How I Solved Wordpress Hacking

About 3 weeks ago when I noticed that some of my websites that are hosted on a single hosting account has been hacked and was inserted by several ad scripts and malwares. I can't just stand there and watch my sites fall.

The hacking was done using brute force and SQL injection. It was so frustrating to see all those hard works to be compromised by these malicious softwares. It cost money to set up these websites. And I also loses money if I won't do anything to solve it.

So here's what I did.

1. I installed a couple of plugins that helps me detect possible weakness and loopholes in my site and secure the site. One of the plugins that I installed also helps me secure my site by limiting and banning IP addresses who tries to brute force my site. I was actually shocked when I got more than a hundred login tries within 12 hours. Thanks to that plugin.

2. Implement those warnings and instructions on how to lock it. I changed the data base prefixes, and tweaked over the sensitive files where hackers cannot directly write onto it. This avoids SQL injection.

3. Ban IP addresses that were detected. With the auto detection, I can now easily trace IP addresses and ban them permanently over the site.

4. Contact the host. When your site is hacked, sometimes, it is almost impossible for you to clean your site from all those bad files. So you might want to contact your host to scan over your site and delete those malicious files. And that’s what I did.

5. Reinstall a clean version of Wordpress. After cleaning, it is advised to reinstall your Wordpress site so that fresh and clean Wordpress files will be installed. This will also delete hidden scripts that were installed in some of your php files.

Result?

I was able to stop more than 200 hacking attempts overnight. And for 24 hours monitoring, I don’t see too anymore SQL injection activity. I really do hope that I finally get rid of those malware.

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Totally Free Anti-Virus Programs

Looking for a totally FREE, no-charge at all anti-virus? Well, you've come to the right place for information. I know two best anti-virus programs that is totally free, and no charge at all.

AVAST – I personally use this totally free anti-virus. You can download it at www.avast.com. This anti-virus program is totally for Home Edition. You can also register your home edition for free and it gives free anti-virus support updates.

Here's a brief glance of its features:

• Anti-spyware built-in
• Web Shield
• Anti-rootkit built-in
• Automatic updates
• Strong self-protection
• Virus Chest
• Antivirus kernel
• System integration
• Simple User Interface
• Integrated Virus Cleaner
• Resident protection
• Support for 64-bit Windows
• P2P and IM Shields
• Internationalization
• Network Shield

Please do note that the HOME EDITION is totally FREE as long as it is non-commercial use and for home use only.

AVG Free Edition – I think this anti-virus program was ahead of all other free anti-virus programs. Please do note that there is a paid version and there is TOTALLY Free edition. You can get the totally free edition in this link: www.free.avg.com.

The FREE Edition only contains three basic features:

• Anti-Virus - Makes sure you can’t get or spread a virus, worm, or Trojan horse.
• Anti-Spyware -Prevents unauthorized information access by spyware and adware.
• LinkScanner® - Ensures every web page you visit is safe – even before you go there.

Comparing the two Anti-Viruses, I personally would recommend the AVAST. It has more FREE Features and I personally have tried it and I believe it is a good anti-virus. Maybe not too good as those that are paid, but it is definitely the best FREE anti virus.

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Some of the Latest Gadgets

First, the Keyboard. A highly sophisticated laser keyboard is on the roll now. It is composed of two sets of lasers. The upper one sets up your keboard once you click it on, and the other one in the lower portion of the gadget senses the lights of your keyboard. Once you stroke a key, it automatically signals the computer that you just pressed that certain key.



Second is the hand scanner. I was amazed when I saw this video. This is the first time that I saw a hand held scanner. It is just about as thick as ballpen, but about 8.5 inches long. All you have to do is to put the document in a flat surface. And from the top, you place the scanner and just allow it to pass through the document and that's it. Your document as been automatically saved in the scanner's memory which you can connect to your computer.

Third, the ebookreader. Today, ebooks is what's in now. I am not saying that printed books are going out of the market, but what I am saying is that ebooks now are digital format of books now. These ebook reader can store up your ebooks. Instead of bringing huge heavy books, if you have it in digital format, you can carry your whole library in just a notebook size, notebook weight ebook reader. Amazing isn't it?

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How To Activate All Messengers At The Same Time

Do you have multiple Internet Messengers like Yahoo, Gmail, AIM, etc all at the same time? If you do, isn't it too hastle to login to all of them one at a time just to check if your friend is online?

There's an answer to this hastle. I just discovered this great feature, so better listen carefully.

You can integrate all your Internet Messengers all at the same time. How? You can do this by using the messenger client called Pidgin. All you have to do is to install it in your computer. After installation, you just have to create all your accounts from different messengers once.

Once you log in and start using it, you can automatically check all your contacts from different messengers.

You can download this great software here: http://www.pidgin.im/download/windows/

Note: Please do note that Pidgin does not have a webcam nor audio features. This means that you cannot use your webcams and webmics when using this software. This is the only disadvantage for this program. Other than this, Pidgin is definitely great.

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Koobface, Infesting Facebook And Other Social Sites

There has been a report of another social site virus that has been released in World Wide Web. It is said that the virus is dangerous and whose main agenda is to infest the social networking cookies then making a DNS query to check IP addresses that correspond to remote domain. Once it is located, it will then go to log-in sessions using the user's log-in name and password stored in your cookies. It will then search for your other friend users then sends HTTP POST request to the server. (Trend Micro)

In short, Koobface will make auto messages and sends it to your friends. The message have the link from other sites containing this worm. Once it was clicked and downloaded, then it will infect your friend's computers and repeat the cycle all over again.

Please do note that one of the variants of this virus is in the form of fake YouTube Videos.

Source: Yahoo Tech News

Concerning this virus, I don't know if this virus is similar to the spam that we I used to receive in our Friendster account. In my experience, those video clips will be posted in my “comments”. The video picture usually has a lady wearing an underware garments acting to change her clothes. And once you click on the video, it will bring you not in YouTube site but in another site.

I received those comment messages almost all the time before. And when I tried to delete them, it will reappear again. To my surprise, some of them were posted automatically in my profile.

If these kinds of spam messages is related to Koobface, I don't know. But I think the actions is very similar to what has been reported.

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CD-R King USB Vaccum Cleaner Review

Just right before I bought my Acer Aspire 4330, I already looked for some add-on tools that I can use to protect my laptop against the harmful environments. This lead me to look for a highly portable vaccum cleaner.

Vaccum cleaner for laptop is not available to all computer stores. I have seen some who sells it but the price is really too expensive which makes me think twice whether or not, I will buy one. Until one day, I found out that CD-R King is selling a hand held, USB Vaccum Cleaner for laptops.

I thought that it was very expensive. To my surprise, its only Php120.00. A very useful tool that helps preserve your laptop keyboard from dust.

This amazing vaccum does not need a battery. All you have to do is to plug it in a USB port and turn it on.

It comes with two kinds of nozzles. One has a brush, while the other one is designed to suck heavier objects like screws that is stucked in tiny areas of your laptop.

Concerning durability, I am not really sure on how durable it is. The body is made out of ordinary plastic. In my opinion, it is not that durable and probably won't last a year if used everyday. But considering the price... I think it is more than fair for its service.

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Welcome Solar Powered Phone: Blue Earth of Samsung

Even cellphone companies are now thinking green. Why not? Now that our world is facing lots of problems with global warming and economic crisis, it is only reasonable that we go to alternative renewable energy. It might be a little pricy now but I think this will be a good investment in the long run.

The Blue Earth of Samsung is built out of recycled water bottles. It also has a pedometer that tells you how many trees that you saved by walking instead of driving. It is the first touch screen phone with a solar panel at the back of the phone but without sacrificing the camera feature.

The solar panel is said to run the phone for 3 minutes in 10 minutes charging time using the solar panel. Not bad at all, especially in times that you have runned out of batteries.

In addition, Blue Earth has a widget-friendly TouchWiz interface and dedicated Talk and End buttons. It also comes with Bluetooth, Eco Mode and Eco Walk.

The price, internal storage capacity, media features and other data capabilities is not yet disclosed. I will be waiting for its coming updates.

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Chikka Probably Not Compatible With Ubuntu

I tried installing Chikka Messenger in my Ubuntu using WINE. Downloading the files is never a problem. I installed it perfectly. To my dismay, all other parts of the installed new software are running perfectly except the Chikka Messenger itself.

I really do not know the issues behind the program. But Chikka is suppose to be a very light program that can easily be run through WINE. But the fact is, it won't work in my Acer Aspire 4330 with Ubuntu. I am not making a conclusion that Chikka can not be run inside Ubuntu, but it is PROBABLY incompatible with Ubuntu.

I would love to try Yahoo Messenger soon. So watch for my updates.

Chikka Messenger is a messenger used for FREE Cellphone Texting. This is a great program that will really save your load in your cellphones. This software run in Windows.

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Send Money Through Friendster

Good news for all Filipino Friendster fanatics. You can easily do money transfer through Friendster via Gcash. With partnership with GXI, online money transfer has never been that convenient and reliable.

For a very minimal charge of 2.50 per transaction, if you are a Friendster member, you can easily send Gcash to any of your friends in Friendster. You can do this by simply viewing the profile of your friend, the recipient of your money transfer, click the Gcash button after specifying the amount. For security and authenticity, an automatic text message will be sent to your Globe or TM SIM.

In this way, Friendster will be more mircro-ecommerce social website similar to Multiply. This will encourage Friendster users to be more business minded than to waste time in simply chatting and surfing their friend's profiles. This is good especially now that the economy is down.

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Unlock Your iPhone Using This New Software

Just last month, I posted an article on how you can unlock your iPhone. Today, there is another way of unlocking your iPhone.It is not free but it claims that it can definitely unlock your iPhone without loosing any feature or functionality.

The report said, that as long as your iPhone falls under 4GB v1.0.0 to the latest 16GB 3G 2.2, then there should be no too much hassle. They say that using this software, you can unlock your iPhone in less than five minutes.

You can check this new software and its features on: www.iphoneunlocking.com

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Panasonic Downsizing

With the blow of economic crisis, another tech company is downsizing. Intel has already given their statement of downsizing. By closing some of their test facilities and manufacturing facilities, they hope to cope up with the economic condition of the world. So as the Panasonic Philippines.

There's a news that some of their plants will be closed, including their battery factory in Taytay, Rizal Philippines. Now that the Philippines is being affected little by little, it is undeniably more difficult for the Filipinos to find jobs. More jobless people, more competition for existing jobs.

On the other hand, some companies are still hiring employees especially those that are for cheap labor. But with the high cost of living, I myself doubt if these companies can offer enough to raise your family.

Right now, all we can do is to be creative to start even a small business. Internet is also one way of earning some money. So if you have an internet connection and your wife is just at home, you may want to talk about making an online business.

If you are looking for tips on online business, look no further. Simply browse the “Categories” on the right side corner and for sure you will find some tips on making a website and some businesses that you can start on. Don't forget to subscribe for more updates.

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