The Viking Critical Change Alert
Logs critical site changes (plugins, themes, admin users) with dashboard, email digest, and webhooks.
Use with caution
The Viking Critical Change Alert works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 3 weeks ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed — last update 3 weeks ago
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where The Viking Critical Change… stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| admin | >100 |
| logging | >100 |
| monitoring | >100 |
| Notifications | >100 |
| security | >100 |
About The Viking Critical Change Alert
From the official readme · v1.0.2Description
The Viking Critical Change Alert is a WordPress plugin that logs and reports critical site changes. The plugin is fully admin-only and theme-agnostic, meaning it works with any WordPress theme.
The plugin automatically logs the following critical changes:
- Plugin Updates: When plugins are updated
- Plugin Activation/Deactivation: When plugins are activated or deactivated
- Theme Switches: When the theme is switched
- New Admin Users: When new administrator accounts are created
The admin dashboard provides:
- Summary Cards: Overview of events in the last 24 hours
- Events Table: Complete list of all events with filters
- Search Function: Search by plugin name, theme name, or username
- Filter Tabs: Filter by event type (All, Plugin Updates, Plugin On/Off, Theme, Admin Users)
- Clear Log: Button to clear all events (secured with nonce)
Optional daily digest email:
- Configurable time (default 09:00)
- Multiple recipients (comma-separated)
- HTML email with overview and link to admin page
Optional webhook integration:
- Webhook notifications to n8n, Slack, etc.
- Two modes: Immediate (send per event) or Digest only (send only with daily digest)
- Optional redaction mode: only event types and counts, no item labels
Installation
- Upload the plugin to
/wp-content/plugins/the-viking-critical-change-alert/ - Activate the plugin via the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Go to “The Viking → Critical Change Alert” in the admin menu
Frequently asked questions
How do I configure the daily digest email?
Go to “The Viking → Settings” to configure: * Enable/disable daily digest * Set recipients (comma-separated email addresses) * Set time (site local timezone)
How do I configure webhook notifications?
Go to “The Viking → Settings” to configure: * Enable/disable webhook * Enter webhook URL * Choose mode (Immediate or Digest only) * Enable/disable redaction mode
What database table does the plugin use?
The plugin uses a custom database table: wp_tvcca_events Table Structure: * id (BIGINT) – Primary key * created_at_gmt (DATETIME) – Event timestamp (UTC) * event_type (VARCHAR 50) – Event type * actor_user_id (BIGINT) – Actor user ID (nullable) * actor_username (VARCHAR 60) – Actor username (nullable) * item_key (VARCHAR 255) – Technical key (plugin file path, theme slug, user ID) * item_label (VARCHAR 255) – Human readable name * details_json (LONGTEXT) – JSON encoded details * source (VARCHAR 50) – WordPress hook name Data Retention: * By default, the last 500 events are kept * Older events…
What security features does the plugin have?
All admin functions require manage_options capability Clear log action is secured with nonce No email addresses are stored in events (only username/user ID) Webhook redaction mode for privacy-sensitive environments
Changelog
1.0.2
- Fixed: Removed Plugin URI (URL was returning 404)
- Fixed: Removed inline CSS style tag from email template, converted to inline styles in HTML elements
- Fixed: Improved sanitization for email recipients (validates email addresses) and time format (validates HH:MM format)
1.0.1
- Fixed: Security issue with unescaped CSS output in email digest
- Fixed: Plugin description language updated to standard English
- Fixed: Domain references updated from .nl to .com
- Fixed: Inline CSS moved to external CSS files and loaded via wp_enqueue_style()
1.0.0
- Initial release
- Event logging functionality
- Admin dashboard with filters and search function
- Daily digest email
- Webhook integration
For developers
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FAQ
The Viking Critical Change Alert: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 22, 2026
Is The Viking Critical Change Alert free?
Yes. The Viking Critical Change Alert is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is The Viking Critical Change Alert safe to use in 2026?
The Viking Critical Change Alert works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 3 weeks ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.
How many websites use The Viking Critical Change Alert?
The Viking Critical Change Alert is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 149 times since it launched in September 2026. It was downloaded 123 times in the last 30 days.
Does The Viking Critical Change Alert work with WordPress 7.1?
The Viking Critical Change Alert is officially tested up to WordPress 6.9.10, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was The Viking Critical Change Alert last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.2, was released on September 27, 2026 (3 weeks ago).
Who makes The Viking Critical Change Alert?
The Viking Critical Change Alert is developed and maintained by Daniel van der Velden.
What are the best alternatives to The Viking Critical Change Alert?
The most popular alternatives to The Viking Critical Change Alert are Loginizer (1M+ installs), Redux Framework (900K+ installs) and Admin Menu Editor (300K+ installs).
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