File integrity

GST Manager quietly keeps an eye on its own installed files. Using HMAC-SHA256 signatures, it knows what its files should look like and tells you when something has drifted — for example after an upgrade, a manual edit, or an incomplete upload. It's an advisory check: it surfaces drift so you can decide what to do, and it never disables the plugin. You'll find it on the Integrity & Updates tab.

GST Manager → Plugin Settings → Integrity & Updates

What "advisory" means

The check is a heads-up, not a lock. It won't stop the plugin from running and it isn't tamper-proof — treat it as an early warning that your files changed, then confirm the change was expected.

Reading the status

The tab shows one of these, so you can tell at a glance whether anything needs attention:

• Everything in sync — files match the recorded baseline; nothing to do.
• Sync required — one or more files differ; the panel lists the changes so you can review them.
• All files verified — HMAC signatures valid — the signatures checked out.
• :n files tracked · Last snapshot: :date — how many files are covered and when the baseline was last recorded.
• No checksum baseline yet… — nothing has been recorded to compare against yet; the first baseline is created for you.

Auto-Sync on Admin Page Load

The Auto-Sync on Admin Page Load toggle lets GST Manager re-baseline itself automatically: when it detects a mismatch while you're on an admin page, it records the new state as the current baseline. This is the self-healing behaviour — after a legitimate edit or upgrade, the status returns to in sync on its own without you clicking anything.

Leave it on if your files only ever change through expected updates. Turn it off if you'd rather review every change yourself before the baseline moves.

When to act

The check runs only in the admin area — never on customer-facing pages — so your subscribers never see it and it never gets in their way.

• Everything in sync / All files verified → nothing to do.
• Sync required right after an update or edit you made → expected drift; it self-heals (or you can let Auto-Sync re-baseline it).
• Sync required when you didn't change anything → worth a closer look. Review the listed changes; if they're unexpected, re-upload a clean copy of the plugin and contact support.

Pair it with your backups

Integrity checks tell you that files changed, not that your data is safe. Keep your normal backups — see Backup & restore.

Related pages

• Updating — where the Integrity & Updates tab also lives
• Backup & restore — snapshots taken before each update
• Troubleshooting — when something looks wrong