Using WordPress? Update Now!

If you’re a blogger using WordPress, be sure you’re at the latest version 2.7.1. Earlier versions of WordPress are vulnerable to a security loophole that allows the bad guys access to your server via a “back door”. Needless to say, you don’t want this to happen!

I was recently hacked through an old version of Joomla I’d left laying around on my web host. Fortunately, no real damage was done, but it brought home the folly of running old versions of popular software. The fact is: the more popular the software, the larger target it is for those who get their jollies finding ways to exploit it.

WordPress is the most popular blogging software on the Web, so it stands to reason that vulnerabilities will be found and exploited. For that reason alone it is important to keep it updated to the latest version.

If you need help updating your WordPress installation, get my free guide to upgrading WordPress quickly, easily and safely:

http://JohnTheGeek.com/wpupgrade

John The Geek

WordPress Automatic Update Plugin Updated

A few days ago I reported that the WordPress Automatic Update plugin (WPAU) was no longer working in WordPress 2.7. I’m happy to report that the author has updated the plugin so that it now works with WordPress 2.7.

As I reported at the time, WordPress added its own “automatic” upgrade function to version 2.7. So you may well ask “Why do I need the WPAU plugin any more?”

The big advantage of the WPAU plugin is that it provides for very easy backups of your files and database before actually upgrading WordPress. WordPress’ automatic upgrade warns you to back up the files and database, but gives you no way to do that as part of the process.

There is actually no way to backup the fiiles short of manually copying them to another location via ftp or a script of some kind. The database can be backed up via CPanel or other means, but again, it’s a manual process.

The WPAU plugin’s first two steps are to prepare your files and database for backup, giving you download links so you can copy them off to your machine for safekeeping before proceeding with the upgrade. Except for clicking the download links, it’s automatic!

For complete instructions for downloading, installing, and using the WPAU plugin, see my free ebook:

How to Upgrade Your WordPress Blog

John The Geek

WordPress Automatic Upgrade Update

Many of you downloaded my free ebook on using the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin to make upgrading WP as easy as it gets. I wanted to give you a heads up that some things have changed that impact the instructions in that ebook.

With version 2.7, WordPress began including their own automatic upgrade function. As of this writing, the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin is incompatible with WP 2.7!

If you are still on a version of WordPress prior to 2.7, the ebook instructions work fine. If, however, you have already upgraded to version 2.7 and you have the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin activated, be sure to deactivate it before using WordPress’ built in automatic upgrade. If you don’t, you will get an error message and the upgrade will fail.

I would suggest leaving the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin on your blog site for the moment. The author may update it to work with 2.7. I sincerely hope he does as backing up the blog code files is now a manual operation. The built in WP upgrade warns you to backup your files and database, but gives you no way to do that automatically.

At the moment, I don’t have a suggestion for backing up your blog files, however, for backing up your database, I highly recommend the WordPress Database Backup plugin. This plugin provides a way to schedule backups of your database at regular intervals and also lets you backup your database on demand. One of the options is to have the backup emailed to you, which I find very handy.

The WordPress 2.7 built in automatic upgrade works like a charm. I’ve upgraded a number of blogs to 2.7.1 using it and had no problems. The key is to remember to deactivate the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin first, if you have it activated in your blog.

Be sure to backup your blog files first using whatever method works for you. Use the WordPress Database Backup plugin to backup your database. Once you’re backed up, get your blog updated to the latest version (2.7.1 as of this writing).

John The Geek