Security Ninja for MainWP: fleet security from one dashboard
How Security Ninja for MainWP handles fleet status, remote scans, combined events, email alerts, report history, and white label.
Topics Hardening & checklists
Updated Published
If you already manage sites with MainWP, Security Ninja can surface security status from those child sites inside your MainWP Dashboard. You still install Security Ninja on each site. The MainWP addon sits only on the Dashboard and pulls results after you sync.
This is for people who run many WordPress installs and do not want to open every wp-admin to see scores, known vulnerabilities, or recent security events.
What installs where
| Location | What to install |
|---|---|
| MainWP Dashboard site | MainWP Dashboard, Security Ninja, and the Security Ninja for MainWP addon |
| Each child site | Security Ninja only (free or Pro). Do not install the MainWP addon on children |
Child sites already include the MainWP integration code inside Security Ninja. The addon on the Dashboard reads that data after sync. If the overview is empty or Sync stays grey, you usually have no connected children yet, or Security Ninja is missing on those sites.
Setup paths:
Free vs premium addon
The free addon is on WordPress.org. It works with free or Pro Security Ninja on child sites. Data shown matches what each site’s version can provide.
| Capability | Free addon | Premium addon |
|---|---|---|
| View Security Ninja test results per site | Yes | Yes |
| See known vulnerabilities | Yes | Yes |
| Trigger remote security scans | Yes | Yes |
| Sync / pull fresh results | Yes | Yes |
| Combined event logging across sites | No | Yes (needs events on the child; Pro) |
| Daily fleet email digest | No | Yes |
Score and vulnerability history for month.summary | No | Yes |
| Remote white label on/off | No | Yes (Pro children) |
Premium customers should use the zip from their account, not the free wordpress.org build. The free plugin does not include premium code. Agency packs often include MainWP addon value; see agencies and the MainWP integration page.
What you see after sync
Useful day-to-day pieces:
- A Security Ninja column on the MainWP Sites table (show or hide it)
- Remote start of security tests (bulk actions)
- Vulnerability views so outdated or risky plugins stand out before you update
- With premium: a global event log you can search across connected sites
- With premium: fleet email alerts from the Dashboard Settings tab
- With premium: daily metrics history for the
[securityninja.month.summary]client report token - With premium: remote white label control on Pro installs
Honest limits
MainWP plus Security Ninja improves visibility and response time. It does not:
- Replace hardening on each child (hardening guide)
- Make shared hosting safe by itself
- Fix abandoned plugins without you updating or removing them
- Turn free Security Ninja into Pro features on a child site
Keep the Dashboard site locked down the same way you would any high-value admin: MFA, unique passwords, least privilege, and tested backups. Broader fleet habits: WordPress security checklist and the security guide hub.
For a wider look at MainWP itself (updates, backups, extensions), see MainWP for managing multiple WordPress sites.
Next steps
- Connect child sites in MainWP and install Security Ninja on each
- Install the matching free or premium addon on the Dashboard only
- Sync, then use the Sites column and remote scans as part of your weekly maintenance
- Vote or suggest ideas on the roadmap if you need something the addon does not do yet
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