The WordPress community is currently witnessing a troubling and “despicable” trend: the acquisition and subsequent “bloating” of popular, lightweight plugins. This isn’t just a manual update issue – it is a systemic problem where sites are being fundamentally changed through automatic updates without the owner’s consent.
The recent crisis involving the Kirki Customizer framework and the historical “bait-and-switch” of WP User Avatar serve as a reminder in why the WordPress “plugin stack” model is a risky gamble for your site’s stability.
Related: The WordPress Backdoor Scandal: Why 30+ “Trusted” Plugins Just Turned Malicious
The Kirki Customizer Crisis: Version 6 Sabotage
For years, Kirki was the go-to framework for WordPress theme developers who wanted a lightweight, focused customization experience (handling things like color pickers and typography selectors). It was bundled into thousands of themes (like BuddyX and Reign) as a “required” component. Because it had only received security patches for the last two years, most users had automatic updates enabled, trusting it was a stable tool.
However, after a recent takeover by a new owner (Themeum), a major update (v6) was pushed out. The results were disastrous:
- The Unwanted Merge: The new owners merged their commercial page builder (Droip) into Kirki. Users who only wanted simple color controls suddenly had a massive, un-requested page builder forced onto their site.
- Fatal Errors: Thousands of sites didn’t just get bloated – they went down entirely. Developers reported widespread fatal errors that crashed sites immediately upon the automatic update, forcing agencies to send emergency alerts to their clients.
- Site Breakage: Even on sites that didn’t crash, the update destroyed existing layouts. Owners woke up to find their headers, footers, and menus completely broken.
- Locked Out: The update was so poorly handled that many admins received “not allowed to access this page” errors, effectively locking them out of their own customization settings.
When users flocked to the support forums to complain, the new authors gave standard corporate replies: “We will discuss your feedback with the team.” As one developer noted, “You’re not buying 500,000 installs, you’re borrowing 500,000 trust relationships. The moment that trust is broken, the numbers stop working.”
Censorship: Removing the Warning Signs
One of the most alarming aspects of the Kirki v6 rollout is the apparent removal of negative feedback. Reports indicate that multiple 1-star reviews posted immediately after the update – with titles like “Bloated junk” and “Broke multiple sites” – have been scrubbed from the WordPress.org repository.
While the reviews were removed, the support threads remain as a testament to the chaos:
- XStore Sites Broken: Major breakage on XStore-based sites.
- Customizer Not Loading: WordPress Customizer fails to load entirely post-update.
- Website broken after update to v6: Malfunctions reported across various themes including Shopitimizer and Lexend.
- Wrapped images no longer wrap: Layout issues destroying content presentation.
This removal of feedback is dangerous. It strips away the collective warning system that allows the WordPress community to protect one another. When honest reviews are deleted, the “online mob” is silenced, and unsuspecting users continue to download or update a broken product.
Emergency Fixes: What to Do If Your Site Is Already Broken from the Plugin
If you woke up to a broken site thanks to the Kirki v6 update, you need immediate damage control before you can plan your long-term migration. Here is how to handle the “v6 Sabotage” right now:
- The “Permissions” Quick-Fix: If you are getting the “Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page” error, many users have reported that simply deactivating and reactivating the Kirki plugin through your dashboard (if you can reach it) or via FTP can sometimes reset the permission hooks.
- Restore the Header/Footer: If your site layout looks “naked,” check WP Dashboard > Kirki > Settings > Customize. There is a new toggle for “Show WordPress header & footer” that the update may have switched off by default.
- Use “WP Rollback”: This is the most popular emergency solution. Install the WP Rollback plugin and revert Kirki to version 5.1.1 (the last stable framework version). This will instantly restore your site to its pre-takeover state. Once rolled back, immediately disable auto-updates for the plugin to prevent it from breaking again.
- Check for “Droip” Bloat: If you see a new “Design with Kirki” button or a strange infinite canvas builder, be aware that there is currently no official way to disable this within the plugin settings. Rolling back to version 5 is your only way to remove this bloat entirely.
Why These Fixes Are Only Temporary
While rolling back to version 5.1.1 will save your site today, it leaves you in a “security dead-end.” You are now running an outdated version of a plugin that will no longer receive security patches from its original developers. And possibly won’t be compatible with the next WordPress Core update.
Learning from History: The WP User Avatar “Patient Phase”
This follows a “bait-and-switch” blueprint perfected by ProfilePress when they acquired WP User Avatar.
- The Acquisition (April 2020): ProfilePress bought a simple plugin that had 400,000 trusting installs and a long history of 5-star reviews.
- The “Patient Phase”: For a full year, the new owners did nothing. The plugin kept working. This was designed to keep users updating as normal and keep them off-guard.
- The Switch (May 2021): A “routine” update shipped. The plugin renamed itself to ProfilePress. The simple avatar functionality was buried inside a massive membership and user registration platform.
- The Fallout: Users opened their dashboards to find new intrusive menus and pricing tiers for premium features. The rating collapsed from 4.4 to 3.0 almost overnight.
It Can Get Worse Than That: WordPress Plugin Backdoor Scandal
In what we’ve previously covered as the WordPress Backdoor Scandal, over 30 “trusted” plugins were found to have malicious backdoors injected after ownership changes. A WordPress 30+ plugin “Supply Chain Attack”. In those cases, the stakes aren’t just a broken footer; it’s a total security compromise where attackers can execute code on your server. When a plugin changes hands, you aren’t just getting a new developer – you’re potentially inheriting a massive security liability.
The Problem with the WordPress “Plugin Stack”
This trend highlights the fundamental flaw of building on WordPress. When your site is built like a “Lego-brick” project – snapping together dozens of plugins from different developers—you are only as stable as the least reliable developer in your stack.
- Update Roulette: In WordPress, every “Auto-Update” is a risk. You have no way of knowing if a plugin has changed hands or if the new owners have a different agenda.
- Plugin Rot: Your site becomes slower because of “feature creep” from plugins trying to upsell you on “Pro” versions you didn’t ask for.
- Ownership Shifting: There is no warning system in the WordPress dashboard to tell you that a trusted developer has sold out to a marketing firm.
Related: Related: Why Relying on WordPress Plugins Can Backfire (And How to Avoid It)
The Permanent Fix: Maintain Total Control with UltimateWB
The most effective way to avoid these hostile takeovers is to move away from the third-party plugin model entirely.
By using UltimateWB, you bypass the entire cycle of WordPress plugin drama. You don’t have to play “Update Roulette” because the essential features – including the customizer, member management, SEO tools, and visual styling – are built directly into the core software.
- No Silent Takeovers: Since the tools are integrated, they aren’t owned by third-party “bait-and-switch” developers.
- No Unwanted Bloat: We don’t “swap out” your software for a different product overnight.
- Total Autonomy: You maintain 100% control over your digital property.
Don’t let your website’s stability depend on the next plugin acquisition. Choose a platform that respects your site’s integrity and gives you the professional tools you need without the “junk-filled” surprises.
Ready to design & build your own website without the WordPress plugin headaches? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.