WordPress Auto-Update Slip Up

Like millions of other webmasters, I use WordPress to create and develop simple, and complex websites. The much loved Content Managed System was the first to begin using automatic-updates, freeing webmasters from the tedious job of having to manually update applications.

A few years ago, WordPress launched their auto-update feature for the core software system, you know – not applications, but the actual”mission-critical,” program that IS WordPress. This was a good thing. All the new “copycats,” like Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace do it too and for good reason. People who use the knock-offs systems generally do not posess the skills or experience to maintain core files.

But I digress. In an article published on October 31, 2020 in Search Engine Journal, a significant hicup with the auto-update is outlined. Will it stop us from using WordPress? Probably not. WordPress is an open source coded system that is built by and for programmers who work together as a team to create new features, and solve common problems.

Flawed WordPress 5.5.2 Security Update

The fiasco began on October 29, 2020 with a routine update meant to address critical security issues. WordPress 5.5.2 was meant to prevent issues like Cross Site Request Forgeries, XSS (Cross Site Scripting) attacks and more.

 

Unfortunately, the update also introduced a bug that caused new WordPress installations to fail. This is how WordPress explained the bug:

 

“WordPress 5.5.2 …makes it impossible to install WordPress on a brand new website that does not have a database connection configured. This release does not affect sites where a database connection is already configured, for example, via one-click installers or an existing wp-config.php file.”

 

In order to fix that problem, WordPress stopped version 5.5.2 from rolling out to more sites. And that’s when a rogue update pushed itself out automatically.