Helpful answers to Frequently Asked Questions

WordPress powers more than 60% of all CMS-driven sites on the internet, which means attackers see it as a massive opportunity. Poorly managed and maintained WordPress sites become extremely easy to penetrate—true “low-hanging fruit.” Because of the massive community base and due to WordPress being open-source, security gaps are vulnerabilities found quickly and publicly reported. Without proper security management, even attackers with minimal technical skills can compromise a site. That’s why proactive management isn’t optional; it’s essential for any business relying on WordPress.

Unfortunately, no—blindly clicking “Update” can break a site. Themes, plugins, and custom code often depend on specific versions. At OwlEye, we analyze the update, test it against the client’s customizations, and confirm nothing breaks. And if an update does cause issues, we fix it proactively. This level of quality control is far beyond what automated hosting updates provide. It requires real WordPress expertise, to achieve both the security and stability of your WordPress environment.

Automated tools are good at catching the basics—patching core files, scanning for known malware, running generic firewalls. But automation has serious blind spots. We add the human layer: senior developers and security analysts who understand the internal workings of WordPress. That lets us address complex bugs, plug vulnerabilities automation misses, WAF Configurations and intervene 24/7 when something looks wrong or suspicious. The real value isn’t just the tools—it’s our expertise.

Neglect. When site owners fall behind on updates—core, themes, plugins—they create huge attack windows. Because WordPress has a massive user base, new vulnerabilities are weaponized very quickly. Plugins especially require constant updates; some release fixes almost daily. Without disciplined version control and active maintenance, a WordPress site simply won’t stay secure.

We maintain the entire security posture and the general stability and usability of the WordPress environment. That involves:

· Continuous updates to the core, themes, and plugins

· 24/7 monitoring for exploits and emerging vulnerabilities

· Proactive patching after controlled testing

· WordPress-specific Web application firewall tuning with custom rules

· Hardening of forms and access control

· Uptime monitoring and bug fix remediation

We take responsibility for keeping both the technology and the security layers healthy.

We support organizations of every size—from small businesses to full-scale enterprises. Any company that values security, its users-experience, uptime, and reliable site performance is a strong fit for our service. While our core audience is mid-size to enterprise organizations that require professional management, we also work with smaller businesses that depend heavily on their WordPress sites for daily operations.

Functional operation means ensuring the website not only stays secure, but continues working exactly as intended for its user base, after any update—whether it’s WordPress, a plugin, a theme, or even a browser update. Security is one part; ensuring nothing breaks is the other. We verify that themes, plugins, and custom code function normally so the user experience, forms, checkout flows, and integrations remain stable.

Because a secure site that’s broken is still a failure. Updates can introduce incompatibilities that take down forms, disable plugins, break layouts, or cause entire sections of the site to stop working. We treat functional integrity as a mission-critical component of our service. Our testing ensures updates don’t disrupt operations or interfere with business processes.

It’s the combination of personal attention and engineering depth. We don’t rely on automatic updates or generic scripts—we have experienced programmers and security analysts watching for issues, validating and battle testing updates, and intervening when something breaks. It’s high-touch management with an emphasis on detail, reliability, and security assurance.

We monitor WordPress and plugin releases daily. When a new version drops, we analyze its changelog, identify the “if and what” security issues it addresses, and test it in a controlled environment. Only after we confirm compatibility and stability do we deploy it to the client’s site. It’s a careful, quality-controlled process—not a blind “click and pray”.

Yes. Different organizations have different risk tolerances. Some prefer weekly or monthly maintenance cycles; others need immediate patching the moment a critical vulnerability is announced. We offer tailored SLAs, including rapid-response tiers for clients who require immediate action. This flexibility lets us support everything from small shops to high-priority enterprise environments.

A manual secure code review is a process where a human reviewer, typically a security expert or a software engineer with security training, examines the source code of a software application to identify security vulnerabilities, flaws, or weaknesses.

In the context of secure code review, white-box testing is a method where the tester has full visibility of the software’s source code. This access enables a comprehensive analysis of the code’s structure, logic, and potential security vulnerabilities.

The tester leverages this information to thoroughly understand the software’s data processing and operational mechanisms, facilitating a more effective and targeted review of the code’s security aspects. This method is integral to identifying and rectifying security flaws, ensuring the robustness of the software against potential threats.

This approach contrasts with black box testing, where the tester only has access to the software’s external interfaces and no knowledge of its internal workings.

Incorporating a secure code review early in the development cycle is crucial as it diminishes the time developers need to fix security flaws. Even skilled programmers can introduce multiple errors, so a thorough code review is a vital measure to protect your business from covert code problems.

OwlEye employs a dual-method approach for code reviews, utilizing both hands-on manual and automated scanning tools analysis to effectively detect security weaknesses within the source code.

Our specialists offer services that cater to everything from antiquated systems to specialized software stacks and rare programming languages. No code base is too outdated or complex for our team. Here are some examples: link here

Our specialist review code from a few hundred LoC’s into the millions. No code base is too vast or complex for our team.

Lines of Code can be calculated using the Cloc tool: https://github.com/AlDanial/cloc. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need further assistance.

No, not as part of a SCR. Our reports will provide you with clear guidance to remediate any identified vulnerabilities. As a separate service, OwlEye Secure Coders can be retained for development purposes including remediation.

OwlEye follows enterprise security procedures for our SCR service. We align with the OWASP secure code review standard. We have policies and procedures that align with SOC2 and ISO27001 for our internal and client information security.

OwlEye has simplified the process for you. It’s determined by the number of lines of code. Unless the language is rare, this would be an exception as a thorough review would take longer.

You can obtain the number of lines of code using the cloc tool: https://github.com/AlDanial/cloc.

Reach out if you need any assistance!

The frequency of secure code reviews can vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of our clients. Some clients opt for routine testing, scheduling code reviews either once or multiple times per year. This regular schedule is particularly beneficial for maintaining consistent security standards and catching potential issues early.

Other clients may prefer to conduct secure code reviews as needed, often aligning them with major code deployments or significant updates. This approach ensures that new or significantly altered code is thoroughly vetted for security vulnerabilities before going live.

We also offer incentives for routine or multi-year engagements. Engaging in regular secure code reviews not only helps in maintaining a high security standard but may also provide cost-effective solutions and prioritized scheduling benefits. Whether it’s a fixed schedule or on an as-needed basis, our goal is to provide flexible and comprehensive security solutions tailored to each client’s unique requirements.

Yes, our service includes an educational element. The findings, led by our Security Analysts, are presented for the learning and benefit of your programming teams and to enhance your overall security state. This educational approach is designed to empower your developers with the knowledge to improve security practices and write more robust, secure code going forward.

Yes, OwlEye’s team is available to review our clients’ applications 24/7 if needed.

Our team of security professionals have numerous security certifications including: OSCP, CISSP, CISM and CEH.

OwlEye’s employees must all obtain “SECRET” clearance from the Federal Government of Canada.