Category: CloudFlare

Alert (AA22-277A) Impacket and Exfiltration Tool Used to Steal Sensitive Information from Defense Industrial Base Organization

Summary

Actions to Help Protect Against APT Cyber Activity:

• Enforce multifactor authentication (MFA) on all user accounts.
• Implement network segmentation to separate network segments based on role and functionality.
• Update software, including operating systems, applications, and firmware, on network assets.
• Audit account usage.

From November 2021 through January 2022, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) responded to advanced persistent threat (APT) activity on a Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Sector organization’s enterprise network. During incident response activities, CISA uncovered that likely multiple APT groups compromised the organization’s network, and some APT actors had long-term access to the environment. APT actors used an open-source toolkit called Impacket to gain their foothold within the environment and further compromise the network, and also used a custom data exfiltration tool, CovalentStealer, to steal the victim’s sensitive data.

This joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) provides APT actors tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs) identified during the incident response activities by CISA and a third-party incident response organization. The CSA includes detection and mitigation actions to help organizations detect and prevent related APT activity. CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA) recommend DIB sector and other critical infrastructure organizations implement the mitigations in this CSA to ensure they are managing and reducing the impact of cyber threats to their networks.

Download the PDF version of this report: pdf, 692 KB

For a downloadable copy of IOCs, see the following files:

Technical Details

Threat Actor Activity

Note: This advisory uses the MITRE ATT&CK® for Enterprise framework, version 11. See the MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques section for a table of the APT cyber activity mapped to MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise framework.

From November 2021 through January 2022, CISA conducted an incident response engagement on a DIB Sector organization’s enterprise network. The victim organization also engaged a third-party incident response organization for assistance. During incident response activities, CISA and the trusted –third-party identified APT activity on the victim’s network.

Some APT actors gained initial access to the organization’s Microsoft Exchange Server as early as mid-January 2021. The initial access vector is unknown. Based on log analysis, the actors gathered information about the exchange environment and performed mailbox searches within a four-hour period after gaining access. In the same period, these actors used a compromised administrator account (“Admin 1”) to access the EWS Application Programming Interface (API). In early February 2021, the actors returned to the network and used Admin 1 to access EWS API again. In both instances, the actors used a virtual private network (VPN).

Four days later, the APT actors used Windows Command Shell over a three-day period to interact with the victim’s network. The actors used Command Shell to learn about the organization’s environment and to collect sensitive data, including sensitive contract-related information from shared drives, for eventual exfiltration. The actors manually collected files using the command-line tool, WinRAR. These files were split into approximately 3MB chunks located on the Microsoft Exchange server within the CU2\he\debug directory. See Appendix: Windows Command Shell Activity for additional information, including specific commands used.

During the same period, APT actors implanted Impacket, a Python toolkit for programmatically constructing and manipulating network protocols, on another system. The actors used Impacket to attempt to move laterally to another system.

In early March 2021, APT actors exploited CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, and CVE-2021-27065 to install 17 China Chopper webshells on the Exchange Server. Later in March, APT actors installed HyperBro on the Exchange Server and two other systems. For more information on the HyperBro and webshell samples, see CISA MAR-10365227-2 and -3.

In April 2021, APT actors used Impacket for network exploitation activities. See the Use of Impacket section for additional information. From late July through mid-October 2021, APT actors employed a custom exfiltration tool, CovalentStealer, to exfiltrate the remaining sensitive files. See the Use of Custom Exfiltration Tool: CovalentStealer section for additional information.

APT actors maintained access through mid-January 2022, likely by relying on legitimate credentials.

Use of Impacket

CISA discovered activity indicating the use of two Impacket tools: wmiexec.py and smbexec.py. These tools use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, respectively, for creating a semi-interactive shell with the target device. Through the Command Shell, an Impacket user with credentials can run commands on the remote device using the Windows management protocols required to support an enterprise network.

The APT cyber actors used existing, compromised credentials with Impacket to access a higher privileged service account used by the organization’s multifunctional devices. The threat actors first used the service account to remotely access the organization’s Microsoft Exchange server via Outlook Web Access (OWA) from multiple external IP addresses; shortly afterwards, the actors assigned the Application Impersonation role to the service account by running the following PowerShell command for managing Exchange:

powershell add-pssnapin *exchange*;New-ManagementRoleAssignment – name:”Journaling-Logs” -Role:ApplicationImpersonation -User:<account>

This command gave the service account the ability to access other users’ mailboxes.

The APT cyber actors used virtual private network (VPN) and virtual private server (VPS) providers, M247 and SurfShark, as part of their techniques to remotely access the Microsoft Exchange server. Use of these hosting providers, which serves to conceal interaction with victim networks, are common for these threat actors. According to CISA’s analysis of the victim’s Microsoft Exchange server Internet Information Services (IIS) logs, the actors used the account of a former employee to access the EWS. EWS enables access to mailbox items such as email messages, meetings, and contacts. The source IP address for these connections is mostly from the VPS hosting provider, M247.

Use of Custom Exfiltration Tool: CovalentStealer

The threat actors employed a custom exfiltration tool, CovalentStealer, to exfiltrate sensitive files.

CovalentStealer is designed to identify file shares on a system, categorize the files, and upload the files to a remote server. CovalentStealer includes two configurations that specifically target the victim’s documents using predetermined files paths and user credentials. CovalentStealer stores the collected files on a Microsoft OneDrive cloud folder, includes a configuration file to specify the types of files to collect at specified times and uses a 256-bit AES key for encryption. See CISA MAR-10365227-1 for additional technical details, including IOCs and detection signatures.

MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques

MITRE ATT&CK is a globally accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques based on real-world observations. CISA uses the ATT&CK Framework as a foundation for the development of specific threat models and methodologies. Table 1 lists the ATT&CK techniques employed by the APT actors.

Initial Access
Technique TitleIDUse
Valid AccountsT1078Actors obtained and abused credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. In this case, they exploited an organization’s multifunctional device domain account used to access the organization’s Microsoft Exchange server via OWA.
Execution
Technique TitleIDUse
Windows Management InstrumentationT1047Actors used Impacket tools wmiexec.py and smbexec.py to leverage Windows Management Instrumentation and execute malicious commands.
Command and Scripting InterpreterT1059Actors abused command and script interpreters to execute commands.
Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShellT1059.001Actors abused PowerShell commands and scripts to map shared drives by specifying a path to one location and retrieving the items from another. See Appendix: Windows Command Shell Activity for additional information.
Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command ShellT1059.003Actors abused the Windows Command Shell to learn about the organization’s environment and to collect sensitive data. See Appendix: Windows Command Shell Activity for additional information, including specific commands used.The actors used Impacket tools, which enable a user with credentials to run commands on the remote device through the Command Shell.
Command and Scripting Interpreter: PythonT1059.006The actors used two Impacket tools: wmiexec.py and smbexec.py.
Shared ModulesT1129Actors executed malicious payloads via loading shared modules. The Windows module loader can be instructed to load DLLs from arbitrary local paths and arbitrary Universal Naming Convention (UNC) network paths.
System ServicesT1569Actors abused system services to execute commands or programs on the victim’s network.
Persistence
Technique TitleIDUse
Valid AccountsT1078Actors obtained and abused credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion.
Create or Modify System ProcessT1543Actors were observed creating or modifying system processes.
Privilege Escalation
Technique TitleIDUse
Valid AccountsT1078Actors obtained and abused credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. In this case, they exploited an organization’s multifunctional device domain account used to access the organization’s Microsoft Exchange server via OWA.
Defense Evasion
Technique TitleIDUse
Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or LocationT1036.005Actors masqueraded the archive utility WinRAR.exe by renaming it VMware.exe to evade defenses and observation.
Indicator Removal on HostT1070Actors deleted or modified artifacts generated on a host system to remove evidence of their presence or hinder defenses.
Indicator Removal on Host: File DeletionT1070.004Actors used the del.exe command with the /f parameter to force the deletion of read-only files with the *.rar and tempg* wildcards.
Valid AccountsT1078Actors obtained and abused credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. In this case, they exploited an organization’s multifunctional device domain account used to access the organization’s Microsoft Exchange server via OWA.
Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion: System ChecksT1497.001Actors used Windows command shell commands to detect and avoid virtualization and analysis environments. See Appendix: Windows Command Shell Activity for additional information.
Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify ToolsT1562.001Actors used the taskkill command to probably disable security features. CISA was unable to determine which application was associated with the Process ID.
Hijack Execution FlowT1574Actors were observed using hijack execution flow.
Discovery
Technique TitleIDUse
System Network Configuration DiscoveryT1016Actors used the systeminfo command to look for details about the network configurations and settings and determine if the system was a VMware virtual machine.The threat actor used route print to display the entries in the local IP routing table.
System Network Configuration Discovery: Internet Connection DiscoveryT1016.001Actors checked for internet connectivity on compromised systems. This may be performed during automated discovery and can be accomplished in numerous ways.
System Owner/User DiscoveryT1033Actors attempted to identify the primary user, currently logged in user, set of users that commonly use a system, or whether a user is actively using the system.
System Network Connections DiscoveryT1049Actors used the netstat command to display TCP connections, prevent hostname determination of foreign IP addresses, and specify the protocol for TCP.
Process DiscoveryT1057Actors used the tasklist command to get information about running processes on a system and determine if the system was a VMware virtual machine.The actors used tasklist.exe and find.exe to display a list of applications and services with their PIDs for all tasks running on the computer matching the string “powers.”
System Information DiscoveryT1082Actors used the ipconfig command to get detailed information about the operating system and hardware and determine if the system was a VMware virtual machine.
File and Directory DiscoveryT1083Actors enumerated files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion: System ChecksT1497.001Actors used Windows command shellcommands to detect and avoid virtualization and analysis environments.
Lateral Movement
Technique TitleIDUse
Remote Services: SMB/Windows Admin SharesT1021.002Actors used Valid Accounts to interact with a remote network share using Server Message Block (SMB) and then perform actions as the logged-on user.
Collection
Technique TitleIDUse
Archive Collected Data: Archive via UtilityT1560.001Actor used PowerShell commands and WinRAR to compress and/or encrypt collected data prior to exfiltration.
Data from Network Shared DriveT1039Actors likely used net share command to display information about shared resources on the local computer and decide which directories to exploit, the powershell dircommand to map shared drives to a specified path and retrieve items from another, and the ntfsinfo command to search network shares on computers they have compromised to find files of interest.The actors used dir.exe to display a list of a directory’s files and subdirectories matching a certain text string.
Data Staged: Remote Data StagingT1074.002The actors split collected files into approximately
3 MB chunks located on the Exchange server within the CU2\he\debug directory.
Command and Control
Technique TitleIDUse
Non-Application Layer ProtocolT1095Actors used a non-application layer protocol for communication between host and Command and Control (C2) server or among infected hosts within a network.
Ingress Tool TransferT1105Actors used the certutil command with three switches to test if they could download files from the internet.The actors employed CovalentStealer to exfiltrate the files.
ProxyT1090Actors are known to use VPN and VPS providers, namely M247 and SurfShark, as part of their techniques to access a network remotely.
Exfiltration
Technique TitleIDUse
Schedule TransferT1029Actors scheduled data exfiltration to be performed only at certain times of day or at certain intervals and blend traffic patterns with normal activity.
Exfiltration Over Web Service: Exfiltration to Cloud StorageT1567.002The actor’s CovalentStealer tool stores collected files on a Microsoft OneDrive cloud folder.

DETECTION

Given the actors’ demonstrated capability to maintain persistent, long-term access in compromised enterprise environments, CISA, FBI, and NSA encourage organizations to:

  • Monitor logs for connections from unusual VPSs and VPNs. Examine connection logs for access from unexpected ranges, particularly from machines hosted by SurfShark and M247.
  • Monitor for suspicious account use (e.g., inappropriate or unauthorized use of administrator accounts, service accounts, or third-party accounts). To detect use of compromised credentials in combination with a VPS, follow the steps below:
    • Review logs for “impossible logins,” such as logins with changing username, user agent strings, and IP address combinations or logins where IP addresses do not align to the expected user’s geographic location.
    • Search for “impossible travel,” which occurs when a user logs in from multiple IP addresses that are a significant geographic distance apart (i.e., a person could not realistically travel between the geographic locations of the two IP addresses in the time between logins). Note: This detection opportunity can result in false positives if legitimate users apply VPN solutions before connecting to networks.
    • Search for one IP used across multiple accounts, excluding expected logins.
      • Take note of any M247-associated IP addresses used along with VPN providers (e.g., SurfShark). Look for successful remote logins (e.g., VPN, OWA) for IPs coming from M247- or using SurfShark-registered IP addresses.
    • Identify suspicious privileged account use after resetting passwords or applying user account mitigations.
    • Search for unusual activity in typically dormant accounts.
    • Search for unusual user agent strings, such as strings not typically associated with normal user activity, which may indicate bot activity.
  • Review the YARA rules provided in MAR-10365227-1 to assist in determining whether malicious activity has been observed.
  • Monitor for the installation of unauthorized software, including Remote Server Administration Tools (e.g., psexec, RdClient, VNC, and ScreenConnect).
  • Monitor for anomalous and known malicious command-line use. See Appendix: Windows Command Shell Activity for commands used by the actors to interact with the victim’s environment.
  • Monitor for unauthorized changes to user accounts (e.g., creation, permission changes, and enabling a previously disabled account).

CONTAINMENT AND REMEDIATION

Organizations affected by active or recently active threat actors in their environment can take the following initial steps to aid in eviction efforts and prevent re-entry:

  • Report the incident. Report the incident to U.S. Government authorities and follow your organization’s incident response plan.
  • Reset all login accounts. Reset all accounts used for authentication since it is possible that the threat actors have additional stolen credentials. Password resets should also include accounts outside of Microsoft Active Directory, such as network infrastructure devices and other non-domain joined devices (e.g., IoT devices).
  • Monitor SIEM logs and build detections. Create signatures based on the threat actor TTPs and use these signatures to monitor security logs for any signs of threat actor re-entry.
  • Enforce MFA on all user accounts. Enforce phishing-resistant MFA on all accounts without exception to the greatest extent possible.
  • Follow Microsoft’s security guidance for Active Directory—Best Practices for Securing Active Directory.
  • Audit accounts and permissions. Audit all accounts to ensure all unused accounts are disabled or removed and active accounts do not have excessive privileges. Monitor SIEM logs for any changes to accounts, such as permission changes or enabling a previously disabled account, as this might indicate a threat actor using these accounts.
  • Harden and monitor PowerShell by reviewing guidance in the joint Cybersecurity Information Sheet—Keeping PowerShell: Security Measures to Use and Embrace.

Mitigations

Mitigation recommendations are usually longer-term efforts that take place before a compromise as part of risk management efforts, or after the threat actors have been evicted from the environment and the immediate response actions are complete. While some may be tailored to the TTPs used by the threat actor, recovery recommendations are largely general best practices and industry standards aimed at bolstering overall cybersecurity posture.

Segment Networks Based on Function

  • Implement network segmentation to separate network segments based on role and functionality. Proper network segmentation significantly reduces the ability for ransomware and other threat actor lateral movement by controlling traffic flows between—and access to—various subnetworks. (See CISA’s Infographic on Layering Network Security Through Segmentation and NSA’s Segment Networks and Deploy Application-Aware Defenses.)
  • Isolate similar systems and implement micro-segmentation with granular access and policy restrictions to modernize cybersecurity and adopt Zero Trust (ZT) principles for both network perimeter and internal devices. Logical and physical segmentation are critical to limiting and preventing lateral movement, privilege escalation, and exfiltration.

Manage Vulnerabilities and Configurations

  • Update software, including operating systems, applications, and firmware, on network assets. Prioritize patching known exploited vulnerabilities and critical and high vulnerabilities that allow for remote code execution or denial-of-service on internet-facing equipment.
  • Implement a configuration change control process that securely creates device configuration backups to detect unauthorized modifications. When a configuration change is needed, document the change, and include the authorization, purpose, and mission justification. Periodically verify that modifications have not been applied by comparing current device configurations with the most recent backups. If suspicious changes are observed, verify the change was authorized.

Search for Anomalous Behavior

  • Use cybersecurity visibility and analytics tools to improve detection of anomalous behavior and enable dynamic changes to policy and other response actions. Visibility tools include network monitoring tools and host-based logs and monitoring tools, such as an endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool. EDR tools are particularly useful for detecting lateral connections as they have insight into common and uncommon network connections for each host.
  • Monitor the use of scripting languages (e.g., Python, Powershell) by authorized and unauthorized users. Anomalous use by either group may be indicative of malicious activity, intentional or otherwise.

Restrict and Secure Use of Remote Admin Tools

  • Limit the number of remote access tools as well as who and what can be accessed using them. Reducing the number of remote admin tools and their allowed access will increase visibility of unauthorized use of these tools.
  • Use encrypted services to protect network communications and disable all clear text administration services(e.g., Telnet, HTTP, FTP, SNMP 1/2c). This ensures that sensitive information cannot be easily obtained by a threat actor capturing network traffic.

Implement a Mandatory Access Control Model

  • Implement stringent access controls to sensitive data and resources. Access should be restricted to those users who require access and to the minimal level of access needed.

Audit Account Usage

  • Monitor VPN logins to look for suspicious access (e.g., logins from unusual geo locations, remote logins from accounts not normally used for remote access, concurrent logins for the same account from different locations, unusual times of the day).
  • Closely monitor the use of administrative accounts. Admin accounts should be used sparingly and only when necessary, such as installing new software or patches. Any use of admin accounts should be reviewed to determine if the activity is legitimate.
  • Ensure standard user accounts do not have elevated privileges Any attempt to increase permissions on standard user accounts should be investigated as a potential compromise.

VALIDATE SECURITY CONTROLS

In addition to applying mitigations, CISA, FBI, and NSA recommend exercising, testing, and validating your organization’s security program against threat behaviors mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise framework in this advisory. CISA, FBI, and NSA recommend testing your existing security controls inventory to assess how they perform against the ATT&CK techniques described in this advisory.

To get started:

  1. Select an ATT&CK technique described in this advisory (see Table 1).
  2. Align your security technologies against the technique.
  3. Test your technologies against the technique.
  4. Analyze the performance of your detection and prevention technologies.
  5. Repeat the process for all security technologies to obtain a set of comprehensive performance data.
  6. Tune your security program, including people, processes, and technologies, based on the data generated by this process.

CISA, FBI, and NSA recommend continually testing your security program, at scale, in a production environment to ensure optimal performance against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques identified in this advisory.

RESOURCES

CISA offers several no-cost scanning and testing services to help organizations reduce their exposure to threats by taking a proactive approach to mitigating attack vectors. See cisa.gov/cyber-hygiene-services.

U.S. DIB sector organizations may consider signing up for the NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center’s DIB Cybersecurity Service Offerings, including Protective Domain Name System (PDNS) services, vulnerability scanning, and threat intelligence collaboration for eligible organizations. For more information on how to enroll in these services, email dib_defense@cyber.nsa.gov.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CISA, FBI, and NSA acknowledge Mandiant for its contributions to this CSA.

APPENDIX: WINDOWS COMMAND SHELL ACTIVITY

Over a three-day period in February 2021, APT cyber actors used Windows Command Shell to interact with the victim’s environment. When interacting with the victim’s system and executing commands, the threat actors used /q and /c parameters to turn the echo off, carry out the command specified by a string, and stop its execution once completed.

On the first day, the threat actors consecutively executed many commands within the Windows Command Shell to learn about the organization’s environment and to collect sensitive data for eventual exfiltration (see Table 2).

CommandDescription / Use
net shareUsed to create, configure, and delete network shares from the command-line.[1] The threat actor likely used this command to display information about shared resources on the local computer and decide which directories to exploit.
powershell dirAn alias (shorthand) for the PowerShell Get-ChildItem cmdlet. This command maps shared drives by specifying a path to one location and retrieving the items from another.[2] The threat actor added additional switches (aka options, parameters, or flags) to form a “one liner,” an expression to describe commonly used commands used in exploitation: powershell dir -recurse -path e:\<redacted>|select fullname,length|export-csv c:\windows\temp\temp.txt. This particular command lists subdirectories of the target environment when.
systeminfoDisplays detailed configuration information [3], tasklist – lists currently running processes [4], and ipconfig – displays all current Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings, respectively [5]. The threat actor used these commands with specific switches to determine if the system was a VMware virtual machine: systeminfo > vmware & date /T, tasklist /v > vmware & date /T, and ipconfig /all >> vmware & date /.
route printUsed to display and modify the entries in the local IP routing table. [6] The threat actor used this command to display the entries in the local IP routing table.
netstatUsed to display active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, IPv4 statistics, and IPv6 statistics.[7] The threat actor used this command with three switches to display TCP connections, prevent hostname determination of foreign IP addresses, and specify the protocol for TCP: netstat -anp tcp.
certutilUsed to dump and display certification authority (CA) configuration information, configure Certificate Services, backup and restore CA components, and verify certificates, key pairs, and certificate chains.[8] The threat actor used this command with three switches to test if they could download files from the internet: certutil -urlcache -split -f https://microsoft.com temp.html.
pingSends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echoes to verify connectivity to another TCP/IP computer.[9] The threat actor used ping -n 2 apple.com to either test their internet connection or to detect and avoid virtualization and analysis environments or network restrictions.
taskkillUsed to end tasks or processes.[10] The threat actor used taskkill /F /PID 8952 to probably disable security features. CISA was unable to determine what this process was as the process identifier (PID) numbers are dynamic.
PowerShell Compress-Archive cmdletUsed to create a compressed archive or to zip files from specified files and directories.[11] The threat actor used parameters indicating shared drives as file and folder sources and the destination archive as zipped files. Specifically, they collected sensitive contract-related information from the shared drives.

On the second day, the APT cyber actors executed the commands in Table 3 to perform discovery as well as collect and archive data.

CommandDescription / Use
ntfsinfo.exeUsed to obtain volume information from the New Technology File System (NTFS) and to print it along with a directory dump of NTFS meta-data files.[12]
WinRAR.exeUsed to compress files and subsequently masqueraded WinRAR.exe by renaming it VMware.exe.[13]

On the third day, the APT cyber actors returned to the organization’s network and executed the commands in Table 4.

CommandDescription / Use
powershell -ep bypass import-module .\vmware.ps1;export-mft -volume eThreat actors ran a PowerShell command with parameters to change the execution mode and bypass the Execution Policy to run the script from PowerShell and add a module to the current section: powershell -ep bypass import-module .\vmware.ps1;export-mft -volume e. This module appears to acquire and export the Master File Table (MFT) for volume E for further analysis by the cyber actor.[14]
set.exeUsed to display the current environment variable settings.[15] (An environment variable is a dynamic value pointing to system or user environments (folders) of the system. System environment variables are defined by the system and used globally by all users, while user environment variables are only used by the user who declared that variable and they override the system environment variables (even if the variables are named the same).
dir.exeUsed to display a list of a directory’s files and subdirectories matching the eagx* text string, likely to confirm the existence of such file.
tasklist.exe and find.exeUsed to display a list of applications and services with their PIDs for all tasks running on the computer matching the string “powers”.[16][17][18]
ping.exeUsed to send two ICMP echos to amazon.com. This could have been to detect or avoid virtualization and analysis environments, circumvent network restrictions, or test their internet connection.[19]
del.exe with the /f parameterUsed to force the deletion of read-only files with the *.rar and tempg* wildcards.[20]

References

[1] Microsoft Net Share

[2] Microsoft Get-ChildItem

[3] Microsoft systeminfo

[4] Microsoft tasklist

[5] Microsoft ipconfig

[6] Microsoft Route

[7] Microsoft netstat

[8] Microsoft certutil

[9] Microsoft ping

[10] Microsoft taskkill

[11] Microsoft Compress-Archive

[12] NTFSInfo v1.2

[13] rarlab

[14] Microsoft Import-Module

[15] Microsoft set (environment variable)

[16] Microsoft tasklist

[17] Mitre ATT&CK – Sofware: TaskList

[18] Microsoft find

[19] Microsoft ping

[20] Microsoft del

Revisions

October 4, 2022: Initial version

Source :
https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-277a

UniFi Protect – Manage motion detection and privacy zones

This article describes how to set camera zones and configure motion detection behavior on your UniFi Protect system.

Camera zones overview

There are three different types of camera zone settings you can use:

  • Motion Zones, which tell the camera to recognize motion in specific zones and trigger certain actions, e.g. record footage and create Motion Detections for you to review later
  • Privacy Zones, which let you block out certain areas on the video recordings
  • Smart Detection (AI and G4 camera series), which let you create Events for certain types of motion, e.g. when the camera detects a person

Set up motion zones

Motion zones are specific zones where the camera will detect and record motion.

To trigger and record motion events and also trigger motion alerts, the camera recording settings must be set to Always or Detections.

For more information on recording settings, see UniFi Protect – View camera streams and manage recordings.

To set up a motion zone on the web application:

  1. Go to the Devices section and select the desired camera.
  2. On the right side panel, select Zones > Expand Motion Zones > Add Motion Zone.
  3. Create the Motion Zone by clicking on the four corners of its perimeter. You can further adjust the corners by dragging them with your cursor.
  4. Adjust the zone’s detection sensitivity based on your camera’s surroundings using the slider node below the feed window.”
unifi-protect-manage-motion-detection-privacy-zones-1.png

To set up a motion zone on the mobile app:

  1. Select the desired camera on the home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of your screen, then select Motion Zones > Add Motion Zone.
  3. Create the Motion Zone by clicking on the four corners of its perimeter. You can further adjust the corners by dragging them with your cursor.
  4. Adjust the zone’s detection sensitivity based on your camera’s surroundings using the slider node below the feed window.

Please note that adjusting the recording setting to Never disables motion detection recording and alerts.

When setting up zones, you can adjust the zone sensitivity. Setting a higher value will make your camera more sensitive, making it more likely to detect and log more subtle motions (e.g., small object movements).

If you’re getting an increased amount of motion events due to minor movements such as moving branches, decrease zone sensitivity to prevent excessive minor motion event logging.

unifi-protect-mobile-motion-zone-frame.png

Set up Smart Detection zones

Smart Detection Zones create events when specific motions are detected (e.g., a person’s movement).

Currently Smart Detection zones only supports person detection, meaning that you will only be notified when this specific motion event occurs.

The Smart Detection feature is only available for G4 and AI series cameras, except for G4 Instant.

To set up Smart Detection zones:

  1. Go to Devices > Properties panel > Recordings and enable Person detection.
  2. Go to the Zones section, click Add new zone, and name it.
  3. Create the Smart Detection Zone by clicking on the four corners of its perimeter. You can further adjust the corners by dragging them with your cursor.
  4. Adjust the zone’s detection sensitivity based on your camera’s surroundings using the slider node below the feed window.
unifi-protect-manage-motion-detection-privacy-zones-2.png

Set up privacy zones

You can set privacy zones for each of your cameras, which block live playback and recordings of content within the specified area. Instead, you will see a blacked-out image.

To set up a privacy zone on the web application:

  1. Go to the Devices section and select the desired camera.
  2. On the right side panel, select Zones > Expand Privacy Zones > Add Privacy Zone.
  3. Create the Privacy Zone by clicking on the four corners of its perimeter. You can further adjust the corners by dragging them with your cursor.
unifi-protect-manage-motion-detection-privacy-zones-3.png
unifi-protect-manage-motion-detection-privacy-zones-4.png

To set up a privacy zone on the mobile app:

  1. Select the desired camera on the home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of your screen, then select Privacy Zones > Add Privacy Zone.
  3. Create the Privacy Zone by clicking on the four corners of its perimeter. You can further adjust the corners by dragging them with your cursor.
unifi-protect-privacy-zone-mobile-app-frame.png

Source :
https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/360056987954-UniFi-Protect-Manage-motion-detection-and-privacy-zones

UniFi Protect – Optimizing G4 Dome’s Night Mode

The G4 Dome camera is equipped with infrared LEDs to give it night vision. However, some factors may cause these LEDs to produce glares on the camera’s feed. The most common causes of glaring and poor resolution are:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gKNf23tWOFE

Reflections from nearby objects

Per its installation guide, the G4 Dome should be installed at least 60 centimeters (cm), or 24 inches, away from neighboring walls and the ceiling. If nearby objects or fixtures, such as a wall corner or overhang, are closer than that, they may reflect infrared light into the camera and create a glare.

Ceiling-mounting near a wall corner

Below, you can see how mounting the G4 Dome to the ceiling with objects in the foreground can result in poor image quality.

1_G4_Dome_ceiling_mounting_near_a_wall_corner_1.png
1_G4_Dome_ceiling_mounting_near_a_wall_corner_2.jpg

Ceiling-mounting near overhangs

The camera below is too close to the pillar so it appears in the camera’s field of view (FoV).

2_G4_Dome_ceiling_mounting_near_overhangs_1.png
2_G4_Dome_ceiling_mounting_near_overhangs_2.jpg

Wall-mounting too close to the ceiling

The camera below doesn’t have at least 60 cm of separation from the ceiling and its image quality is diminished as a result.

3_G4_Dome_wall_mounting_too_close_to_the_ceiling_1.png
3_G4_Dome_wall_mounting_too_close_to_the_ceiling_2.jpg

Residue on the bubble cover or lens

While installing the G4 Dome, its lens and bubble cover may collect dust, oil stains, and fingerprints. This can also occur if you wipe the lens or bubble cover incorrectly. 

If there is residue on the G4 Dome’s lens or bubble cover, clean them with either lens wipes, a lens cloth with a lens cleaning solution, or a soft cleaning cloth and rubbing alcohol. Continue to do this periodically to prevent distorted image quality due to dirty lens and cover surfaces.

Oil stains or fingerprints on the bubble cover or lens

When oil stains stick to the bubble cover or lens, the infrared lights become diffused by the foggy surface.

The image below shows the camera’s bubble cover marked with fingerprints.

4_G4_Dome_fingerprints_on_lens_1.png

The image below shows a lens with oil stains.

4_G4_Dome_residue_on_bubble_cover_or_lens_2.png

Below, you can see how image quality with a clean bubble cover is markedly better than that of an oil-stained equivalent.

4_G4_Dome_residue_on_bubble_cover_or_lens_3.jpg
4_G4_Dome_residue_on_bubble_cover_or_lens_4.jpg

Moisture droplets on the bubble cover

When moisture droplets stick to the bubble cover, the camera’s infrared lights become scattered by the trapped moisture, like in the example directly below.

To avoid reduced image quality due to moisture droplets, wipe the bubble cover’s exterior with a lens cloth.

5_G4_Dome_moisture_droplets_on_the_bubble_cover_1.png
5_G4_Dome_moisture_droplets_on_the_bubble_cover_2.jpg

Bubble cover not properly locked in place

The G4 Dome’s removable bubble cover has a locking mechanism to ensure an airtight seal. When the bubble cover is not attached properly, the camera’s infrared lights can be reflected back into its lens. 

To mount the bubble cover correctly:

  1. Align the small indentations on the cover and camera.
  2. Rotate the cover clockwise to securely fasten its rubber lining. The sealing strips should not be visible.

The example images below show the G4 Dome when its bubble cover is properly attached (left), and when it’s not (right).

6_G4_Dome_correct_vs_incorrect_bubble_cover_attachment_2_correct.png

Here, you can see the G4 Dome’s image quality when its bubble cover is properly attached.

6_G4_Dome_bubble_cover_not_securely_attached_3.jpg

Here, you can see how its image quality is greatly reduced by an incorrectly attached cover.

6_G4_Dome_bubble_cover_not_securely_attached_4.jpg

The rubber seal surrounding the lens is damaged

When the rubber seal surrounding the lens is damaged, infrared light can leak in and distort the camera feed.

The images below show a normal seal (left) and a damaged one (right).

7_G4_Dome_rubber_seal_surrounding_the_lens_normal_vs_damaged.png


Source :
https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500008633161-UniFi-Protect-Optimizing-G4-Dome-s-Night-Mode

Wordfence 7.7.0 Is Out! Here Are The Changes

Wordfence 7.7.0 has just been released and as usual, it includes several awesome enhancements and updates for our security conscious WordPress publishers and e-commerce websites. This post goes into a little more detail on each change we’ve included. We don’t usually post additional detail like this, and we thought we’d give it a try, and make it a routine if the community approves.

This is based on the official Wordfence 7.7.0 changelog, which is included below. The format I’ve used here is the changelog entry as a heading and some detail on what the entry means and some background where applicable.

Improvement: Added configurable scan resume functionality to prevent scan failures on sites with intermittent connectivity issues

We’ve added “scan resume” functionality which is configurable and will prevent security scan failures on sites that might have intermittent connectivity issues. As you know Wordfence runs on over 4 million websites on over 12,000 unique networks, and to say that we run in a range of environments and configurations is an understatement. Our quality assurance team has an oversized influence on the product, and this is one more way they have made Wordfence even more robust in version 7.7.0.

Improvement: Added new scan result for vulnerabilities found in plugins that do not have patched versions available via WordPress.org

This adds a scan result for plugins that have a vulnerability and are still present in the official WordPress plugin repository, and where there is no fix available. The usual course of action is that the plugin team will disable a plugin in the repository that has a known vulnerability, where the vulnerability has not been fixed yet. In some cases, this doesn’t happen, and this scan result is designed to deal with this unusual case. This change will also allow plugins that are not provided through wordpress.org to be flagged as vulnerable if there is no update available.

Improvement: Implemented stand-alone MMDB reader for IP address lookups to prevent plugin conflicts and support additional PHP versions

We use the Maxmind database internally for location lookups. Our code was using the Maxmind PHP library to perform these lookups. Maxmind stopped supporting older PHP versions a while ago, but many of our customers are still on those old versions. We have also found that other WordPress plugins may use a different version of the Maxmind library, which can lead to conflicts. So we’ve rolled our own stand-alone MMDB reader to resolve both of these issues. We now support older PHP versions than the official Maxmind library, and you won’t see any conflicts if another plugin is using the Maxmind library.

Improvement: Added option to disable looking up IP address locations via the Wordfence API

By default Wordfence contacts our servers to perform an IP address location lookup. This is just the way the plugin was originally engineered (by me actually) to try to move as much processing to our own servers and reduce resource usage on our customer websites. Some of our customers prefer that lookup to happen locally, so we’ve provided that option. The default is still to do the lookup on our servers, but you have the option to enable local lookups. The one downside of enabling this feature is that you’ll only get country-level lookups.

Improvement: Prevented successful logins from resetting brute force counters

Another design decision I made early on is that a successful login on a WordPress website would reset our brute-force login counters to zero. This made sense because if a real user makes multiple login failures and then succeeds, clearly they’re the real user and we should reset our counters so that their next failure doesn’t lock them out. Well, an unintended side effect of this is that a threat actor can register an account on WordPress websites with open registration, and sign in, and that would reset brute force counters to zero, so they can keep trying to guess that admin account’s password. We’ve fixed this by removing the reset that occurs on successful login.

Improvement: Clarified IPv6 diagnostic

We found that a message on our diagnostics page caused users to think they need to fix something related to IPv6. So we clarified the message to prevent our customers from going on wild goose chases trying to fix something that doesn’t need fixing.

Improvement: Included maximum number of days in live traffic option text

This is also a clarification. The maximum amount of data in live traffic that we store is 30 days. This wasn’t clear and some users would enter a larger number of days, expecting to see more than 30 days of data. We’ve fixed this user interface issue to make it clear.

Fix: Made timezones consistent on firewall page

When the page showing firewall activity loaded more results, they’d be in UTC time instead of your correct timezone. Oops! We fixed that little issue.

Fix: Added “Use only IPv4 to start scans” option to search

We have the ability to search your Wordfence options page which is super useful. This option was not included in the search, so we fixed that.

Fix: Prevented deprecation notices on PHP 8.1 when emailing the activity log

PHP 8.1 provides notices that a function has been deprecated if a developer (like us) is using an older function call. We were in this case, and PHP 8.1 was rightfully complaining about it. So we switched to a more modern version of the same code.

Fix: Prevented warning on PHP 8 related to process owner diagnostic

On our diagnostics page, if a hosting provider has restricted an account from seeing its own username, our customers would see a warning that you can’t access an array offset on a boolean. We fixed that.

Fix: Prevented PHP Code Sniffer false positive related to T_BAD_CHARACTER

We use PHP code sniffer to look for things that are incompatible between versions. We were getting a false positive when using this internal tool, so we fixed that. This change is really for the benefit of our engineering team.

Fix: Removed unsupported beta feed option

A long time ago when there was fire in the sky and the seas were boiling, we launched the first version of the Wordfence firewall. Because we wanted to test out new rules, and some of our users were brave enough to try the new stuff, we included this option. We would release beta firewall rules and malware signatures, and our brave testing community would try them out first by enabling this option. We do all our testing internally now and the firewall code and rule syntax has become extremely robust, so we don’t do these kinds of releases anymore. So we removed this configuration option.

Below I’ve included the short version of the changelog that you’ll see on WordPress.org. You’re most welcome to post your comments and questions below. Keep in mind that support questions are best posted via our official support channels, but if you’d like to chat about this post, comment below and a member of the team or I will reply if needed.

Regards,

Mark Maunder – Wordfence Founder & CEO

Wordfence 7.7.0 – OCTOBER 3, 2022

  • Improvement: Added configurable scan resume functionality to prevent scan failures on sites with intermittent connectivity issues
  • Improvement: Added new scan result for vulnerabilities found in plugins that do not have patched versions available via WordPress.org
  • Improvement: Implemented stand-alone MMDB reader for IP address lookups to prevent plugin conflicts and support additional PHP versions
  • Improvement: Added option to disable looking up IP address locations via the Wordfence API
  • Improvement: Prevented successful logins from resetting brute force counters
  • Improvement: Clarified IPv6 diagnostic
  • Improvement: Included maximum number of days in live traffic option text
  • Fix: Made timezones consistent on firewall page
  • Fix: Added “Use only IPv4 to start scans” option to search
  • Fix: Prevented deprecation notices on PHP 8.1 when emailing the activity log
  • Fix: Prevented warning on PHP 8 related to process owner diagnostic
  • Fix: Prevented PHP Code Sniffer false positive related to T_BAD_CHARACTER
  • Fix: Removed unsupported beta feed option

    Source :
    https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2022/10/wordfence-7-7-0-is-out-here-are-the-changes/

PHP 8: How to Update the PHP Version of Your WordPress Site

Considered one of the most beginner-friendly programming languages, PHP continues to introduce tremendous changes with each of its updates. Embracing the change, this blog is focused on the steps to upgrade to PHP 8.0 on a WordPress website.

Previously, PHP 7’s speed optimization update helped a lot with gaining higher rankings on the SERPs. Carrying the legacy forward, PHP surprised its enthusiasts with a release of PHP 8.0 back in November 2020, which brought a list of new features that revolutionized the way programmers worked.

PHP 8 lets you write concise code and build more exemplary applications with exciting changes and improvements to the earlier RFCs. Considering the new improvements, it would be a crime not to upgrade your current PHP version to PHP 8.0 on your WordPress site.

Table of Contents

Before we jump towards the steps to upgrade your PHP version to PHP 8 on WordPress, we will give a brief PHP 8.0 overview to help you get acquainted with the update.

PHP 8.0 – An Overview

PHP (an acronym for Hypertext Preprocessor) is a popular open-source scripting language used by coders worldwide for web and application development. This high-level programming language is easy to learn, hence preferred by starters and novice coders. Still, it is also complex enough to cater to the needs of a professional programmer.

PHP 8.0 is the latest update of PHP and has come up with new features, functions, and methods to facilitate the developers and provide the best user experience.

Previously, PHP had released 7.4 in November 2019, ending the support of PHP 7.1. The later version, 7.2, was also discontinued with the release of 8.0. Currently, PHP supports only 7.3, 7.4, and 8.0 versions.

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PHP 8 Compatibility With WordPress

With every update come compatibility issues. If you want to have a hassle-free PHP 8.0 experience, we recommend opting for the latest WordPress version or going with at least 5.6 or any later versions.

Are you running your website on an older WordPress version but are skeptical about upgrading in fear of getting errors? Don’t worry; you can test your website via a staging environment and proceed with upgrading your live website safely to a newer WordPress version.

If you get any errors in the staging environment, then we’d recommend getting the help of a professional WordPress developer to diagnose and debug the errors before you move ahead with the update.

PHP 8 – Themes & Plugins Compatibility

Discomforts accompany every change; similar is the case with PHP 8. While PHP 8 offers extensive features to support its users and provide them with an ideal user experience, it brings the themes and plugins incompatibility issues.

PHP isn’t the player to be blamed here, as the themes and plugins should be updated to work with the latest software versions. If your favorite and irreplaceable plugin or theme is making problems with PHP 8, then try out the following solutions.

  1. Rollback to the previous PHP version. (A boring option)
  2. Contact the theme or plugin’s support team and inform them about the compatibility issues to boost the optimal user experience with the latest versions of both.

PHP 8 on WordPress: Installation Prerequisites

Before upgrading to PHP 8.0, it’s wise to check the current PHP version that your WordPress site is running.

Using an older version? You can upgrade the PHP version to enjoy the new features and improvements. But not so fast! Remember, safety always comes first. When we talk about security, we consider the “what ifs.”

What if your site is not compatible with the latest version, and you end up losing or corrupting your data in the process. Nope, you don’t want that.

Don’t lose hope; you can create a clone of your website to test it on the latest version.

If the clone website works smoothly after upgrading to PHP 8.0, you can move ahead with updating your actual site. This portion will list out the steps to create a clone website to test it under PHP 8.

Clone a Website via Your Web Hosting Provider

Fortunately, managed WordPress hosting solutions like Cloudways allow the users to create their site’s duplicate without dealing with any complexities. Follow the steps below to create your website’s clone via Cloudways.

  • Log in to Cloudways with your credentials.
Log in with Cloudways
  • Select your server, and click the application that you want to clone.
select server
  • Navigate to the bottom, and you will see an orange circle, click it.
  • Click Clone App/Create Staging from the pop-up.
clone app
  • Select your preferred server, then click Continue.
select server to clone app

You will be asked to wait for a few minutes, during which Cloudways will copy your entire website. Now, you are good to experiment on the clone.

Note: Clone App and Create as Staging are different functionalities. Clicking Clone App will only clone your website. Whereas, Create as Staging will sync the live and staged applications to allow you to perform Push/Pull actions on both the replica and live versions.

How to Update PHP in WordPress to PHP 8.0 on Cloudways

Cloudways announced its availability of PHP 8 earlier this year, maintaining its reputation of being the early bird to accept the latest updates. Want to update your PHP version on Cloudways? Follow the easy steps below to upgrade your current PHP version to PHP 8.0.

Note: Cloudways recommends keeping a backup of your server before upgrading to a newer PHP version. Keeping a backup will help you restore your application if you feel the need to revert to your previous PHP version anytime in the future.

Log in with Cloudways

  • Signup on Cloudways. Already have a Cloudways account? Log in with your credentials.
cloudways-login

Select Server

  • Click on Servers. Select, and click the server of your choice.
select server

Select Settings & Packages

  • Click on Settings & Packages on the left side.
Select Settings & Packages
  • Click on the Packages tab.
Select Packages

Upgrade your PHP version

  • Click the edit sign next to your current PHP version.
Upgrade your PHP version
  • Select PHP 8.0 from the drop-down, and click Save.
select PHP 8
  • The setup will prompt you with a warning to ensure if your application is compatible with the selected PHP version. If yes, then click OK.
click OK to select PHP version

The setup will take a few minutes to finish, and it will notify you once the update is done. After getting the notification, you can enjoy working with PHP 8.

PHP Supported Versions on WordPress

WordPress supports the following seven PHP versions ranging from PHP 5.6 to the latest version 8.0.

  • PHP 5.6
  • PHP 7.0
  • PHP 7.1
  • PHP 7.2
  • PHP 7.3
  • PHP 7.4
  • PHP 8.0
PHP supported versions

Note: Keep in mind that you won’t receive any PHP security updates if you are not using the latest PHP version. We recommend using the 8.0 PHP version.

What Is Holding Back Users From Updating to PHP 8.0?

The major reason that’s holding back users from upgrading to PHP 8 is the incompatibility of their favorite themes and plugins with PHP 8.

That said, every savvy user would like to enjoy the latest PHP features and RFC improvements. Anyone who wants to stay back and keep working with the legacy software would abstain from upgrading their PHP version.

Using the latest PHP versions allows for better and easier development of new features and also facilitates maintenance. Even if some of the themes and plugins are not working on PHP 8.0, they will eventually be updated.

Why Should You Upgrade to PHP 8?

Imagine using an outdated image editing tool for making logos or editing photos. While the world has moved to the latest version and is saving time and getting better quality and performance with the latest edition, you are still doing it the old way. Not really a smart decision, right?

Similarly, why would anyone abstain from upgrading to a newer PHP version when the new upgrade is specifically introduced to bring ease to the user’s end. You should definitely upgrade to PHP 8 if you want to benefit from the latest features, get better error handling, improved RFCs, and optimizations.

PHP 8 will remain in support till November 2022, and its security support will extend till November 2023. This longevity makes this newest version a lot more trustworthy and secure than the previous versions.

Most of the popular WordPress plugins and themes have accepted PHP 8 and are now compatible with it.

We ran a loader test to check PHP 8’s performance on the Cloudways server, and deduced the following results:

PHP 8 loader test

Source: Loader Test of PHP 8.0 on Cloudways Server

The average response time for the same WordPress website is 164 ms, and total success response counts are 3836.

Sadly, only 1.3% of the WordPress sites are using PHP 8.0. As per our experience, WordPress delivers the best performance with PHP 8.0 and gives better speeds than the previous PHP versions. It’s a good practice to use the latest versions, so the number of people migrating from 7.4 to 8.0 is gradually increasing with time.

PHP versions stats

Source: WordPress Version Stats

PHP has worked on the issues reported by the users in the previous versions, and the latest version is free from many recurring problems and has introduced new features.

To enjoy the services at their full potential, you will have to upgrade to the newest WordPress PHP version, as the older versions may eventually fade out or will be declined by most themes and plugins.

PHP Supported Versions

Source: PHP Supported Versions

Disadvantages of Using Older PHP Versions on WordPress

All PHP versions before 7.3 have reached their end of life, and it is advised to upgrade to the latest version if you are using any of the older versions, as it will make you vulnerable to unpatched security errors. Even 7.4 will reach the end of life on 28 Nov 2022.

Why would you risk your website to security vulnerabilities when you can easily upgrade to the latest version and enjoy the new improvements and features?

Also, ensure that you opt for a secure WordPress hosting provider to safeguard your sites from malicious traffic, DDoS attacks, and malware.

Using older PHP versions won’t only provide security issues but also will affect your website’s performance.

Which sane person compromises performance in this competitive era, where everyone is following the best practices to boost their site’s performance and gain their user’s attention?

Improve your website’s performance and security by halting the usage of older PHP versions, and upgrade your WordPress website’s PHP version to 8.0 to maximize safety and performance.

Final Thoughts

This blog covers PHP 8’s compatibility with WordPress and the steps to upgrade your PHP version to 8.0. The information shared in this guide will help you make the right decision to upgrade to PHP 8.0 on your WordPress site and enjoy the benefits of the newest update.

Ranging from the supported versions, disadvantages of using the old PHP version, and the reasons to upgrade to 8.0; we have tried to cover it all. Still, if any questions are popping up in your head, please feel free to comment with your queries; and we will answer all of them ASAP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can WordPress use PHP 8?

Yes, WordPress can use PHP 8, and it is recommended to use PHP 8.0 with WordPress 5.6 or higher version for compatibility and better performance.
If you are using an older WordPress version, you can test your site with WordPress 5.6 in a staging environment. If you don’t experience any issues, then upgrade your live WordPress site to enjoy using PHP 8.0 on WordPress.

Is WordPress compatible with PHP 8?

Yes, WordPress is compatible with PHP 8.0. However, only WordPress 5.6 or higher versions are compatible with PHP 8. If you are using an older WordPress version, you can upgrade it to at least 5.6 to enjoy using PHP 8.

Should I upgrade to PHP 8?

Yes, if you want to benefit from the latest features, better error handling, improved RFCs, and optimizations, you should upgrade your PHP version to PHP 8.

What version of PHP should I use for WordPress?

We recommend using PHP 8.0 with WordPress if you are using at least WordPress 5.6. The oldest PHP version that we recommend using with WordPress is PHP 7.3.

Source :
https://www.cloudways.com/blog/wordpress-php-8/

Migrate WordPress from PHP 5 to PHP 7

If your website’s PHP version Because PHP is not the same as the PHP version in your backup, it may cause issues with the proper operation of your website and with some applications. This is more common when migrating from PHP 5 to PHP 7.

We recommend that users regularly backup their WordPress sites or network of sites. You can also use the All-in-One WP Migration plugin extensions to set up automatic backups. Make sure your plugin version is always up to date.
In most cases, the PHP update will have no effect on WordPress or popular plugins or themes. However, it is possible that some plugins, themes, or other functionalities will cease to function.

Set the WP_DEBUG constant to true in your wp-config.php file to see all errors, warnings, and notes generated by the website during execution. This will assist you in locating any problems.

If your install is stuck at “restoring X% files,” “restoring database,” or “activating mu-plugins”

1. Leave the plugin running for another 15 minutes while it is on “Restoring database.”
2. After 15 minutes, open another tab and attempt to login to wp-admin using the exported site’s WP Admin username and password.
3. Save the permalinks structure twice by going to settings -> permalinks.
Your website should now be successfully migrated.

If it isn’t and you receive a 500 error, please edit your wp-config.php file and set WP_DEBUG to true, then refresh the page to see an error. This may assist you in determining the problem, or you can share the error with the Servmask support team for assistance.

Could it be my server settings?

Memory limit needs to be at 256M, max_execution_time to 500, and mysql.connect_timeout to 400. You can find these settings by uploading this file. (https://www.dropbox.com/s/ize8t2k4nww5iq7/phpinfo.php?dl=0) in wp-content of your imported site and then open http://YOURDOMAINNAME.COM/wp-content/phpinfo.php. (tip – use Ctr F search the data that you get)

Source :
https://help.servmask.com/knowledgebase/migrate-wordpress-from-php-5-to-php-7/

What are webhooks?

A simple guide to connecting web apps with webhooks

By Matthew Guay · September 20, 2022

what-are-webhooks primary img

You might have seen webhooks mentioned in your apps’ settings and wondered if they’re something you should use. The answer, in a nutshell, is probably yes.

Webhooks are one way that apps can send automated messages or information to other apps. It’s how PayPal tells your accounting app when your clients pay you, how Twilio routes phone calls to your number, and how WooCommerce can notify you about new orders in Slack.

They’re a simple way your online accounts can “speak” to each other and get notified automatically when something new happens. In many cases, you’ll need to know how to use webhooks if you want to automatically push data from one app to another.

Let’s break it down, learn how to speak webhook, and get your favorite apps to talk to each other.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What are webhooks?

Example SMS message with a sender, receiver, and message

There are two ways your apps can communicate with each other to share information: polling and webhooks. As one of our customer champion’s friends has explained it: polling is like knocking on your friend’s door and asking if they have any sugar (aka information), but you have to go and ask for it every time you want it. Webhooks are like someone tossing a bag of sugar at your house whenever they buy some. You don’t have to ask—they just automatically punt it over every time it’s available.

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Webhooks are automated messages sent from apps when something happens. They have a message—or payload—and are sent to a unique URL—essentially the app’s phone number or address. Webhooks are almost always faster than polling, and require less work on your end.

They’re much like SMS notifications. Say your bank sends you an SMS when you make a new purchase. You already told the bank your phone number, so they knew where to send the message. They type out “You just spent $10 at NewStore” and send it to your phone number +1-234-567-8900. Something happened at your bank, and you got a message about it. All is well.

Webhooks work the same way.

Example webhook data

Take another look at our example message about a new order. Bob opened your store’s website, added $10 of paper to his shopping cart, and checked out. Boom, something happened, and the app needs to tell you. Time for the webhook.

Wait: who’s the app gonna call? Just like you need to tell the bank your phone number before they can text you, for webhooks, you need to tell the originating app—your eCommerce store, in this case—the webhook URL of the receiving app, the app where you want the data to be sent.

Say you want to make an invoice for this new order. The app that creates this invoice is on the receiving end—it’s the app that needs the order data.

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You’d first open your invoice app, make an invoice template, and copy its webhook URL—something like yourapp.com/data/12345. Then open your eCommerce store app, and add that URL to its webhook settings. That URL is your invoice app’s phone number, essentially. If another app pings that URL (or if you enter the URL in your browser’s address bar), the app will notice that someone is trying to send it data.

Ok. Back to the order. Your eCommerce store got the order and knows it needs to send the details to yourapp.com/data/12345. It then writes the order in a serialization format. The simplest of those formats is called “form-encoded”, and means your customer’s order would look something like this:

Customer=bob&value=10.00&item=paper

Now your eCommerce store needs to send the message. The simplest way to send data to a webhooks URL is with an HTTP GET request. Literally, that means to add the data to the URL and ping the URL (or enter it in your browser’s address bar). The same way you can open Zapier’s about page by typing /about after zapier.com, your apps can send messages to each other by tagging extra text with a question mark on the end of a website address. Here’s the full GET request for our order:

https://yourapp.com/data/12345?Customer=bob&value=10.00&item=paper

Deep inside your invoice app, something dings and says “You’ve got mail!” and the app gets to work, making a new invoice for Bob’s $10 paper order. That’s webhooks in action.

Remember when you had to check your email to see if you had new messages—and how freeing push email (“You’ve got mail!”) was? That’s what webhooks are for your apps. They don’t have to check for new info anymore. Instead, when something happens, they can push the data to each other and not waste their time checking and waiting.

→ Ready to start using webhooks? Jump ahead to skip the geeky details—or keep reading to learn more about the terms you’ll often see used with webhooks.

That’s the simple version. Technically, webhooks are “user-defined callbacks made with HTTP” according to Jeff Lindsay, one of the first people to conceptualize webhooks. Webhooks are data and executable commands sent from one app to another over HTTP instead of through the command line in your computer, formatted in XML, JSON, or form-encoded serialization. They’re called webhooks since they’re software hooks—or functions that run when something happens—that work over the web. And they’re typically secured through obscurity—each user of an application gets a unique, random URL to send webhook data to—though they can optionally be secured with a key or signature.

Webhooks typically are used to connect two different applications. When an event happens on the trigger application, it serializes data about that event and sends it to a webhook URL from the action application—the one you want to do something based on the data from the first application. The action application can then send a callback message, often with an HTTP status code like 302 to let the trigger application know if the data was received successfully or 404 if not.

Webhooks are similar to APIs—but simpler. An API is a full language for an app with functions or calls to add, edit, and retrieve data. The difference is, with an API, you have to do the work yourself. If you build an application that connects to another with an API, your application will need to have ways to ask the other app for new data when it needs it. Webhooks, on the other hand, are for one specific part of an app, and they’re automated. You might have a webhook just for new contacts—and whenever a new contact is added, the application will push the data to the other application’s webhooks URL automatically. It’s a simple, one-to-one connection that runs automatically.

How to use webhooks

Video Thumbnail

You know the lingo, understand how apps can message each other with webhooks, and can even figure out what the serialized data means. You speak webhook.

It’s time to use it. The best way to make sure you understand how webhooks work is to test it out, try making your own webhooks, and see if they work. Or, you can jump ahead and just drop your webhook URL into an app to share data—after all, you don’t have to know how to make webhooks to use them.

Here are the resources you need:

Test webhooks with RequestBin and Postman

The quickest way to learn is to experiment—and it’s best to experiment with something you can’t break. With webhooks, there are two great tools for that: RequestBin (owned by Pipedream) and Postman.

How data appears in Requestbin

How data appears in Requestbin

RequestBin lets you create a webhooks URL and send data to it to see how it’s recognized. Go to RequestBin, click Create a RequestBin, then copy the URL it gives you.You’ll need to have a Pipedream account (created with Google or GitHub) before you can view and use a URL.

Now, serialize some data in form encoded style—or copy our example form copy above. Open a new tab, paste your RequestBin URL in the URL bar, add a ? to the end, then paste your serialized data. You’ll end up with something like this:

https://requestbin.com/19uynve1?customer=bob&value=10.00&item=paper

Press enter in your browser’s address bar, and you’ll get a simple message back: success:true. Refresh your RequestBin tab, and you’ll see the data listed at the bottom as in the screenshot above.

Click REST under INTEGRATIONS to see the data.

Click REST under INTEGRATIONS to see the data.

You can then try sending POST requests in Terminal or from your own app’s code, if you’d like, using RequestBin’s sample code. That’s a bit more complex—but gives you a way to play with JSON or XML encoding, too.

The setup in Postman

The setup in Postman

Or, use another app for that. The app Postman lets you make custom HTTP requests for an easy way to send customized data to a webhooks URL. Enter the URL, then choose the HTTP request method you want to use (GET, POST, PUT, etc), and add the body data. That’ll let you send far more detailed requests to your webhook URL without having to use more code.

Add webhooks to your apps

Testing webhooks and serializing data by hand is tricky—as is copying and pasting data from your apps. Let’s skip both, and just get our apps talking to each other.

We’re using WordPress-powered form tool Gravity Forms and document template-builder app WebMerge as the examples here—but the same general idea works in most other apps that support webhooks. Here’s essentially what you need to do:

Gravity Forms Webhook data

Open your form’s Webhook settings in Gravity Forms

First, enable webhooks in your app if they’re not already and open the webhooks settings (in Gravity Forms, for instance, you need to install an add-on; in Active Campaign or WooCommerce, you’ll find webhooks under the app’s default settings). Your app might have one set of webhook settings for the entire app—or, often, it’ll have a specific webhook for each form, document, or other items the app maintains.

We want the data to come from Gravity Forms, so we’ll open the Webhooks settings under the form we want to use. That gives us a URL field (this lets us tell Gravity Forms where we want to send the data) and options to specify the webhook HTTP request method (how to send the data).

WebMerge webhook

Each WebMerge document template has a unique webhook URL.

Now let’s get that URL from the app that will receive the data—WebMerge, in this case. In WebMerge, each document has its own “merge URL”—and it wants the data in form encoded serialization, as you can tell from the ampersands in the example data. Copy the merge URL—or whatever URL your app offers, as it may have a different name.

Tip: You’ll often find webhook URLs and related settings under the “integration”, “webhook”, or “workflow” settings, depending on your app.

Add webhooks URL to Gravity Forms

Add the webhooks URL to your trigger app so it can share data when something happens

Finally, go back to your trigger app—Gravity Forms in our case—and paste the webhook URL in Gravity Forms’ URL field. You may also be able to set the correct request method and the specific field values to ensure only the data you want is sent, and is shared with the same variable names as the receiving app uses. Save the settings, and you’re good to go.

The next time someone fills out our form that Bob ordered 10.00 of paper, Gravity Forms will send the data to WebMerge’s URL as https://www.webmerge.me/merge/149933/gxszxg?Name=Bob&Item=Paper&Value=10.00 and WebMerge will turn that into a complete invoice.

PayPal IPN

PayPal IPN is very similar to webhooks—and you can add a webhook URL to PayPal to get payment notifications

Once you start using webhooks, you’ll notice them (or similar links) everywhere, in places you never thought they’d show up. PayPal, for instance, uses Instant Payment Notifications or IPNs to send notifications whenever you receive a payment. Have an app that you’d like to do something whenever you get a PayPal payment? Add its webhooks URL to PayPal’s IPN settings and that app will get a message the next time you get money.

Or take Twimlets, Twilio‘s simple apps to forward calls, record voicemail messages, start a conference call, and more. To, say, forward a call, you’ll add a familiar, webhook-style Twimlet address like http://twimlets.com/forward?PhoneNumber=415-555-1212 to your Twilio phone number settings. Want to build your own phone-powered app, or notify another app when a new call comes in? Put your webhook URL in Twilio’s settings instead.

They might go by different names, but once you notice places where apps offer to send notifications to a unique link, you’ll often have found somewhere else webhooks can work. Now that you know how to use webhooks, you can use them to make software do whatever you want.

Use webhooks in any app with Zapier

Many apps on Zapier use webhooks behind the scenes already. You may not realize it, since Zapier apps generally handle all the actual setup for you. If you come across an app that offers webhooks as an option, you can use a webhooks step in a Zap to set that up yourself using what you’ve learned about webhooks. Note: Webhooks by Zapier is a built-in tool only available to Zapier users on a paid plan or during their trial period.

Copy Webhooks URL from Zapier

Say you have an app that can send data to a webhooks URL. To connect it to other apps, you’ll make a new Zap—what we call Zapier’s automated app workflows—and choose Webhooks by Zapier as the trigger app. Select Catch Hook, which can receive a GET, POST, or PUT request from another app. Zapier will give you a unique webhooks URL—copy that, then add it to your app’s webhooks URL field in its settings.

GET requests ask the server for data. POST requests send data to a computer. PUSH requests ask the server for specific data, typically to update it.

Test webhooks in Zapier

Zapier will parse each serialized item from your webhook data

Then have your app test the URL, or perhaps just add a new item (a new form entry, contact, or whatever thing your app makes) to have your app send the data to the webhook. Test the webhook step in Zapier, and you’ll see data from the webhook listed in Zapier.

Use webhooks in action app in Zapier

You can add each data item from your webhook to another app in Zapier

Now you can use that data in another app. Select the action app—the app you want to send data to. You’ll see form fields to add data to that app. Click in the field where you want to add webhooks data and select it from the dropdown. Test your Zap and it’s now ready to use. Now the next time your trigger app sends data to the webhook, Zapier will automatically add it to the action app you selected.

Zapier webhook action

Zapier can send any data you want to a webhooks URL

The reverse works as well. Want to send data from one app to another via webhooks? Zapier can turn the data from the trigger app into a serialized list and send it to any webhooks URL you want.

First, select the trigger app you want to send data from, and set it up in Zapier as normal. Then select Webhooks as the action app, and choose how you want to send the data (POST is typically the best option for most webhook integrations).

Finally, paste the webhooks URL from the app you want to receive the data into the URL field in Zapier’s webhook settings. You can choose how to serialize the data (form or JSON are typically best). Zapier will then automatically send all of the data from your trigger app to the webhook—or you can set the specific data variables from the Data fields below.

Zapier send data to webhook URL

You can specify how Zapier serializes your data and choose the specific data it sends to your webhook

You’re now ready to use your Zap. Now whenever something new happens in your trigger app, Zapier will copy the data and send it to your other app’s webhooks URL.

Webhooks are one of the best ways to connect apps that wouldn’t otherwise work with Zapier. Have a Mac or iPhone app that doesn’t connect with Zapier? Using Alfred or Siri Shortcuts—plus a Zapier Webhooks URL—you can connect them to your Zapier workflows. Here’s how:

Or, automate any other app that uses webhooks with Zapier’s webhook integrations or use one of these popular Zap templates to get started quickly:

Add info to a Google Sheet from new Webhook POST requests

Try it

  • Google Sheets logo
  • Webhooks by Zapier logo

Google Sheets, Webhooks by Zapier

Google Sheets + Webhooks by ZapierMore details

Send webhooks with new items in RSS feeds

Try it

  • RSS by Zapier logo
  • Webhooks by Zapier logo

RSS by Zapier, Webhooks by Zapier

RSS by Zapier + Webhooks by ZapierMore details

POST new Facebook Lead Ads to a webhook

Try it

  • Facebook Lead Ads logo
  • Webhooks by Zapier logo

Facebook Lead Ads, Webhooks by Zapier

Facebook Lead Ads + Webhooks by ZapierMore details

Send emails with new caught webhooks

Try it

  • Email by Zapier logo
  • Webhooks by Zapier logo

Email by Zapier, Webhooks by Zapier

Email by Zapier + Webhooks by ZapierMore details

POST new user tweets to a webhook

Try it

  • Twitter logo
  • Webhooks by Zapier logo

Twitter, Webhooks by Zapier

Twitter + Webhooks by ZapierMore details

Time to start using webhooks

Ok, you’ve got this. Armed with your newfound knowledge about webhooks and their confusing terminology, you’re ready to start using them in your work. Poke around your favorite web apps’ advanced settings and see if any of them support webhooks. Think through how you could use them—then give it a shot.

And bookmark this article. Next time you read something about a GET request needing to make an HTTP callback, or see a URL with ?name=bob&value=10 and such at the end, you’ll know what it actually means.

Further Reading: Want to learn more about webhooks? Read up on our Webhooks documentation page for all the details.

Source :
https://zapier.com/blog/what-are-webhooks/

Why Continuous Security Testing is a Must for Organizations Today

The global cybersecurity market is flourishing. Experts at Gartner predict that the end-user spending for the information security and risk management market will grow from $172.5 billion in 2022 to $267.3 billion in 2026.

One big area of spending includes the art of putting cybersecurity defenses under pressure, commonly known as security testing. MarketsandMarkets forecasts the global penetration testing (pentesting) market size is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.7% from 2022 to 2027. However, the costs and limitations involved in carrying out a penetration test are already hindering the market growth, and consequently, many cybersecurity professionals are making moves to find an alternative solution.

Pentests aren’t solving cybersecurity pain points

Pentesting can serve specific and important purposes for businesses. For example, prospective customers may ask for the results of one as proof of compliance. However, for certain challenges, this type of security testing methodology isn’t always the best fit.

1 — Continuously changing environments

Securing constantly changing environments within rapidly evolving threat landscapes is particularly difficult. This challenge becomes even more complicated when aligning and managing the business risk of new projects or releases. Since penetration tests focus on one moment in time, the result won’t necessarily be the same the next time you make an update.

2 — Rapid growth

It would be unusual for fast-growing businesses not to experience growing pains. For CISOs, maintaining visibility of their organization’s expanding attack surface can be particularly painful.

According to HelpNetSecurity, 45% of respondents conduct pentests only once or twice per year and 27% do it once per quarter, which is woefully insufficient given how quickly infrastructure and applications change.

3 — Cybersecurity skills shortages

As well as limitations in budgets and resources, finding the available skillsets for internal cybersecurity teams is an ongoing battle. As a result, organizations don’t have the dexterity to spot and promptly remediate specific security vulnerabilities.

While pentests can offer an outsider perspective, often it is just one person performing the test. For some organizations, there is also an issue on trust when relying on the work of just one or two people. Sándor Incze, CISO at CM.com, gives his perspective:

“Not all pentesters are equal. It’s very hard to determine if the pentester you’re hiring is good.”

4 — Cyber threats are evolving

The constant struggle to stay up to date with the latest cyberattack techniques and trends puts media organizations at risk. Hiring specialist skills for every new cyber threat type would be unrealistic and unsustainable.

HelpNetSecurity reported that it takes 71 percent of pentesters one week to one month to conduct a pentest. Then, more than 26 percent of organizations must wait between one to two weeks to get the test results, and 13 percent wait even longer than that. Given the fast pace of threat evolution, this waiting period can leave companies unaware of potential security issues and open to exploitation.

5 — Poor-fitting security testing solutions for agile environments

Continuous development lifecycles don’t align with penetration testing cycles (often performed annually.) Therefore, vulnerabilities mistakenly created during long security testing gaps can remain undiscovered for some time.

Bringing security testing into the 21st-century Impact

Cybersecurity Testing

A proven solution to these challenges is to utilize ethical hacker communities in addition to a standard penetration test. Businesses can rely on the power of these crowds to assist them in their security testing on a continuous basis. A bug bounty program is one of the most common ways to work with ethical hacker communities.

What is a bug bounty program?

Bug bounty programs allow businesses to proactively work with independent security researchers to report bugs through incentivization. Often companies will launch and manage their program through a bug bounty platform, such as Intigriti.

Organizations with high-security maturity may leave their bug bounty program open for all ethical hackers in the platform’s community to contribute to (known as a public program.) However, most businesses begin by working with a smaller pool of security talent through a private program.

How bug bounty programs support continuous security testing structures

While you’ll receive a certificate to say you’re secure at the end of a penetration test, it won’t necessarily mean that’s still the case the next time you make an update. This is where bug bounty programs work well as a follow-up to pentests and enable a continuous security testing program.

The impact of bug bounty program on cybersecurity

By launching a bug bounty program, organizations experience:

  1. More robust protection: Company data, brand, and reputation have additional protection through continuous security testing.
  2. Enabled business goals: Enhanced security posture, leading to a more secure platform for innovation and growth.
  3. Improved productivity: Increased workflow with fewer disruptions to the availability of services. More strategic IT projects that executives have prioritized, with fewer security “fires” to put out.
  4. Increased skills availability: Internal security team’s time is freed by using a community for security testing and triage.
  5. Clearer budget justification: Ability to provide more significant insights into the organization’s security posture to justify and motivate for an adequate security budget.
  6. Improved relationships: Project delays significantly decrease without the reliance on traditional pentests.

Want to know more about setting up and launching a bug bounty program?

Intigriti is the leading European-based platform for bug bounty and ethical hacking. The platform enables organizations to reduce the risk of a cyberattack by allowing Intigriti’s network of security researchers to test their digital assets for vulnerabilities continuously.

If you’re intrigued by what you’ve read and want to know about bug bounty programs, simply schedule a meeting today with one of our experts.

www.intigriti.com

Source :
https://thehackernews.com/2022/09/why-continuous-security-testing-is-must.html

Record DDoS Attack with 25.3 Billion Requests Abused HTTP/2 Multiplexing

Cybersecurity company Imperva has disclosed that it mitigated a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack with a total of over 25.3 billion requests on June 27, 2022.

The “strong attack,” which targeted an unnamed Chinese telecommunications company, is said to have lasted for four hours and peaked at 3.9 million requests per second (RPS).

“Attackers used HTTP/2 multiplexing, or combining multiple packets into one, to send multiple requests at once over individual connections,” Imperva said in a report published on September 19.

The attack was launched from a botnet that comprised nearly 170,000 different IP addresses spanning routers, security cameras, and compromised servers located in more than 180 countries, primarily the U.S., Indonesia, and Brazil.

CyberSecurity

The disclosure also comes as web infrastructure provider Akamai said it fielded a new DDoS assault aimed at a customer based in Eastern Europe on September 12, with attack traffic spiking at 704.8 million packets per second (pps).

The same victim was previously targeted on July 21, 2022, in a similar fashion in which the attack volume ramped up to 853.7 gigabits per second (Gbps) and 659.6 million pps over a period of 14 hours.

Akamai’s Craig Sparling said the company has been “bombarded relentlessly with sophisticated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks,” indicating that the offensives could be politically motivated in the face of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Both the disruptive attempts were UDP flood attacks where the attacker targets and overwhelms arbitrary ports on the target host with User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets.

CyberSecurity

UDP, being both connectionless and session-less, makes it an ideal networking protocol for handling VoIP traffic. But these same traits can also render it more susceptible to exploitation.

“Without an initial handshake to ensure a legitimate connection, UDP channels can be used to send a large volume of traffic to any host,” NETSCOUT says.

“There are no internal protections that can limit the rate of a UDP flood. As a result, UDP flood DoS attacks are exceptionally dangerous because they can be executed with a limited amount of resources.”

Source :
https://thehackernews.com/2022/09/record-ddos-attack-with-253-billion.html

Top 4 Things to Know About GA4 — Whiteboard Friday

In this week’s Whiteboard Friday, Dana brings you some details on the exciting new world of Google Analytics 4. Watch and learn how to talk about it when clients and coworkers are intimidated by the move.https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/bmdz65umai?videoFoam=true

whiteboard outlining four insights into GA4

Click on the whiteboard image above to open a high resolution version in a new tab!

Video Transcription

Hi, my name is Dana DiTomaso. I’m President at Kick Point. And I am here today at MozCon 2022 to bring you some details on the exciting world of Google Analytics 4, which I know all of you are like, “Ugh, I don’t want to learn about analytics,” which is totally fair. I also did not want to learn about analytics.

And then I kind of learned about it whether I liked it or not. And you should, too, unfortunately. 

So I think the biggest thing about the move from Universal Analytics to GA4 is that people are like they log in and everything looks different. “I don’t like it.” And then they leave. And I agree the user interface in GA4 leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t think there’s necessarily been a lot of good education, especially for those of us who aren’t analysts on a day-to-day basis.

We’re not all data scientists. I’m not a data scientist. I do marketing. So what I’m hoping is I can tell you the things you should know about GA4 on just a basic sort of level, so that you have a better vocabulary to talk about it when people are horrified by the move to GA4, which is inevitable. It’s going to happen. You’ve got to get it on your site starting basically immediately, if you don’t already have it. So I started out with three things, and then I realized there was a fourth thing. So you get a bonus, exciting bonus, but we’ll start with the first three things. 

1. It’s different

So the first thing it’s different, which I know is obvious. Yes, of course, Dana it’s different. But it’s different. Okay, so in Universal Analytics, there were different types of hits that could go into analytics, which is where hits came from originally as a metric that people talked about. So, for example, in Universal Analytics, you could have a pageview, or you could have a transaction, or you could have an event.

And those were all different types of hits. In GA4, everything is an event. There is a pageview event. There is a transaction event. There is, well, an event event. I mean, you name the events whatever you want. And because of that, it’s actually a lot better way to report on your data.

So, for example, one of the things that I know people always wanted to be able to report on in Universal Analytics is what pages did people see and how did that relate to conversion rate. And that was really tricky because a pageview was something that was at the hit scope level, which means it was just like the individual thing that happened, whereas conversion rate is a session scoped thing.

So you couldn’t mash together a hit scope thing with pageview with conversion rate, which is session scoped. They just didn’t combine together unless you did some fancy blending stuff in Data Studio. And who’s got time for that? So now in GA4, because everything is an event, you have a lot more freedom with how you can slice and dice and interpret your data and figure out what pages do people engage with before they actually converted, or what was that path, not just the landing page, but the entire user journey on their path to conversion. So that part is really exciting. 

2. Engagement rate is not reverse bounce rate

Second thing, engagement rate is a new metric in GA4. They do have bounce rate. They did recently announce it. I’m annoyed at it, so we’re going to talk about this a little bit. Engagement rate is not reverse bounce rate. But it is in GA4.

So in Universal Analytics, bounce rate was a metric that people reported on all the time, even though they shouldn’t have. I hate bounce rate so much. Just picture like a dumpster fire GIF right now across your screen. I hate bounce rate. And why I hate bounce rate is it’s so easily faked. Let’s say, for example, your boss says to you, “Hey, you know what, the bounce rate on our site is too high. Could you fix it?”

You’re like, “Oh, yeah, boss. Totally.” And then what you do is whenever somebody comes on your website, you send what’s called an interactive event off to Google Analytics at the same time. And now you have a 0% bounce rate. Congratulations. You got a raise because you made it up. Bounce rate could absolutely be faked, no question. And so when we moved over to GA4, originally there was no bounce rate.

There was engagement rate. Engagement rate has its own issues, but it’s not measuring anything similar to what bounce rate was. Bounce rate in UA was an event didn’t happen. It didn’t matter if you spent an hour and a half on the page reading it closely. If you didn’t engage in an event that was an interactive event, that meant that you were still counted as a bounce when you left that page.

Whereas in GA4, an engage session is by default someone spending 10 seconds with that tab, that website open, so active in their browser, or they visited two pages, or they had a conversion. Now this 10-second rule I think is pretty short. Ten seconds is not necessarily a lot of time for someone to be engaged with the website.

So you might want to change that. It’s under the tagging settings in your data stream. So if you go to Admin and then you click on your data stream and you go to more tagging settings and then you go to session timeouts, you can change it in there. And I would recommend playing around with that and seeing what feels right to you. Now GA4 literally just as I’m filming this has announced bounce rate, which actually it is reverse engagement rate. Please don’t use it.

Instead, think about engagement rate, which I think is a much more usable metric than bounce rate was in UA. And I’m kind of excited that bounce rate in UA is going away because it was [vocalization]. 

3. Your data will not match

All right. So next thing, your data is not going to match. And this is stressful because you’ve been reporting on UA data for years, and now all of a sudden it’s not going to match and people will be like, “But you said there were 101 users, and today you’re saying there were actually 102. What’s the problem?”

So, I mean, if you have that kind of dialogue with your leadership, you really need to have a conversation about the idea of accuracy in analytics, as in it isn’t, and error and everything else. But I mean, really the data is going to be different, and sometimes it’s a lot different. It’s not just a little bit different. And it’s because GA4 measures stuff differently than UA did. There is a page on Google Analytics Help, which goes into it in depth. But here are some of the highlights that I think you should really know sort of off the top of your head when you’re talking to people about this. 

Pageviews and unique pageviews

So first thing, a pageview metric, which we’re all familiar with, in Universal Analytics, this was all pageviews, including repeats. In GA4, same, pageview is pageview. Great.

So far so good. Then we had unique pageviews in Universal Analytics, which was only single views per session. So if I looked at the homepage and then I went to a services page and I went back to the homepage, I would have two pageviews of the homepage for pageview. I would have one pageview of the homepage in unique pageviews. That metric does not exist in GA4. So that is something to really watch for is that if you were used to reporting on unique pageviews, that is gone.

So I recommend now changing your reports to sort of like walk people through this comfort level of getting them used to the fact they’re not going to get unique pageviews anymore. Or you can implement something that I talk about in another one of my Whiteboard Fridays about being able to measure the percentage of people who are reloading tabs and tab hoarders. You could work that into this a little bit.

Users

Okay. Next thing is users. Users is really I think a difficult topic for a lot of people to get their heads around because they think, oh, user, that means that if I’m on my laptop and then I go to my mobile device, obviously I am one user. You’re usually not, unfortunately. You don’t necessarily get associated across multiple devices. Or if you’re using say a privacy- focused browser, like Safari, you may not even be associated in the same device, which kind of sucks.

The real only way you can truly measure if someone is a user across multiple sessions is if you have a login on your website, which not everybody does. A lot of B2B sites don’t have logins. A lot of small business sites don’t have logins. So users is already kind of a sketchy metric. And so unfortunately it’s one that people used to report on a lot in Universal Analytics.

So in Universal Analytics, users was total users, new versus returning. In GA4, it’s now active users. What is an active user? The documentation is a little unclear on how Google considers an active user. So I recommend reading that in depth. Just know that this is going to be different. You never should have been reporting on new versus returning users anyway, unless you had a login on your site because it was such a sketchy, bad metric, but I don’t think a lot of people knew how bad it was.

It’s okay. Just start changing your reports now so that when you have to start using GA4, on July 1, 2023, for real UA is done, then at least it’s not so much of a shock when you do make that transition. 

Sessions

So one other thing to think about as well with the changes is sessions. So in Universal Analytics, a session was the active use of a site, so you’re clicking on stuff.

It had a 30-minute timeout. And you may have heard never to use UTM tags on internal links on your website. And the reason why is because if someone clicked on an internal link on your website that had UTMs on it, your session would reset. And so you would have what’s called session breaking, where all of a sudden you would have a session that basically started in the middle of your website with a brand-new campaign and source and medium and completely detached from the session that they just had.

They would be a returning user though. That’s great. You shouldn’t have been reporting that anyway. Whereas in GA4 instead, now there’s an event because, remember, everything is an event now. There is an event that is called session start. And so that records when, well, the session starts. And then there’s also a 30-minute timeout, but there is no UTM reset.

Now that doesn’t mean that you should go out there and start using UTMs on internal links. I still don’t think it’s a great idea, but it’s not necessarily going to break things the way that it used to. So you can now see where did someone start on my site by looking at the session start event. I don’t know if it’s necessarily 100% reliable. We’ve seen situations where if you’re using consent management tools, for example, like a cookie compliance tool, you can have issues with sessions starting and whatnot.

So just keep that in mind is that it’s not necessarily totally foolproof, but it is a really interesting way to see where people started on the site in a way that you could not do this before. 

4. Use BigQuery

So bonus, bonus before we go. All right, the fourth thing that I think you should know about GA4, use BigQuery. There’s a built-in BigQuery export under the settings for GA4. Use it.

The reason why you should use it is: (a) the reports in GA4 are not great, the default reports, they kind of suck; (b) even the explorations are a bit questionable, like you can’t really format them to look nice at all. So what I’m saying to people is don’t really use the reports inside GA4 for any sort of useful reporting purposes. It’s more like an ad hoc reporting. But even then, I would still turn to BigQuery for most of my reporting needs.

And the reason why is because GA4 has some thresholding applied. So you don’t necessarily get all the data out of GA4 when you’re actually looking at reports in it. And this happened to me actually just this morning before I recorded this Whiteboard Friday. I was looking to see how many people engaged with the form on our website, and because it was a relatively low number, it said zero.

And then I looked at the data in BigQuery and it said 12. That amount could be missing from the reports in GA4, but you can see it in BigQuery, and that’s because of the thresholding that’s applied. So I always recommend using the BigQuery data instead of the GA4 data. And in Google Data Studio, if that’s what you use for your reporting tool, the same issue applies when you use GA4 as a data source.

You have the same thresholding problems. So really just use BigQuery. And you don’t need to know BigQuery. All you need to do is get the data going into BigQuery and then open up Google Data Studio and use that BigQuery table as your data source. That’s really all you need to know. No SQL required. If you want to learn it, that’s neat.

I don’t even know it that well yet. But it is not something you have to know in order to report well on GA4. So I hope that you found this helpful and you can have a little bit more of a better dialogue with your team and your leadership about GA4. I know it seems rushed. It’s rushed. Let’s all admit it’s rushed, but I think it’s going to be a really good move. I’m really excited about the new kinds of data and the amounts of data that we can capture now in GA4.

It really frees us from like the category action label stuff that we were super tied to in Universal Analytics. We can record so much more interesting data now on every event. So I’m excited about that. The actual transition itself might be kind of painful, but then a year from now, we’ll all look back and laugh, right? Thank you very much.

Video transcription by Speechpad.com

About Dana DiTomaso —

Dana is a partner at Kick Point, where she applies marketing into strategies to grow clients’ businesses, in particular to ensure that digital and traditional play well together. With her deep experience in digital, Dana can separate real solutions from wastes of time (and budget).

Source :
https://moz.com/blog/top-things-to-know-about-ga4-whiteboard-friday

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