How to keep WordPress secure
Matt Mullenweg talks about the need to keep up-to-date with upgrades to guard against security threats:
http://wordpress.org/development/2009/09/keep-wordpress-secure/
Matt discusses a new worm which exploits a vulnerability in older versions of WordPress. The attack creates an admin user and executes code through the “permalinks” functions. The current version of WordPress, 2.8.4, is not vulnerable to this attack.
Keeping updates current is one of the best ways to guard against hacks. If you haven’t upgraded yet, don’t put it off any longer.
Tags: Matt Mullenweg, security, upgrade, WordPress, worms
Easy Mods for WordPress powered web sites
The next Web Weavers Workshop will explore easy modifications you can make to your WordPress powered web site. We’ll look at the components in a theme and learn how HTML, CSS and PHP relate to each other.
Seating to this workshop is very limited. You may bring your laptop to follow along with the exercises.
Date:
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Time:
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location:
Hawaii Self-Storage Conference Room
More information and registration:
http://www.hmaus.com/index.php/meetings-workshops/web-weavers-workshop/
Tags: CSS, HMAUS, HTML, php, Web Weavers Workshop, WordPress
Learn why spam hurts your web site
Here’s a good article that tells you why you should be diligent about stopping comment and pingback spam on your web site.
The key points:
- You are undermining your site’s SEO
- You are attracting more spam
- You are damaging your reputation
Here’s the full article.
If you haven’t activated Akismet on your WordPress site, now’s a good time to start.
WordPress by Miraz Jordan
EVERYONE CAN CREATE A WEBSITE OR BLOG WITH MINIMUM FUSS AND EXPENSE. FIND OUT HOW WITH MIRAZ JORDAN. SHE MAKES THE COMPLEX EASY TO UNDERSTAND
“I believe that we can all use technology such as computers and the Internet to bring change into the world, improving ourselves, others and this planet, our only home in the universe.” — Miraz Jordan
Miraz Jordan is a Wellington, New Zealand-based blogger and writer with a particular interest in Internet technology: where it’s going, what’s happening, and how that affects regular folks and community groups. She co-authored the very popular book WordPress 2 Visual QuickStart Guide, and has written extensively about making websites, using the Internet, and using Macintosh computers. She recently created a new blog called Paperchains whose purpose is to help reduce the amount of wasted paper in the world and thereby reduce fuel use, pollution and other negative impacts. Jordan regularly uses Twitter, and dips in to Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Flickr. She helped organize the successful Webstock 06 and 08 Web Conferences.
Tags: Miraz Jordan, Pacific New Media, WordPress
Let’s Party!
The Web Weavers Workshop gang is having a get together on Tuesday, November 25 and all HMAUS members are invited.
It will be a casual evening to socialize, share and get to know each other at the Halsey Terrace Community Center from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Beverages (non-alcoholic) will be provided and dinner will be potluck, no alcohol please.
Please bring a dish or two to share in the spirit of Thanksgiving.
During the evening we’ll have a “show-and-tell.” You’re welcome to share something about yourself, your company, a special project, interesting geek toy or your “precious.”
Location:
620 Pool Street
Honolulu, HI 96818
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Date: Tuesday, November 25
RSVP: Please send email to Joscelyne (joscelyne *at* cutchens.com). If you are bringing a dish please let me know.
If you would like to help, also let me know.
Tags: HMAUS, Web Weavers Workshop
Adding spaces around images in WordPress
A short tutorial on how to add spaces around images placed into posts and pages.
Write post window
Start from the Dasboard. Create a new post/page or manage an existing post/page.
Click on image to show image editing icons
Clicking on the image will reveal two icons. The left “picture” icon will reveal two settings panels. The red (/) icon will delete the image from the editing area.
Edit image panel
Add appropriate information here. The image margin settings are in the Advanced Settings panel.
Advanced settings panel
More settings are found in the Advanced Settings panel. This panel has fields for setting horizontal and vertical margins around the image.
Image with 4 pixel margins
Enter values in the fields Horizontal space and Vertical space.
Tags: image margins, image settings, image spacing, WordPress
Register for the next Web Weavers Workshop
The next Web Weavers Workshop will be on Wednesday, October 22.
Our featured sensei will be Lorelle VanFossen.
More informaton and registration here.
Tags: Lorelle VanFossen, WordPress
Anticipating WordPress 2.7
Otto has written an excellent article on how to prepare your sites for the new Comments Enhancements.
Security advisory for WordPress and other PHP sites
Web site owners using the WordPress system should upgrade to version 2.6.2 immediately. This important security release adds protection against a SQL Column Truncation hazard and other security issues.
The security risk affects all PHP applications, WordPress included. Particularly vulnerable are those websites allowing open registration. More details about this issue at http://wordpress.org/development/2008/09/wordpress-262/
EventCalendar3 patch for WordPress
I like EventCalendar3 (EC3) because you can subscribe to the posed calendar events from iCal (OSX), Sunbird or Google calendar. It’s now under the care of Alex Tingle and you’ll find it here: http://wpcal.firetree.net.
Starting from WordPress 2.5 EC3 wouldn’t work properly. There are patched files to make it good again. The issue and a downloaded fix is documented here: http://penguin.firetree.net/pipermail/eventcalendar/2008-September/003289.html
Tags: calendar, EventCalendar3, plugins, WordPress