--- title: "Daily Buzz: WordPress’ Big Spam Problem" id: "48834" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-wordpress-big-spam-problem" published_at: "2019-12-18T22:13:57+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T02:40:13+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/12/18/daily-buzz-wordpress-big-spam-problem/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/12/18/daily-buzz-wordpress-big-spam-problem.md" excerpt: "Black-hat marketers are taking advantage of the weaknesses in WordPress to inject links into old content on numerous sites. Also: why you should cultivate a curious team." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "cybersecurity" - "SEO" - "Technology" - "WordPress" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: WordPress’ Big Spam Problem Using a site built on WordPress? Make sure you’re keeping security in mind—because your content might be in danger of a spam attack. A recent *BuzzFeed News* article describes how networks of hackers are attacking sites large and small—including of political figures and celebrities—in an effort to promote content for a maximum position in Google. “Websites of all types and sizes, and especially those that use the open-source version of WordPress, are hacked to inject links to manipulate search engine results,” [authors Craig Silverman and Dean Sterling Jones write (opens in a new tab)](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/hackers-website-links-backlinks-seo-spam) . Often, these black-hat exploits take advantage of WordPress’ wide use and common design to break into sites and inject links into old content. Speaking to the authors, Dan Walmsley of the first-party WordPress security tool Jetpack noted that the platform’s high popularity was a key factor in encouraging the exploits. “WordPress has world-class SEO built in to the platform and [is] extensible via plugins, which of course is one reason that it’s so successful, but also makes it an attractive target for link farming and other forms of SEO arbitrage,” Walmsley told the outlet. If you’re using a site based on WordPress, keeping it up to date and using highly secure passwords is imperative, while alternative content management approaches [such as JAMstack](https://associationsnow.com/2019/11/kick-out-the-jams-the-hot-content-tech-you-should-be-keeping-an-eye-on/) could help mitigate such security concerns in the future. ### The Case for Building a Curious Team > Why should you hire curious people? Because the future of work belongs to the neo-generalist. And neo-generalists are intensely curious. > > New post: Why you should hire [#curious (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/curious?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > people[https://t.co/CsnkM5e7y5 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/CsnkM5e7y5) > [#futureofwork (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/futureofwork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#curiosity (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/curiosity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#innovation (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/innovation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#HR (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#HumanResources (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HumanResources?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/np23IiM9zQ (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/np23IiM9zQ) > > — Adrian Segar (@ASegar) [December 18, 2019 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/ASegar/status/1207346284551639040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **If you want to build** a successful team, build it around curious people, argues [meeting designer and facilitator Adrian Segar on Conferences That Work (opens in a new tab)](https://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/leadership/2019/12/why-you-should-hire-curious-people/) , because those who are inquisitive are often better equipped to handle tough work problems. “People who can effectively work on wicked problems—problems that are difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize are in high demand,” he says. “That’s because such problems involve high stakes, and significant organizational or societal consequences. They don’t succumb to the standard problem solving methods we’ve used for millennia.” ### Other Links of Note **Not that you need the prompt, but …** a case for wearing ugly holiday sweaters at the office this Friday, [from Inc. (opens in a new tab)](https://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/you-should-celebrate-national-ugly-christmas-sweater-day-in-your-office.html?icid=landermore) **Looking for conference design inspiration?** *BizBash* shares [how to incorporate Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year (opens in a new tab)](https://www.bizbash.com/style-decor/event-design/media-gallery/21106719/blue-event-decor-ideas-inspired-by-pantones-color-of-the-year-for-2020) , Classic Blue. **“Per my last email”** doesn’t encourage a response to your follow-up emails. *Fast Company* outlines [the tone and phrasing more likely to get a reply (opens in a new tab)](https://www.fastcompany.com/90444376/this-is-the-way-to-send-a-follow-up-email-to-get-a-reply?partner=rss&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss) . (OrnRin/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#cybersecurity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/cybersecurity/) [#SEO](https://associationsnow.com/tag/seo/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) [#WordPress](https://associationsnow.com/tag/wordpress/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastSecuring Identity: What Associations Need to Know About Verifiable CredentialsJune 25, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/25/securing-identity-what-associations-need-to-know-about-verifiable-credentials/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: More Than Marketing: The Power of Strategic CommunicationsJuly 30, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/30/associations-now-presents-more-than-marketing-the-power-of-strategic-communications/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Why Slower Marketing Can Drive Stronger Member Engagement (Episode 27)June 25, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/25/associations-now-presents-why-slower-marketing-can-drive-stronger-member-engagement-episode-27/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F12%2F18%2Fdaily-buzz-wordpress-big-spam-problem%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !