Here’s What You Need to Secure Your WordPress Site in 2014 & Beyond

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Internet security is the only topic on the web that I can predict will always be in the headlines as long as mankind and internet technologies exist. As we take exponential leaps and bounds in technological advancements, security is an issue that is always there to keep us busy. An increased number of our most valuable assets are gradually being transferred online in the form of private data, financial information and general web presences and the opportunities for exploitation by scammers and thieves increase. Our reliance on the web can potentially be our greatest downfall. Especially those of us who are not prepared.

wordpress security 2014

As you search the web you’ll find a plethora of articles on how to secure your WordPress blog but you won’t find articles that point out the overall evolution of online threats and the fact that exploits and attack maneuvers are becoming tremendously complex and smarter and WordPress sites are at great risk. Keeping your WordPress installation up to date, tweaked and cleaned won’t cut it for total security. [Read more…]

Security and Hacking: Protect Thyself and Thy WordPress Blog

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WordPress Security Tips and TechniquesThe front page of CERT/CC, the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute and cyber security experts, looks back at 2008 as the 20th anniversary of the Morris worm, sometimes called the “Great Worm,” which crippled the Internet in 1988. Created by Robert Morris, now an associate professor at MIT, it was one of the first computer worms to infect the brand new Internet, exploiting known vulnerabilities and causing millions in damages. It also was the first conviction in the United States as part of the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Years ago, a friend of mine worked for Boeing IT and taught many company workshops and training programs that began with an amusing lecture on “Safe Computer Sex.” She taught fellow employees to take care when flipping floppies to avoid transferring computer program infections across the network. How far we have come from those days.

As our dependence upon the web increased with email communication, spammers, hackers and attackers spread evil through your email inbox. Now, they are attacking our websites, social media tools, and web browsers.

Microsoft announced recently security issues with the Internet Explorer web browser and the dangers of visiting websites that could exploit that security vulnerability. Many warned to not use Internet Explorer until it was patched and updated.

Google created the Browser Security Handbook to help people and developers understand the security issues facing web browsers and the steps to take to protect individuals and web applications.

As mentioned in the last article in this series on web and blog security and hacking, Security and Hacking: The State of WordPress Blogs, WordPress, Movable Type, and other popular web services are not immune from security hacks or vulnerabilities. [Read more…]