Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: March 2, 2026

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using WP Vanguard ("Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Service. These Terms apply to all users, including individual site owners, agencies, hosting providers, and Partner API consumers.

About Us

WP Vanguard is a WordPress security scanning and malware cleanup service built by a team with over 15 years of experience in WordPress theme development, plugin development, and custom solutions. We understand WordPress inside out, and that deep expertise drives our approach to security.

Service Description

WP Vanguard provides:

  • Surface Scans — External scans that check publicly accessible information (headers, exposed files, known CVEs). No server access required.
  • Deep Scans — Server-level scans via SSH that check file integrity, malware signatures, database injections, and hidden threats. Requires SSH credentials provided by you.
  • Malware Cleanup — Manual malware removal performed by our security team using SSH access you provide.
  • Partner API — A REST API for agencies and hosting providers to integrate scanning into their own platforms.

Authorized Use

You may only scan websites that you own or have explicit written authorization to scan. By submitting a URL or providing SSH credentials, you represent and warrant that:

  • You are the owner of the website or have been authorized by the owner to perform security scans
  • You have the legal right to provide SSH access credentials for the server
  • Your use of the Service complies with all applicable laws and regulations

Unauthorized scanning of third-party websites is strictly prohibited and may violate applicable computer fraud and abuse laws.

Backups

We always recommend maintaining regular backups of your website files and database. While our surface and deep scans are read-only and our cleanup team takes every precaution to protect your data, having a recent backup ensures you can restore your site if anything unexpected happens — whether related to our service or not.

Before requesting a cleanup, please ensure you have a working backup stored separately from your live server. This is a best practice we encourage for all WordPress site owners, regardless of which security tools you use.

By using our services, you acknowledge that you are responsible for maintaining adequate backups of your website.

SSH Access and Credentials

For deep scans and cleanup services, you provide SSH credentials at your own discretion. By providing SSH access, you acknowledge that:

  • You authorize WP Vanguard to connect to your server for the sole purpose of performing the requested scan or cleanup
  • SSH credentials are encrypted at rest and used only for the requested service
  • We recommend creating a dedicated SSH user with limited permissions for scan purposes
  • You may revoke SSH access at any time by changing your server credentials

Payment Terms

  • Surface scans are free for all users
  • Deep scans cost $1 per scan, charged via Stripe
  • Expert cleanup costs $49 per site, charged via Stripe (first cleanup is free for new customers)
  • Partner API subscriptions are billed monthly at the rate of the selected tier
  • All payments are processed securely by Stripe. We never store your payment card details.
  • Payments for completed scans are non-refundable, as the service is delivered immediately
  • Cleanup payments are refundable only if we are unable to complete the cleanup within 48 hours
  • Partner API subscriptions may be canceled at any time; access continues until the end of the billing period

Limitation of Liability

WP Vanguard is a security scanning and advisory service. We do our best to detect vulnerabilities and malware, but no security tool can guarantee 100% detection. Please keep in mind:

  • Scan results are informational and may not catch every vulnerability or threat
  • A clean scan result is a good sign, but does not guarantee your site is free from all risks
  • Our cleanup team works carefully, but complex infections may require follow-up work
  • To the extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount you paid to WP Vanguard in the 12 months preceding the claim
  • We are not responsible for pre-existing issues, third-party software vulnerabilities, or hosting environment problems outside our control

We have been building WordPress themes, plugins, and custom solutions for over 15 years. We take every engagement seriously. If something goes wrong, reach out to us — we will do our best to help.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless WP Vanguard, its team, and its affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the Service
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Scanning websites without proper authorization
  • Failure to maintain adequate backups of your website

Partner API Terms

If you use the Partner API, the following additional terms apply:

  • API keys are confidential and must not be shared publicly or embedded in client-side code
  • You are responsible for ensuring your end users have authorized any scans performed via your integration
  • Rate limits and monthly quotas are enforced per your subscription tier
  • We reserve the right to suspend API access for abuse, excessive error rates, or violation of these Terms
  • White-label features do not transfer ownership of the Service or its intellectual property

Service Availability

We strive to maintain high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. The Service may be temporarily unavailable for maintenance, updates, or circumstances beyond our control. We are not liable for any losses resulting from service downtime.

Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in abusive behavior, or use the Service for unauthorized purposes. You may delete your account at any time by contacting us. Upon termination, your scan data will be retained for 90 days and then permanently deleted.

Intellectual Property

WP Vanguard, its logo, branding, and technology are owned by WP Vanguard. Scan results and reports generated for your sites belong to you. You may not reverse-engineer, copy, or redistribute the Service or its underlying technology.

Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email support@wpvanguard.com.