Scan Joomla for Vulnerabilities (Automatic Tools)

📋 What you'll need	Details
Joomla admin access	To check core version and list installed extensions
Your site's public URL	Required for Sucuri SiteCheck and JoomScan
Command line (optional)	Only needed if you run OWASP JoomScan yourself instead of a hosted scanner
Time	15–30 minutes for a full pass with all three tools

This guide covers three free, automatic ways to check a Joomla site for known vulnerabilities: a no-install remote scanner, the official Joomla vulnerable-extensions database, and a command-line scanner for a deeper look. It applies to Joomla 4, 5, and 6. As of this writing, Joomla 6.1.2 and Joomla 5.4.7 are the current supported releases (security & bugfix release, July 7, 2026); Joomla 4 reached end-of-life on October 14, 2025 and no longer receives security patches.

Step 1: Confirm Your Joomla Core Version and Its Support Status

Before scanning anything, confirm which Joomla version you're running. Log in to the administrator backend and check System → System Information, or look at the version number in the admin footer.

• Joomla 6.x is supported through October 16, 2029.
• Joomla 5.x (LTS) is supported through October 12, 2027.
• Joomla 4.x reached end-of-life on October 14, 2025 — it no longer receives security fixes, so any known core exploit against it stays unpatched forever.

🖼️ [SCREENSHOT NEEDED] Joomla admin backend, System → System Information page, with the "Joomla! Version" row visible

Step 2: Run a Free Remote Scan With Sucuri SiteCheck

Sucuri SiteCheck is a free, no-signup remote scanner built to check WordPress, Joomla, and other CMS sites for malware, blacklist status, injected code, and outdated software — all from the browser side, without needing server access.

1. Go to sitecheck.sucuri.net.
2. Enter your site's full URL (e.g. https://yoursite.com) and start the scan.
3. Review the results for malware, blacklisting status, and outdated software warnings.

🖼️ [SCREENSHOT NEEDED] Sucuri SiteCheck results page after scanning a Joomla URL, showing the malware/blacklist/outdated-software status summary

Step 3: Cross-Check Installed Extensions Against the Joomla VEL

Most real-world Joomla hacks come through third-party extensions, not the Joomla core. The Joomla project maintains an official Vulnerable Extensions List (VEL) at vel.joomla.org, split into two sections:

VEL section	Meaning	Action
LIVE VEL	No patch available for the reported vulnerability	Uninstall the extension
Resolved VEL	A patched version exists	Update to the fixed version immediately

1. In the admin backend, go to System → Manage → Extensions and note every installed component, module, and plugin with its version number.
2. Open vel.joomla.org and search each extension by name.
3. If an extension shows up in the LIVE VEL section, uninstall it — don't just disable it, since a disabled extension's vulnerable code usually still sits on the server and can potentially still be reached.

📊 [SCREENSHOT NEEDED] vel.joomla.org search results page showing an extension name and its LIVE/Resolved status columns

Step 4: Run OWASP JoomScan for a Deeper Technical Scan

OWASP JoomScan is a free, open-source Perl scanner (available on GitHub at github.com/OWASP/joomscan and pre-installed in Kali Linux) that enumerates the Joomla version, installed components, directory listing issues, and known core/component vulnerabilities.

Basic usage on Linux/Kali:

git clone https://github.com/rezasp/joomscan.git
cd joomscan
perl joomscan.pl --url https://yoursite.com

JoomScan reports the detected Joomla version, whether the core is vulnerable for that version, directory listing exposure, firewall detection, and a components scan against its vulnerability database (over a thousand known component exploits at time of writing).

🖼️ [SCREENSHOT NEEDED] Terminal output of a JoomScan run against a test/own Joomla site, showing the version detection and vulnerability summary lines

Step 5: Set Up Ongoing File-Integrity Monitoring

A one-time scan only tells you about the moment you ran it. For continuous protection, add a file-integrity monitor that flags new or modified PHP files automatically. Akeeba Admin Tools Professional for Joomla includes a PHP File Change Scanner that assigns a "threat score" to new or changed files and can run on a schedule via CRON, so you get notified if a file changes between scans — often the first sign of a compromised extension or a backdoor.

Step 6: Fix, Patch, and Re-Scan

1. Update the Joomla core to the latest 5.x or 6.x release.
2. Update or remove every extension flagged in Step 3.
3. Rotate the admin password and enable Joomla's built-in two-factor authentication.
4. Re-run Sucuri SiteCheck and JoomScan to confirm the flagged issues are gone.

❓ FAQ

Is it legal to scan my own Joomla site for vulnerabilities?

Yes. Scanning a site you own or administer is legal and considered standard security practice. Scanning a third-party site without written authorization is not — treat every scanner in this guide as "own sites only" unless you have explicit permission.

What's the difference between JoomScan and Sucuri SiteCheck?

SiteCheck is a remote, browser-level scan for malware and outdated software — no install needed. JoomScan is a command-line tool that actively probes the site for version info, misconfigurations, and known component exploits, giving a deeper technical result.

How often should I scan my Joomla site?

Run a quick SiteCheck scan weekly and a full JoomScan + VEL check monthly, or immediately after installing a new extension. Sites handling e-commerce or user data warrant more frequent checks.

Does an automatic scanner replace a manual security audit?

No. Automatic tools catch known, published vulnerabilities and common misconfigurations, but they miss custom code issues, business-logic flaws, and zero-days. High-value sites should still get a manual audit periodically.

My Joomla core is up to date but the scan still flagged issues — why?

Most real-world Joomla compromises come from outdated or vulnerable third-party extensions, not the core. Always check Step 3's VEL cross-reference even when the core itself is fully patched.

🧯 Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Scanning a site without authorization. Only run active scanners like JoomScan against sites you own or are contracted to test.
• Trusting a single tool's "clean" result. Remote scanners like SiteCheck can't see server-side files; combine tools instead of relying on one.
• Disabling a vulnerable extension instead of uninstalling it. A disabled extension's files usually remain on the server and can still be a target.
• Ignoring the VEL because "the extension is popular." Popularity doesn't prevent vulnerabilities — check every extension by name and version.
• Scanning once and never again. New vulnerabilities are disclosed continuously; a scan from six months ago tells you nothing about today.

➡️ What's Next

Once your Joomla core and extensions are patched, harden your server environment next — for example by upgrading your local PHP version for testing or comparing platform-level security trade-offs before choosing a CMS for a new project.