WordCamp Archives

WordCamp Minneapolis 2015: Building and Running a Global Workforce

Published in Business on May 17, 2015

Recently I spoke at WordCamp Minneapolis 2015 on Building and Running a Global Workforce: The People Aspect of a Remote Company. While I usually speak about security, in this talk I share the challenges of a remote work force and speak about people issues, culture, growth challenges, scaling, and everything in between.

In June of 2014, I stepped into the role of CEO of Sucuri. In the presentation, I also share some of the lessons we have learned at Sucuri throughout the past five years of doing business at a global scale.

Check out the video of my presentation:

Watch The Video

The Value a Blog Brings To Your Brand

Published in Business on October 31, 2014

While in San Francisco this past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a conference, WordCamp San Francisco. I didn’t sit in on that many sessions, for a variety of reasons, but there was one that I attended, mostly because I know the speaker and he delivers a good and impactful talk – Chris Lema.

His talk was on Building Your Brand with a Blog – yes I stole the concept for the post title from that.

He defined 6 key elements to a successful content marketing strategy:

Audience
Needs
Opinion
Consistency
Tone
Sharing

If you have never heard my Chilean friend talk, you really need to, oh and don’t worry you have a lot of opportunities to. I encourage you to grab a glass of your favorite drink and go through the various videos, he’s a phenomenal speaker, and he writes about it too. But look, this post isn’t about my friend, it is however about his 6 key points.

WordCamp Europe 2014: WordPress Security Starts With Posture

Published in Security on October 16, 2014

Recently I spoke at WordCamp Europe 2014 on the topic WordPress Security — It Starts With Posture. The threats website owners face today range in scale and complexity — from large DDOS attacks leveraging WordPress core functionality, to vulnerabilities found in some of the largest plugins in the ecosystem.

The Security dilemma is not shrinking, it’s getting bigger.

Today more than ever, it’s important we take the time to educate and bring awareness to the things everyday website owners can do to improve their over security posture.

Web security is not a turn of a knob, or click of an option, it’s about state of mind — it’s about good posture.

Check out the video of my presentation:

Watch The Video

WordPress: The Vision of Five And What it Means

Published in Business on October 1, 2014

I was in Europe this past week for WordCamp Europe. I was accepted to speak about security, go figure… :)

Of the several talks I sat in on, the one I found most fascinating was the interview with Matt Mullenwegg ( WordPress Co-Founder, Head of the WordPress Foundation, CEO / Founder of Automattic). I am not sure why, I have often found myself in the crowd listening to Matt give a talk of some kind, whether it’s in a Town Hall setting or an interview.

I have crossed verbal swords with him on posts and twitter, extending and interpreting his words based on my own personal biases, etc… This time however, for once, I just listened and tried to really appreciate what he was saying.

Sometimes when you shut up, it’s amazing the things you really hear…

WordCamp Chicago 2014: WordPress Security Is All About the Basics

Published in Security on July 2, 2014

Recently I had the opportunity to share my insights from the past five years working at Sucuri at WordCamp Chicago 2014 held at the University Center in downtown Chicago.

My talk, WordPress Security: It’s All About the Basics, focused on experiences with end-user security issues and threats in the web security industry.

With the goal of greater awareness of security issues for website owners, I share information about the latest security threats and trends, what to watch out for and be careful of, and as always some (hopefully valuable) takeaways and recommendations for the future.

Check out the video of my presentation:

Watch The Video

WordCamp Philly 2014: The Key to WordPress Security Is Awareness

Published in Security on June 12, 2014

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to speak about WordPress Security at WordCamp Philly 2014 as part of the Power User Track.

It’s critical to understand that the key to website security is awareness — and that is exactly what we achieve in this talk.

Getting down to the basics and sharing insight that very few can share through the experiences we have ascertained at Sucuri. The latest threats and trends will be shared, and of course, some good, hardening takeaways and recommendations.

Checkout the video of my presentation:

Watch The Video

WordCamp Minneapolis 2014: Commercial WordPress Products

Published in Business on May 1, 2014

Recently I spoke at WordCamp Minneapolis 2014 on The Basics Of WordPress Security.

At the event, I pulled double duty and also participated in a panel discussion on Commercial WordPress Products moderated by Kiko Doran with:

Reid Peifer of Modern Tribe and Events Calendar Pro
Marc Benzakein of ServerPress and Desktop Server
Carl Hancock of RocketGenius and Gravity Forms
Ben Fox of FlowPress and SidekickPro

In this panel discussion we all answer some pointed questions by Kiko about our opinions and experiences selling commercial WordPress products.

Check out the video of the panel discussion and thanks for Paul Lampland for snapping this great photo!

Watch The Video

WordCamp Minneapolis 2014: The Basics Of WordPress Security

Published in Security on April 28, 2014

Over the years, I have seen and experienced an amazing amount of security threats, vulnerabilities, malware attacks, and other problems website owners face. Recently I had the opportunity to speak at WordCamp Minneapolis 2014 on The Basics of WordPress Security, specifically targeted for the website owner or end user.

In this presentation, I share insights into security threats and trends site owners should be aware of, provide tips and recommendations on keeping your website secure, and share some of my experiences and insights from working at Sucuri.

I also participated in a panel discussion on Commercial WordPress Products with Reid Peifer, Marc Benzakein, Carl Hancock, and Ben Fox that was moderated by Kiko Doran.

Check out the video of my presentation and thanks to Matt Porath for snapping this great photo!

Watch The Video

WordCamp Las Vegas 2013: Real WordPress Security, Kill The Noise!

Published in Security on December 28, 2013

This month I joined my business partner Dre Armeda at WordCamp Las Vegas 2013 to speak about web security.

Our presentation, titled Real WordPress Security, Kill The Noise! cut through the false sense of security many website owners enjoy to address the real security issues, threats, and vulnerabilities facing WordPress websites and their owners.

But don’t worry — it’s not all doom and gloom.

While we address the issues, we also provide tips and recommendations on how you can secure your website and our no nonsense approach to reducing risk with WordPress.

Check out the video of the presentation:

Watch The Video

WordCamp Miami 2013: WordPress Website Security

Published in Security on April 3, 2013

I’ll be in Miami this weekend, for WordCamp Miami 2013, giving a new, updated talk on Website Security. Come by and say hi if you’re around — If you’re not, no problem, I’ve included my slides below in this post for your reference.

My talk is titled Staying of the Website Threats and Becoming One with Malware. In it, I talk about the latest threats and things you can do to help yourself and your site stay secure. The idea is to educate and in the process, help you gain a deeper appreciation for the underbelly of the web and the realities of the web based malware.

WordCamp San Diego 2013: PressNomics For All

Published in Business on March 25, 2013

This was an interesting year for me when it comes to WordCamp San Diego.

It was the third one being held in the city and the first in which I was not involved. I have to admit, it was odd but pleasant. I remember a conversation in which someone told me that WordCamp organizers are perhaps the most under-appreciated volunteers in the WordPress eco-system, and I have to admit they probably are. Having been part of the organizing team for the first two I know first hand the obstacles they face and have to overcome to be successful. Which is also one of the reasons I am volunteering to help the WordCamp Guidelines committee.

WordCamp Las Vegas 2012: WordPress Security, Dealing with Today’s Hacks

Published in Security on January 16, 2013

In December I had the opportunity to speak at WordCamp Las Vegas 2012 on the topic of WordPress Security, Dealing with Today’s Hacks.

Every day there are new hacks that come online and the problem is affecting everyone. If you or a friend have found yourself at a tail end of a hack then then this talk is for you.

In this talk, I speak about the prominent WordPress hacks, how they affect and leverage WordPress resources and more importantly how to detect and remove, including Backdoors, Pharma Hack, Injections, and Malicious Redirects. I will also introduce you to working with Google Webmaster and how to deal with “Your site maybe be compromised” warnings in the Google’s search engine results pages.

While this talk will employ the use of terminal commands, it’s delivered in a way that end-users can understand, with instructions on how to navigate your host CPANEL configuration to make it work for you, as well as steps that will help you protect yourself from these hacks.

Check out the video on my presentation:

Watch The Video

WordCamp Baltimore 2012: WordPress Security Panel

Published in Security on September 4, 2012

This weekend I’ll be jumping on a jet plane again — this time to WordCamp Baltimore 2012 happening September 8 at the Maryland Science Center.

I’ll be joining my business partner Dre Armeda and development partner Brad Williams for a WordPress Security panel, where we’ll be answering YOUR questions about security, WordPress, and keeping your site safe.

This panel will be similar to the one Mark Jaquith provided at WordCamp San Francisco 2011, but different as you might imagine with Dre, Brand, and I at the helm.

WordCamp Chicago 2012: WordPress Security, The Nitty Gritty

Published in Security on August 25, 2012

I was fortunate enough to be accepted to talk at WordCamp Chicago 2012 on WordPress Security, The Nitty Gritty as part of the Advanced Developer Track.

In this presentation I talk about web security, WordPress, and how they co-exist. this is an expansion on previous presentations, updating it with the latest trends and sharing more insight into hardening techniques.

My goal is to take the things I learn every day and wrap up into one 50 minute presentation of pure awesomeness.

Although the topic is similar to my previous talk, security changes so rapidly, that there is always something new to learn and be aware of. The web malware problem is growing and the information simply can’t get into the hands of end-users fast enough.

Get a full recap of my talk over on the Sucuri blog and thanks to Emily Barney for snapping this great photo.

Check out the video of my presentation:

Watch The Video

WordCamp Orange County 2012: WordPress Security Presentation

Published in Security on June 2, 2012

I was a great experience giving the WordPress Security presentation at WordCamp Orange County this year.

Big shout out to the organizers, Brandon Dove, Jeffrey Zinn and Robert Nienhaus.

Thanks to Daniel Cid, Mark Jaquith, Andrew Nacin, and Dre Armeda for taking time to review and provide guidance.

For those interested, here are the slides from the presentation. Hope to get a copy of the video and will include that when they are published.

Kudos to WordPress.org: Community Summit 2012

Published in Business on May 15, 2012

After all the fuss I stirred up with the release of WordCamp San Francisco sponsorship packages a week ago, I felt compelled to take a minute to commend the WordPress leadership on today’s release of a Community Summit set for later this year, 2012.

Of the entire post my biggest take away was this:

WordCamp Orange County: End User Awareness

Published in Security on May 4, 2012

So this is kind of cool, my submission to talk at WordCamp Orange County was accepted.

What makes it extra cool is that with the number of WordCamps I have attended, this is my first time speaking. Don’t get me wrong, if you have spent time with me at the after party or any of the socials, you know talking is not my problem — especially if on a subject I am passionate about.

What most don’t realize though, is that I was only recently introduced to WordPress and its communities (January of 2010). That’s when my brother-in-law, Dre Armeda, introduced me to the platform and all the other goodness that comes with it (i.e., tacos and fizzypops). Since, it has been an exciting roller coaster of an experience.

WordCamp San Francisco 2012 Sponsorship: Kettle meet Pot

Published in Business on May 3, 2012

Ok, this has me a bit perturbed.

Today I get an email about the WCSF 2012 sponsorship packages and low and behold I am shocked, again, at the packages. Last year this happened, and not many folks said anything, this year I’m not sure I can go without saying something.

Having been part of the organizing team for two very successful camps, WordCamp San Diego 2011 and 2012, I can’t help recall long conversations with the WordPress foundation, whom “govern” the WordCamps world-wide, around sponsorship packages.

One very specific conversation was around the level of sponsorships and the response I got:

The Concept of a “Pressnomics” Conference

Published in Business on May 2, 2012

Today it was publicly released that there is a new conference for businesses that leverage the WordPress platform as part of their service offering or as part of the business architecture — Pressnomics. It took me a minute to sick back and really think about the conference and how it differs from what we know of today as a WordCamp.

At first glance I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, it had more to do with getting away from the Foundation’s oversight and breaking free from the perceived shackles. I would probably argue that some might still think that at first glance, and so I decided to think through it a bit more.

Planning a WordCamp

Published in Business on April 4, 2012

If you have ever considered planning a WordCamp then you will want to read this post.

I was an organizer in 2011 and 2012 for WordCamp San Diego. I can honestly say they were by far one of the most interesting experiences I have had to date. They were comprised of extreme highs and lows spread over a number of months. There is no escaping the feelings you have the few days prior to the event, the days of the event and the days immediately following the event. The things that I probably overlooked when first starting off were:

The Organizing Team
The Foundation
Where to start?
The Little Things