Understanding the Dashboard
What This Covers
This guide explains the SteelWP dashboard and how to interpret the information it provides.
The dashboard gives you a high-level view of your site's security posture and helps you prioritize next steps.
What the Dashboard Shows
The dashboard provides a summary of your site’s current security state.
It is designed to answer three key questions:
- What risks exist on this site?
- How severe are those risks?
- What should I do next?
Key Sections
Scan Summary
The Scan Summary reflects the results of your most recent scan.
It includes:
- total findings detected
- breakdown by severity (if applicable)
- overall Scan Risk Score
This gives you a quick understanding of your current risk level.
Scan Risk Score
The Scan Risk Score represents the overall risk level of your site based on detected findings.
- Higher scores indicate greater risk
- Lower scores indicate a more secure configuration
The score is intended as a guideline, not a perfect measurement.
Focus on the underlying findings rather than the number alone.
Recent Findings
This section highlights the most relevant issues detected during the last scan.
Each finding includes:
- a description of the issue
- why it matters
- recommended next steps
Use this section to quickly identify what needs attention.
Hardening Overview
The dashboard also summarizes available hardening opportunities.
This may include:
- protections that can be applied
- current hardening status
- areas where improvements can be made
Hardening actions are optional and should be applied thoughtfully.
How to Use the Dashboard
A typical workflow:
- Review your Scan Risk Score
- Identify high-risk findings
- Open the Scan page for detailed results
- Apply hardening where appropriate
- Re-scan to confirm improvements
The dashboard helps you decide where to focus, not perform the work itself.
What the Dashboard Does Not Do
The dashboard does not:
- run scans automatically
- make changes to your site
- apply hardening actions
It is a summary and navigation layer, not an action layer.
When to Check the Dashboard
Use the dashboard:
- after running a scan
- after applying hardening
- after updates, migrations, or restores
- as part of routine maintenance
Common Questions
Why does the dashboard not update automatically?
The dashboard reflects the most recent scan results.
To refresh the data, return to the Scan page to trigger a new scan.
What should I focus on first?
Start with:
- high-risk findings
- exposed files
- configuration issues
These typically represent the most immediate concerns.
Is a low score “secure”?
A low score indicates fewer detected risks, but no system is ever completely risk-free.
Use the score as a guide, not a guarantee.
Tips
- Use the dashboard to prioritize, not diagnose
- Always review the full Scan results before making changes
- Apply hardening incrementally and verify results
What to Do Next
After reviewing the dashboard:
- Open the Scan page for detailed findings
- Review individual issues
- Begin applying hardening controls