Monitoring Dictionary
Scheduled scanning
Definition
Scheduled scanning runs security checks automatically on a repeating timetable and can alert you to new findings.
Also called: scheduled scans, automatic scanning, scan schedule
Why it matters for WordPress
Manual scans only happen when someone remembers. Attackers and new CVEs do not wait for your Monday checklist. A schedule turns scanning into a habit: malware, vulnerabilities, or integrity drift show up in email or the dashboard while you are busy elsewhere.
How it shows up in practice
- Nightly or weekly scan jobs with a short report
- Email when a new finding appears after a previously clean run
- Agencies running the same cadence across many client sites
- Scans timed off peak so shared hosting does not hitch during business hours
What to do
- Pick a cadence you will actually review (daily for high-risk shops, weekly for quieter sites is common).
- Make sure alerts reach a mailbox someone reads.
- Investigate new findings promptly; a schedule is useless if nobody opens the report.
- Re-scan after cleanups and major plugin changes.
In WP Security Ninja
The scheduled scanner runs checks on a timetable and can email reports so you are not relying on memory. Pair it with the malware scanner and vulnerability scanner so the schedule covers the checks you care about.
Related terms
Nearby ideas in the dictionary
- Malware Malware on WordPress is unwanted code that steals data, spam-sends, redirects visitors, or keeps a backdoor open.
- Vulnerability A vulnerability is a weakness in software that attackers can abuse to break confidentiality, integrity, or availability.
- Security audit A security audit is a structured review of a site’s risks, misconfigurations, and recommended fixes.
- False positive A false positive is an alert that looks like a problem but turns out to be benign after review.