WordPress has released version 4.3 (Tuesday August 18, 2015).
Check out the changes at wordpress.org (https://wordpress.org/news/2015/08/billie/).
Like always, remember to always take extra steps and make a backup of your site prior upgrading.
WordPress Tip #5 – Passwords
WordPress Tip number 5 – Passwords
This tip is one of the simplest one that we should be practicing/applying every time we create an account somewhere. This is one of the first attempts a hacker/bot/script will attempt for accessing an account (username & password) and unfortunately many still use the default password given by a system or choose very simple one such as password, 12345, “first name”, etc…
It is recommended you change password every couple of weeks/months.
Passwords
Always choose a strong password. Avoid using passwords that are short, a dictionary word, numeric or alphabetic only. Mixing both numeric and alphabetic is highly recommended for your WordPress login.
WordPress 4.2.4 – Security and Maintenance Release
Today August 4, 2015 WordPress has released 4.2.4 addressing some security items. It is highly recommended that you ensure your WordPress is up to date for security reasons.
Official link + more info: https://wordpress.org/news/2015/08/wordpress-4-2-4-security-and-maintenance-release/
WordPress Tip #4
Well here it is, WordPress Tip #4 – Keeping up to date!
Check that your WordPress is up-to-date
Keeping your WordPress updated not only provides you with possible new features but most importantly software bug fixes and security vulnerability patches recently discovered.
There a couple of ways to check and upgrade your WordPress:
Softacolous – If you installed WordPress via Softaculous you may check the latest version and upgrade by using the one-click upgrade function within Softaculous.
WordPress dashboard – Login to your WordPress Admin area -> click “Dashboard” -> click “Updates”. WordPress will notify you if you are up to date and if you require to update it manually by clicking the “Update Now” button.
Ensure plugins and themes installed are up to date
At times it is not necessarily WordPress that might have a security vulnerability but a theme or plugin may be the one with the vulnerability. It is just as highly or more important to ensure your plugins are up to date.
To check that your theme and plugin is up to date login to your WordPress Admin area -> click “Dashboard” -> click “Updates”. Under Plugins and Themes you will see a list of any update currently available for the plugin or theme you have installed.
Rarely you might need to check the developers site for any news or updates. It is recommended that you make it a habit as it will not only keep you secure but updated on upcoming features for the plugin.