Make sure your PHP and WordPress is bang uptodate, or take it down until it is. But this is not new, you should adopt this policy with ALL software. Keep everything uptodate.
Everything we use has the building blocks of a programming system, with a version and support (or not). As a general rule, we all need to keep a list of what a our company uses, and make sure it is kept up to date. We are used to Windows versions or Mac OS, but it is scary to think that the internet services are also in full view and accessible by everyone on the web.
The recent scare grabbed by the media is the issue with PHP. Now you all need to pay attention and check that you are on the version you should be….WHY?
The main reason is that WordPress, the basis of many of our websites, or the “interactive” part of our websites uses PHP. You need to check and make sure you are on PHP 8.5 (or the new version if reading this in a months times). Criminals will be looking into gaining access to data to any system that is not protected by the updates and fixes applied. If you have personal or useful data there that a criminal can use for gain, or some kind of exploitation, it is YOU who will be liable under GDPR rules and laws.
- Ask your website designer, if you are using PHP, WordPress (7.1.3 current version), and any plugins and to make sure it is updated.
- Go through all the services you use, maybe recruitment, accounts, HR, any external website service you enter your data into – if they are running out dated PHP, or any type of outdated system, your data is more at risk.
Please bear in mind though, that keeping things like WordPress and PHP uptodate WILL NOT guarrantee security, but it will help. Hackers, criminals with the use of AI now will continue to find gaps they can exploit, and companies will need to write fixes to keep them out.
Current and Supported Versions
- PHP 8.5: The current stable release with active bug fixes and security support.
- PHP 8.4: Actively supported for bugs until late 2026 and critical security fixes through 2028.
- PHP 8.3: In its security-fixes-only phase until December 31, 2027.
- PHP 8.2: In its final security-fixes-only phase, reaching full end-of-life on December 31, 2026. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Legacy and End-of-Life (EOL) Versions
- PHP 8.1: End-of-life as of December 31, 2025.
- PHP 8.0: End-of-life as of November 26, 2023.
- PHP 7.4 and older: Fully unsupported historical legacy versions (PHP 7 support ended in November 2022, with older 5.x and 7.x branches long discontinued).
