Gutenberg Arrives with an URGENT Security Update
What happens when a bunch of themes and plugins have to learn how to play nice with each other…
You may have heard that WordPress, the core software that runs your website, has recently released a major update called Gutenberg 5.0. Yes, the inventor of the printing press has been summoned from the halls of history and WordPress has dusted itself off with a whole new look and functionality for the 21st century!
Now you might be thinking, What’s the big deal? WordPress issues updates ALL THE TIME.
The difference is THIS update is a complete overhaul of the code, including a new post and page-building interface in the admin area that uses “blocks” in place of the blog area we’ve all grown so accustomed to. It’s a new paradigm that will take some getting used to – one that is causing delight, but mostly nausea, among users the world over!
As with any major software update, there is a ripple effect. Although WordPress is the main software running your site, chances are there are several kinds of software working in tandem–including your theme and plugins–to make your site function properly. Because this is such a significant update, I’m already seeing multiple updates being issued across the board and expect many more over the coming month as each piece of software uncovers bugs and learns how to play nice with each other.
Although my first instinct was to delay updating my WebCare clients’ websites for a couple weeks until the dust had a chance to settle, WordPress issued an update marked as URGENT earlier this week, stating that a serious security hole had been discovered in all WordPress versions, including the 4.8.0 editions. This means that your site is currently at a higher risk of getting hacked as long as it retains its pre-Gutenberg status.
Good grief!
The good news is if you’re already one of our WebCare clients you have nothing to worry about – we updated your site just yesterday to the newest version and tested functionality to be sure everything is working. And.. if you’re not a client, this is the perfect time to sign up for an annual plan so you don’t have to deal with the cascade of burps and hiccups moving forward.
If you sign up before January 1st, 2019, we’ll give you 10% off the Basic Plan and you’ll be able to sleep soundly the entire year!
