Outdated Software Detection

What This Check Measures

This check aims to identify outdated frameworks, CMS platforms, JavaScript libraries, or server software that may contain known security vulnerabilities.

Why It Matters

Known Vulnerabilities — Outdated software often has publicly documented exploits (CVEs)
Automated Attacks — Bots scan the internet for known vulnerable versions
Compliance — Security standards require keeping software updated
Data Breaches — Many breaches result from unpatched software

How Data Is Obtained

Source File

src/checks/safety.check.js

Function

SafetyCheck.analyze(url)

Current Implementation

// Placeholder - requires deep framework version analysis
checks.push({
  name: 'Outdated Software Detection',
  status: 'info',
  description: 'Requires deep framework version analysis',
  severity: 'medium'
});

Status Values

Status	Meaning
info	This check is informational only. Deep version analysis is not currently implemented.

Severity: Medium

This check has medium severity because:

Not all outdated software has actively exploited vulnerabilities
Impact depends on what the software is used for
Some updates are feature releases, not security patches

Future Implementation Ideas

Potential Enhancements

Parse X-Powered-By headers for server version info
Detect WordPress, Drupal, Joomla versions from meta tags
Scan JavaScript files for library version comments
Check generator meta tags
Cross-reference detected versions against CVE databases
Integrate with Wappalyzer or similar technology detection

Impact on Category Score

Currently returns info status, which has neutral impact on the category score. Once fully implemented, outdated software detection would reduce the score based on the severity of known vulnerabilities.