Title: Detectant Malware Scanner Author: detectant Published: September 14, 2026 Last modified: September 14, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/detectant-malware-scanner.svg) # Detectant Malware Scanner By [detectant](https://profiles.wordpress.org/detectant/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/detectant-malware-scanner.1.5.0.zip) * [Details](https://wordpress.org/plugins/detectant-malware-scanner/#description) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/detectant-malware-scanner/#reviews) * [Installation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/detectant-malware-scanner/#installation) * [Development](https://wordpress.org/plugins/detectant-malware-scanner/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/detectant-malware-scanner/) ## Description Detectant checks WordPress file uploads and imported files with the Detectant malware- analysis service before WordPress accepts them. It can also scan the existing Media Library manually or every 24 hours, track scan results, and quarantine detected malware outside the public web directory. The settings and Media Library scan are available under Tools > Detectant. Administrators can choose which upload sources to protect and whether WordPress should block or allow a file when a security check cannot be completed. ### External Service This plugin relies on [Detectant](https://www.detectant.com), an external malware- analysis service. A Detectant account and API key are required. The plugin sends a file, its original filename, and its detected MIME type to `https:// api.detectant.com` when it checks a Media Library upload, a file imported by another plugin, an existing Media Library file during a manual or scheduled scan, or a file found by background reconciliation. The file is sent so Detectant can analyse it for malware. The saved API key is sent with each request solely to authenticate the site to the service. Connection tests send the API key but do not send a file. The plugin does not send the website URL. Its request User-Agent contains only the plugin name and version. Use of the service is subject to Detectant’s [Terms of Service](https://www.detectant.com/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.detectant.com/privacy). ### Security and operational notes Files handled by WordPress upload and file-import APIs are scanned before their final move and verified again by SHA-256 afterward. Code that writes directly into the uploads directory cannot be blocked synchronously; reconciliation discovers it later and moves malware into a private directory outside the web document root. If that directory is temporarily unavailable, the original public URL is broken and the file is retained under an unpredictable, mode-000 containment name for a later retry. The quarantine location can be set with `DETECTANT_QUARANTINE_DIR` in `wp-config. php`. It must resolve outside both the upload directory and the public document root. Scan state is stored in an indexed WordPress database table; directory traversal and Media Library scans retain bounded cursors between WP-Cron runs. The API key never enters browser-side JavaScript and is never printed after saving. For the strongest configuration control, use the `DETECTANT_API_KEY` constant. Direct uploads are capped at 250 MB by the plugin; lower Detectant plan limits are reported by the API. WP-Cron runs when the site receives traffic. Low-traffic sites may see delayed reconciliation, although synchronous normal upload protection remains active. Administrators can mark a detected Media Library file as safe when they have confirmed a false positive. Detectant restores only the exact quarantined content that was reviewed; any content change invalidates that acknowledgement and requires another scan. ### WP-CLI ``` wp detectant scan wp detectant scan --unscanned wp detectant scan attachment ``` ## Installation 1. Copy the `detectant` directory into `wp-content/plugins/` and activate it. 2. Open Tools > Detectant and enter a Detectant API key, or define `DETECTANT_API_KEY` in `wp-config.php`. 3. Test the connection. Media uploads and files imported by plugins are checked by default; failures default to blocking the file. The plugin registers its own traffic-driven WP-Cron schedules. A full Media Library scan runs automatically every 24 hours, and Tools > Detectant can start an additional bounded background scan at any time. ## Reviews There are no reviews for this plugin. ## Contributors & Developers “Detectant Malware Scanner” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ detectant ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/detectant/) [Translate “Detectant Malware Scanner” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/detectant-malware-scanner) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/detectant-malware-scanner/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/detectant-malware-scanner/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/detectant-malware-scanner/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/detectant-malware-scanner/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 1.5.0 * Use the WordPress HTTP API for Detectant requests. * Add complete external-service, privacy, terms, and licence disclosures. * Keep the site URL private during scans and connection tests. * Enable upload protection only after Detectant has been successfully connected. * Speed up background scans with an indexed Media Library attachment registry. * Verify contained malware before cross-filesystem quarantine retries. * Keep in-place malware containment locked down after any failed restore attempt. * Confirm compatibility with WordPress 7.1. * Publish human-readable CSS source. ## Meta * Version **1.5.0** * Last updated **1 day ago** * Active installations **Fewer than 10** * WordPress version ** 6.4 or higher ** * Tested up to **7.1** * PHP version ** 7.4 or higher ** * Tags * [antivirus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/antivirus/)[malware](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/malware/) [security](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/security/)[uploads](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/uploads/) * [Advanced View](https://wordpress.org/plugins/detectant-malware-scanner/advanced/) ## Ratings No reviews have been submitted yet. [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/detectant-malware-scanner/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/detectant-malware-scanner/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ detectant ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/detectant/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/detectant-malware-scanner/)