account lets you save scan history; paid plans add 24/7 monitoring with email alerts, so you find out the moment something changes rather than the next time you happen to check.