Digest 109: 🚨 10K+ Sites at Risk

This week, we’re spotlighting major WordPress developments from faster WooCommerce performance to critical plugin vulnerabilities you need to patch. We’re also excited to announce that WPDigest is now on X (formerly Twitter)! Follow us @wpdigestio for live updates, expert tips, and all things WordPress.

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💡 WordPress Spotlight

We’re now on X (formerly Twitter)!

Follow us @wpdigestio for real-time updates, WordPress tips, breaking news, and community highlights. Let’s connect and grow the WordPress conversation together!

Nearly 90% of Businesses Satisfied After Leaving WordPress

A recent survey reveals that nearly 90% of businesses that transitioned from WordPress to alternative CMS platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace are content with their decision. These businesses cite easier management and streamlined workflows as key benefits of their new platforms. This trend underscores a growing preference for simplicity and user-friendliness over the extensive customization options offered by WordPress. (Source)

WooCommerce 9.9: Up to 95% Faster Admin Performance

The upcoming WooCommerce 9.9 release promises significant improvements in admin performance, with page load times reduced by up to 95%. Enhancements include smarter caching, asynchronous data loading, and optimized database queries. These updates are particularly beneficial for stores handling large volumes of orders and products, ensuring a more efficient and responsive backend experience. (Source)

WordPress Campus Connect Expands Globally

WordPress Campus Connect, initially launched in October 2024 as a pilot program, has now been formally established as an official event series due to its resounding success. The program transcends traditional workshops by fostering a holistic learning community, coupling on-campus events with post-event activities like meetups, website challenges, scholarships, and volunteering opportunities. (Source)

Post Status Acquires WP Speakers to Enhance Community Visibility

Post Status has acquired WP Speakers, a free community directory created by Michelle Frechette to streamline the process of assembling diverse speaker lineups for events. The platform allows speakers to list their availability, topics, bio, and location, making it easier for meetups, WordCamps, and podcasts to find relevant voices. This acquisition aims to support community visibility and provide event organizers with a valuable resource for discovering and connecting with speakers. (Source)

Custom Post Type UI Surpasses 20 Million Downloads

Custom Post Type UI has officially crossed 20 million lifetime downloads, a remarkable milestone for a plugin that started as a simple idea before the release of WordPress 3.0. Over the years, it has grown into one of the top 50 plugins on WordPress.org. This achievement reflects the community’s continued support and contributions. (Source)

10up Evolves: Now the WordPress Practice of Fueled

10up, renowned for its WordPress expertise, has officially become the dedicated WordPress practice within the newly unified Fueled brand. This strategic move follows their 2023 merger and aims to leverage 10up’s strong reputation in the WordPress community while embracing Fueled’s broader digital product design and delivery vision. (Source)

Critical Vulnerability in Crawlomatic, WordPress Scraper Plugin 

A severe security flaw has been identified in a popular WordPress scraper autoblogging plugin, allowing unauthorized users to upload malicious files to affected websites. This vulnerability poses significant risks, and users are urged to update the plugin immediately to mitigate potential threats. (Source)

Eventin Plugin Vulnerability Exposes 10K+ Sites

A critical privilege escalation vulnerability in the Eventin plugin, tracked as CVE-2025-47539, allows unauthenticated attackers to create administrator accounts without user interaction. Over 10,000 websites are at risk, and it’s imperative for users to update to version 4.0.27 immediately to patch this flaw. (Source)

✨ Fresh Features Rollout

1. Elegant Themes has released Divi 5 Public Alpha 14, introducing 37 bug fixes and improvements. Notable additions include the new Module Groups feature, enhancements to the Loop Builder, Flexbox Layouts, and WooCommerce Modules. This update continues the bi-weekly release cycle, aiming to refine the Divi 5 experience. (Source)
   
2. Gravity Forms 2.9.8: Enhanced Spam Protection
   Gravity Forms 2.9.8 is now available, featuring updates to its honeypot spam protection mechanism. The default action for detected spam entries has been changed to “Create an entry and mark it as spam,” allowing easier review of potential false positives. Additionally, a new setting lets users disable the dashboard widget for a cleaner interface. (Source)
   
3. Schema Pro Adds Vehicle Listing Schema
   Schema Pro has introduced a Vehicle Listing schema type, enabling users to add structured data for car listings easily. By specifying details like make, model, price, and mileage, users can enhance their listings’ visibility in search results with rich snippets. This feature aims to improve click-through rates and conversions for vehicle listings. (Source)
   
4. AB Split Test 1.9.8: Enhanced Filtering and Cloudflare Compatibility
   AB Split Test’s latest update introduces a ‘NOT’ selector for customer URL filtering and adds exclusions for Cloudflare cache, improving test accuracy and compatibility. These enhancements aim to provide more precise targeting and reliable results for your A/B testing efforts. (Source)
   

🆕 Fresh Releases

• Matthew Magazine Blog – Minimalist Theme for Bloggers
  Matthew Magazine Blog is a minimalist WordPress theme perfect for personal blogs and portfolios. It emphasizes simplicity and readability, offering a clean design that highlights content. (Source)
  
• Car Dealer Shop – Professional Theme for Automotive Businesses
  Car Dealer Shop is a free WordPress theme designed for car dealerships and vehicle sales businesses aiming to establish a professional online presence without upfront costs. With its sleek, modern layout, the theme offers a well-structured design to showcase inventory, highlight vehicle details, and attract potential buyers. (Source)
  
• Montessori Kindergarten – Engaging Theme for Early Education
  Montessori Kindergarten is a beautifully designed WordPress theme tailored for kindergarten schools, preschool programs, daycare centers, and Montessori education providers. It offers an engaging, playful, and professional online presence for institutions focused on early childhood education. (Source)
  
• Speechor AI Chat Agent – Customizable AI Chatbots for Your Site
  Speechor AI Chat Agent is a WordPress plugin that enables you to integrate customizable AI chat agents into your website. (Source)
• DocID – Secure Access for Healthcare Professionals
  DocID is a WordPress plugin designed to restrict access to medical content, ensuring compliance with regulations like the German Drug Advertising Act (HWG). It provides instant verification of healthcare professionals (HCPs) without the need for traditional login systems, enhancing both security and user experience. (Source)

🗓️ Mark Your Calendar 

If you’re looking for opportunities to network and learn, check out these upcoming WordPress events and meetups:

• Clean Code: The Next Level (Jun 5-6, 2025)
• WordCamp Europe (June 5-7, 2025)
• WordCamp Pokhara (June 13-14, 2025)
• WordCamp Montclair (June 28, 2025)
• WordCamp US (August 26-29th, 2025)
• WordCamp Canada (October 16-17, 2025)
• WordCamp Asia (Mumbai, 2026)

That’s a wrap for this week’s WPDigest! Stay tuned for more exciting WordPress updates next week.

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