WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the Internet today. According to WordPress they have more than 47 million deployments worldwide. Unfortunately, with this type of claim, it attracts all sorts of want to-be web developers, web masters and hackers.
By their own admission WordPress boast about their Famous 5 Minute Installation. There are many web hosts that offer it for free as part of their $1/year hosting package. Its free, takes 5 minutes to install and there are all these dummies guides for WordPress. There are thousands of plugins, and I am smart bloke, I know how to use a mouse, I grew up on the good side of town, so what gives? Why are there web designers and developers out there charging for this? Surely if it only takes five minutes these guys are ripping me off? Hell I can do that job myself, 47 million people can’t be wrong.
At this point in time my sarcasm is shining through, but I can assure you that many people see it that way.
My point is that all too often I see the efforts of web developers and designers severally de-valued.
There seems to be a trend out there that everybody can be a web developer. I installed my own WordPress website, it looks good, so I can now carry on with my normal business.
The job is not done just because you have finished the five minute install. Now your site needs to be maintained, whether it’s WordPress, Joomla or Drupal to name a few. They are all software, and all software has bugs. Tasks such as maintenance, security checks, software updates, patches, backups, optimization all need to be performed regularly. If you don’t do these tasks and more, I can assure you, you will get hacked. Performing these tasks are of paramount importance, but still all too many of them don’t see the value.
I was talking to a colleague today and here is his school of thought.
The more websites that get hacked the better. Just let them install it, don’t worry about security updates, get them to install as many plugins as their hosting package will allow. When they get hacked, and that when, not if, then they will come calling. They will get hacked because they deserve it. These are the consequences for making a bad judgement call and under valuing the industry. I call it the Charles Darwin theory of natural selection of weeding out the wannabe web developers and webmasters. If they suffer financial loss, then that’s the tipping point by which they see the value of professional web developers and webmasters.
Many people I have spoken to trivialize hacking. They think that hacking is just something 16 year old geeks do to get their kicks. They are a nuisance because they deface your website and put up porn links.
Hacking is organized crime. People hack because, on the internet, crime pays very well!
The potential amount of vulnerabilities and hacking opportunities that can be found in 47 million+ websites is a goldmine.
It is important to remember that savvy hackers, such as the ones from Ukraine will hack into your site and you won’t notice a thing wrong with your website.
From your site they gain access to your computers, tablets, phone. Here they gain access to your data, steal your identity and can financially ruin you in seconds. Like a mosquito you won’t feel the pain until it’s too late.
If you are not a web developer or webmaster find someone to do that for you. It will lower your risk of being hacked by having competent resources looking after your site on secure systems. If you are hacked they will know what to do. Think of it as an insurance policy for your online investment.