Edit March, 09 2024: We have released WP Staging 5.4.1 to solve this issue. If you still get false positive reports please contact us and your hosting provider.
Here at WP Staging, we take security very seriously. That’s why we were surprised to learn that GoDaddy recently flagged WP Staging Pro 5.4.0 (Free 3.4.0) for containing “malware” or “viruses.” We want to assure all our users that this is a false positive error.
What is a False Positive?
A false positive happens when a security scanner mistakenly identifies a safe file as malicious. It’s like a fire alarm going off when there’s no fire. While frustrating, it’s not uncommon.
WP Staging is 100% Malware-Free.
We can confidently say that WP Staging is entirely free of any malware, viruses, or malicious code. We have a rigorous development process that prioritizes security at every step. Our plugin is also actively used by hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers worldwide.
What Caused the False Positive?
The exact reason for the false positive is unclear at writing of this news. Security scanners can sometimes misinterpret functionalities of legitimate plugins, leading to these errors.
What We’re Doing
We’ve contacted GoDaddy to address this issue and ensure our plugin is properly whitelisted. In the meantime, you can be confident using WP Staging on your WordPress site.
Here’s how you can be extra sure:
- Download directly from WP Staging: We recommend downloading the plugin from our website, wp-staging.com, or the free version from wordpress.org to avoid potential conflicts.
- Reviews and Reputation: We have a long history of providing a safe and secure product. Check out the thousands of positive reviews from our users!
What you can do:
If you get such a false positive message from your hosting provider, please forward us the exact error message so we can look at the flagged file. Please also forward this article to them, tell them this is a false-positive error, and ask them to whitelist the WP Staging plugin.
Is there something else important to know?
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We appreciate your understanding and continued trust in WP Staging. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate to contact me and my team.
All the best,
René Hermenau, Founder