WordPress 5.0 Release

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WordPress 5.0 is now available.  It comes with big changes to the editor that you are used to. The new block-based editor offers more flexibility with how content is being edited and displayed on your website.

Because the new editor is so different, it has a potential to break outdated plugins and themes. If you have any of those in place, it may be better to bring the old code up to date first or find replacements for components that are no longer being actively developed. In some cases this may mean some face lifting or partial redesign of your WordPress website.

A quick review of what is new in WordPress 5.0 can be found here: What’s New in WordPress 5.0 (Features and Screenshots)

If you are unsure about how to proceed with this update or have any questions at all, please contact Dusk Owl for help.

WordPress 4.9.8 Maintenance Release

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WordPress 4.9.8 is now available. This is a maintenance release with 18 Privacy fixes focused on ensuring consistency and flexibility in the new personal data tools that were added in WordPress 4.9.6, including:

  • The type of request being confirmed is now included in the subject line for all privacy confirmation emails.
  • Improved consistency with site name being used for privacy emails in multisite.
  • Pagination for Privacy request admin screens can now be adjusted.
  • Increased the test coverage for several core privacy functions.

This post has more information about all of the issues fixed in 4.9.8 if you’d like to learn more.

While WordPress.org already started automatic background updates that do not require you to do anything, it may take some time for them to get to your website. If it does not update automatically today, do it yourself (if you are confident enough) or contact Dusk Owl for help.

WordPress 4.9.7 Security and Maintenance Release

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WordPress 4.9.7 is now available. This is a security and maintenance release for all versions since WordPress 3.7.You have to update your websites immediately.

WordPress versions 4.9.6 and earlier are affected by a media issue that could potentially allow a user with certain capabilities to attempt to delete files outside the uploads directory.

While WordPress.org already started automatic background updates that do not require you to do anything it may take some time for them to get to your website. If it does not update automatically today, do it yourself (if you are confident enough) or contact Dusk Owl for help.

Face your GDPR fears with this enlightening infographics

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GDPR is a bit of an annoyance if you’re an ordinary individual, but it’ll at least mean more control over the data that companies hold on you. If you’re running a business, though, even if it’s just a small operation, you need to be GDPR-compliant.

So if you want to sleep better tonight, you’ll need some easy to digest information about GDPR and what you need to do about it. Thankfully the European Commission has produced the excellent infographics that covers everything you need to know, and Creative Bloq added some helpful thoughts too.

WordPress 4.9.6 Privacy and Maintenance Release

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WordPress 4.9.6 is now available. This is a privacy and maintenance release. You probably should update your website to take advantage of new privacy features.

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect on May 25. The GDPR requires companies and site owners to be transparent about how they collect, use, and share personal data. It also gives individuals more access and choice when it comes to how their own personal data is collected, used, and shared.

It’s important to understand that while the GDPR is a European regulation, its requirements apply to all sites and online businesses that collect, store, and process personal data about EU residents no matter where the business is located.

While WordPress.org already started automatic background updates that do not require you to do anything it may take some time for them to get to your website. If it does not update automatically today, do it yourself (if you are confident enough) or contact Dusk Owl for help.

Twitter admits to password storage blunder – change your password now!

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Today Twitter admitted that the company had made a serious security blunder: it had been storing unencrypted copies of passwords.

Twitter claims that it has now “fixed the bug” and that its investigation “shows no indication of breach or misuse by anyone”.

Twitter therefore suggests merely that you “consider changing your password”.

Please do change your password(s) as soon as possible. There is no information about how long passwords have been out there in plain text or whether hackers managed to harvest any of them.

Is That Plugin Reliable? How to Test WordPress Plugins

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There are over 50,000 plugins in the official WordPress repository at wordpress.org, with more being added daily. Having so many alternatives is a great thing indeed, but the dilemma is which one to choose when you find several solutions serving the same purpose. How do you know what’s the best choice for your site? You don’t. You need to research and compare.

Here is how.

WordPress 4.9.5 Security and Maintenance Release

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WordPress 4.9.5 is now available. This is a security and maintenance release for all versions since WordPress 3.7. You need to update your site(s) immediately.

WordPress versions 4.9.4 and earlier are affected by three security issues.

While WordPress.org already started automatic background updates that do not require you to do anything it may take some time for them to get to your website. If it does not update automatically today, do it yourself (if you are confident enough) or contact Dusk Owl for help.

With 4 months to switch on HTTPS, are web hosting companies ready?

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Like it or not, if your website isn’t using HTTPS (the encrypted version of the web’s HTTP protocol) by July then you’re likely to lose traffic.

That’s because in July 2018 Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser, will start warning users that web pages served over HTTP are not secure (they aren’t).

This isn’t an empty threat, Chrome has been turning the screw on HTTP for a number of years and Google Search already gives sites with HTTPS a boost in its search rankings. You should expect other browsers to follow Chrome’s lead.

As Mark Stockley explains, if you’re buying web hosting you’re going to want HTTPS.

WordPress 4.9.2 Security and Maintenance Release

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WordPress 4.9.2 is now available. This is a maintenance and security release for all WordPress versions since 3.7, and you need to update your websites immediately.

An XSS vulnerability was discovered in the Flash fallback files in MediaElement, a library that is included with WordPress. Because the Flash files are no longer needed for most use cases, they have been removed from WordPress.

MediaElement has released a new version that contains a fix for the bug, and a WordPress plugin containing the fixed files is available in the plugin repository.

While WordPress.org already started automatic background updates that do not require you to do anything it may take some time for them to get to your website. If it does not update automatically today, do it yourself (if you are confident enough) or contact Dusk Owl for help.