This post was sponsored by Bluehost. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. When trying to improve your WordPress site’s search rankings, hosting might not be the first thing on your mind. But your choice of hosting provider can significantly impact your SEO efforts. A poor hosting setup can slow down your … Read more
WordPress has released version 6.7, codenamed Rollins. This update introduces better font controls, a new default theme, enhanced design tools for easier page creation, 65 accessibility improvements, and performance optimizations. Version 6.7 focuses on making it easy to build attractive, high-performance websites. Twenty Twenty-Five Theme Twenty Twenty-Five is the new default theme that ships with … Read more
Wordfence issued an advisory on a vulnerability patched in the popular Happy Addons for Elementor plugin, installed on over 400,000 websites. The security flaw could allow attackers to upload malicious scripts that execute when browsers visit affected pages. Happy Addons for Elementor The Happy Addons for Elementor plugin extends the Elementor page builder with dozens … Read more
Automattic CEO and WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg announced a new Executive Director for WordPress.org after the previous director’s resignation. Social media reactions, while generally positive, were notably subdued, with many comments focused on the recent WordPress controversy. New Executive Director Mullenweg announced that Mary Hubbard, was hired as the new Executive Director. Hubbard was formerly … Read more
Josepha Haden Chomphosy, Executive Director of the WordPress Project, officially announced her resignation, ending a nine-year tenure. This comes just two weeks after Matt Mullenweg launched a controversial campaign against a managed WordPress host, which responded by filing a federal lawsuit against him and Automattic. She posted an upbeat notice on her personal blog, reaffirming … Read more
WP Engine, the managed web host recently banned from WordPress.org, has filed a federal lawsuit against WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg and Automattic, alleging attempted extortion as well as seeking relief from trademark infringement claims. The goal of the federal lawsuit is to stop Mullenweg from continuing to “harm” WP Engine and the WordPress ecosystem as … Read more
Matt Mullenweg posted on WordPress.org that WP Engine users have been granted a reprieve from the block on the WordPress plugin and theme repository until October 1st, allowing them to access updates as usual. WordPress Versus WP Engine Matt Mullenweg and popular web host WP Engine have been locked in a conflict for the past … Read more
Joost de Valk, co-founder of the Yoast SEO plugin, published an article calling for more equitable contributions from large WordPress companies, greater financial transparency, and a new board that represents the voices of contributors and companies. Joost de Valk Supports Matt Mullenweg Joost de Valk’s article is supportive of WordPress and agrees with Automattic’s CEO … Read more
WordPress banned WP Engine, a managed WordPress web host, blocking thousands of websites from adding or updating plugins and themes. Technology writer Robert Scoble described the decision as “universally hated in tech” and that out of hundreds of posts on the subject almost none was on Mullenweg’s side on the issue. What Happened Matt Mullenweg, … Read more
The WordPress Foundation applied to trademark ‘Managed WordPress’ and ‘Hosted WordPress’ for software and hosting services. If approved, this would limit commercial use of these terms by web hosts and even plugins without prior permission. Trademark Applications Filed By WordPress The trademark applications for the two hosting related phrases are dated July 12, 2024 and … Read more
Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic announced on Reddit that WP Engine initiated legal action against WordPress, Automattic, and Mullenweg himself. Mullenweg wrote that WordPress is countersuing. WP Engine is a leading managed WordPress host provider that Mullenweg alleges is violating the WordPress trademark. Mullenweg’s comments came in a Reddit thread titled … Read more
WordPress security company Patchstack announced a round of $5 million USD funding and the addition of Joost de Valk, co-founder of Yoast SEO, to their board. The funding will accelerate the development of Patchstack toward becoming the fastest full-cycle security solution. Patchstack – Trusted Security Partner Patchstack, based in Estonia, is a fast growing WordPress … Read more
The co-founders of Yoast have launched a plugin that helps users plan tasks, defeat procrastination, and remove distractions, making it easier to achieve success. This plugin simplifies managing critical tasks like maintaining website health, publishing posts, and updating content. Why This Plugin Helps Users Become Successful A reason why some websites fail to achieve all … Read more
Advisories have been issued regarding vulnerabilities discovered in two of the most popular WordPress contact form plugins, potentially affecting over 1.1 million installations. Users are advised to update their plugins to the latest versions. +1 Million WordPress Contact Forms Installations The affected contact form plugins are Ninja Forms, (with over 800,000 installations) and Contact Form … Read more
A recent webinar featuring WordPress executives from Automattic and Elementor, along with developers and Joost de Valk, discussed the stagnation in WordPress growth, exploring the causes and potential solutions. Stagnation Was The Webinar Topic The webinar, “Is WordPress’ Market share Declining? And What Should Product Businesses Do About it?” was a frank discussion about what … Read more
A vulnerability advisory was issued about two WordPress themes found on ThemeForest that could allow a hacker to delete arbitrary files and inject malicious scripts into a website. Two WordPress Themes Sold On ThemeForest The two WordPress themes with vulnerabilities are sold on ThemeForest and together they have over a half million sales. The two … Read more
A WordPress plugin add-on for the popular Elementor page builder recently patched a vulnerability affecting over 200,000 installations. The exploit, found in the Jeg Elementor Kit plugin, allows authenticated attackers to upload malicious scripts. Stored Cross-Site Scripting (Stored XSS) The patch fixed an issue that could lead to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting exploit that allows … Read more
A critical vulnerability was discovered in the WPML WordPress plugin, affecting over a million installations. The vulnerability allows an authenticated attacker to perform remote code execution, potentially leading to a total site takeover. It is listed as rated 9.9 out of 10 by the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) organization. WPML Plugin Vulnerability The plugin … Read more
