Fix & Rewrite a Broken Plugin Fast Using ChatGPT (1-Hour Guide)
▼ Summary
– The author’s WordPress plugin, which blocked registration spam, was deactivated due to security vulnerabilities, leading to an immediate flood of spam registrations.
– Using ChatGPT’s Deep Research feature, the author analyzed the banned plugin’s code and identified multiple security flaws, including cross-site scripting and improper input validation.
– The AI provided a detailed guide to create a new, minimal plugin with essential spam-blocking features while avoiding the original plugin’s vulnerabilities.
– The author used a fresh ChatGPT session to generate a secure, streamlined plugin specification, then had the AI produce working code in just 21 seconds.
– The new plugin successfully stopped registration spam without issues, demonstrating the effective combination of open-source code analysis and AI-powered development.
When a critical WordPress plugin fails due to security vulnerabilities, AI-powered solutions like ChatGPT can help developers quickly analyze, rebuild, and deploy secure alternatives, often in under an hour. This approach saved one website from being overwhelmed by registration spam after its anti-spam plugin was abruptly disabled.
The crisis began when a hosting provider flagged a security plugin for vulnerabilities, forcing its immediate deactivation. Without this protection, the site instantly became a target for registration spam attacks, where bots flood a website with fake user accounts. These malicious signups waste server resources, clutter email lists, and create potential backdoors for future exploits.
Most anti-spam plugins offer broad protections, but this site needed something focused solely on blocking fake registrations. With no suitable replacement available, the solution came from leveraging AI to reverse-engineer the original plugin and build a secure alternative.
Why Open Source Made This Possible
The AI-generated report revealed multiple vulnerabilities, including:
- Cross-site scripting (XSS) risks
- Insecure input validation
- Potential PHP object injection exploits
Rather than patching the flawed plugin, the developer opted for a clean-slate rebuild, using AI to generate a minimal, secure version with only essential features.
How ChatGPT Built a New Plugin in Minutes
- Forensic Analysis – Uploading the old plugin’s code to ChatGPT for a detailed security audit.
- The new plugin incorporated:
- A hidden honeypot field to catch bots
- IP reputation checks via a free spam database
- Email domain verification to block fake addresses
The Results: A Secure, Working Solution
This case highlights how open-source code and AI collaboration can solve real-world problems efficiently. For developers facing similar plugin failures, AI-assisted rebuilding offers a fast, reliable alternative to waiting for official updates.
Have you used AI to debug or rewrite code? Share your experiences in the comments.
(Source: ZDNET)
