Encrypted code in footer of a paid theme

It’s generally a bad sign — see this:

https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/theme-decoding-thread?replies=108

It’s not always a bad sign. Sometimes developers use this to contain their default theme-option configuration to make it easier when importing default sample data and settings.

So if it’s a reputable theme vendor AND these encrypted code has something to do with “import settings,” then don’t worry about it. It shouldn’t be anything malicious if this is the case.

“paid links” does not sound legitimate…

Thank you! But I was wrong about a paid theme.

The problem was in plugin WP Paste Analytics that would insert two paid links into the footer. I have just turned it off and rated it with one star in the WordPress plugins store.

Good move…did it automatically do that? I think that’s against the WP guidelines re: plug-ins:

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/about/guidelines/

Yes, it would generate two links that would not be shown on the website and even in the source code. I saw them only when I was analyzing my website with a special tool to check for outcoming links. It seems to be advertising spam.

See this thread re emailing the plug-in team re: possible violations of the guidelines:

https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/wordpressorg-plugins-section-licensing-clarification?replies=16