Month: September 2023

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Reseller platform, a comprehensive solution for selling hosting, domains, templates, support, and services through a personalized white-label portal on your own domain.

This platform, which is only accessible to WPMU DEV Agency members, has been designed specifically to enable the sale of websites even while you are asleep.

Read on to see how you can use Reseller to create your own Squarespace, GoDaddy, or to just automate your web development business.

Manual no more

Our members have always resold WPMU DEV plugins, hosting and services and we’ve always done whatever we can to make that happen by making it easy to white-label everything we do.

But that’s always been a manual process, your customers have had to contact you, you’ve set stuff up and emailed them back, and so on.

Starting today, you won’t have to do any work because with Reseller, your website visitors can select a hosting plan, choose from various templates, and add on any additional services they desire. They can buy it and set up a subscription all on their own.

They’ll be able to manage their site and their subscription using your professional custom portal, get support, and purchase other services as you define them.

And shortly, you’ll be able to package domains with that too.

Reseller tools

To begin, simply click on the Reseller icon in The Hub and follow the provided instructions. As part of this process, you’ll need to set up:

White-label billing, powered by Stripe

The billing system for our clients has successfully handled over $5 million in subscription and invoice transactions for our members. It also supports Reseller, enabling you to effortlessly offer subscription packages and accept single payments from your customers.

Even better, we charge 0% commission, so you get to keep the entire fee.

White-label client portal, at your own domain

Thousands of WPMU DEV members are already utilizing the Hub Client to offer their clients a professional portal, and now you have the option to use it to design stylish product and pricing tables that enable your users to directly check out to their new site.

And you can control exactly what they see there.

Hosting and template packages

With Reseller, you can effortlessly generate numerous packages by mixing and matching templates (either use the ones we provide or design your own) with the hosting packages of your choice. After setting your prices, promote them on your website.

We’ll only ever charge you, at our normal rates, for the hosting your customers buy.

Coming soon…

Reseller is ready to go now. In fact, it’s already being used successfully by a number of members, but there are some core integrations coming soon that we think you’ll enjoy.

Domain automation

Allow your customers to search for and purchase a domain with their package, this will automatically map the domain to their site and set up a subscription for them too. Domain transfers will also work just fine.

During this time, you can suggest to customers to use their own domains or inform them that you will set it up for them soon (and you can handle the payment through the billing platform).

White-label support

Are you concerned about not being able to support your clients 24/7? We know exactly how you feel and that’s why we’re going to offer white-label support to help you run your round-the-clock business, with a platform that integrates your support with ours.

Certainly, you have the ability to offer your own built-in assistance at present through The Hub Client.

Let us know how you go

We’re really looking forward to seeing how you use Reseller and developing the platform to help you succeed, so please let us know through the feedback tab how you go, and what we can do to help you succeed.

We would also love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so don’t hesitate to share your opinions in the comments section below!

In today’s fast-paced digital world, running a digital agency can be a daunting task. With so many moving parts, it can be challenging to keep up with the demands of clients, manage projects, and stay ahead of the competition. However, with the help of reseller tools, digital agencies can automate their operations and streamline their processes to achieve greater efficiency and productivity.

A reseller tool is a software platform that allows digital agencies to manage their clients’ accounts, services, and products all in one place. It provides a centralized dashboard that gives agencies complete control over their operations, from billing and invoicing to project management and customer support. With a reseller tool, agencies can easily manage multiple clients and projects simultaneously, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

One of the key benefits of using a reseller tool is the ability to automate repetitive tasks. For example, agencies can set up automated billing and invoicing, so they don’t have to manually create and send invoices to clients each month. This not only saves time but also ensures that invoices are sent out on time, improving cash flow and reducing the risk of late payments.

Another advantage of using a reseller tool is the ability to manage projects more efficiently. Agencies can create project templates and workflows that can be easily replicated for new clients, saving time on project setup and ensuring consistency across all projects. Additionally, reseller tools often come with built-in project management features, such as task lists, timelines, and collaboration tools, making it easier for teams to stay organized and on track.

Reseller tools also provide agencies with valuable insights into their operations. With detailed reporting and analytics, agencies can track their performance, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to grow their business. This level of visibility is essential for agencies looking to scale their operations and stay competitive in the digital marketplace.

In conclusion, reseller tools are an essential tool for digital agencies looking to automate their operations and improve their efficiency. By streamlining processes, automating repetitive tasks, and providing valuable insights into their business, agencies can focus on delivering high-quality services to their clients and growing their business. Whether you’re a small agency just starting out or a larger agency looking to scale, a reseller tool can help you achieve your goals and succeed in the digital world.

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The latest Safe Repair feature enhances the process of fixing and isolating harmful files with Defender Pro, making it more efficient and secure for WordPress users than ever before!

WPMU DEV’s robust security plugin for WordPress, Defender, has released its latest version 4.1. This update guarantees full compatibility with the newest version of WordPress and, crucially for Pro users, simplifies the procedure of fixing and isolating altered or questionable files, while also providing a more secure option for file removal.

In this article, we will concentrate on this new addition and discuss the following topics:

• What is Defender’s “Safe Repair” Feature?
• How Does “Safe Repair” Work?
  • Suspicious Files
  • Modified Files
  • Repairing Files
  • Quarantined Files
• Instructions for Utilizing Defender’s “Safe Repair” Function
• Restoring Quarantined Files
  • Restoring Files Via The WordPress Admin
  • Restoring Files Via The Hub

Let’s jump right in…

Can you explain what the Safe Repair Feature in Defender is?

As a user-driven company, we listen to what our members and users want. Especially when it comes to addressing issues, as outlined in the comments below from our Defender plugin users:

• “I was running a malware scan with Defender Pro, and I think I accidentally deleted a file which I shouldn’t have. Now the website is down with a critical error.”
• “Our website is currently unavailable after deleting two files that Defender Pro advised us to remove.”
• “It would be wonderful if Defender Pro allowed us to quarantine a file in addition to the options of deleting a file or ignoring it.
  That way if the suspicious file breaks the site, it can be restored easily instead of having to restore the entire site from a backup.”

Based on the feedback received, our development team has chosen to enhance our security plugin by incorporating additional features to prevent significant problems and errors on users’ WordPress websites.

1. Repair and Quarantine/backup suspicious files so these can be restored if necessary.
2. Repair and Quarantine/backup modified files so these can be restored if necessary.

Defender Malware Scanning scans your entire site for suspicious code or modified files and published vulnerabilities in plugins, themes, and WordPress core.

The Safe Repair function targets files that have been flagged as suspicious or altered, giving users the option to isolate, remove, or update them with the most recent versions from the official plugin source.

How Does Safe Repair Work?

As previously mentioned, the Safe Repair function in Defender Pro’s Malware scanning section aims to simplify the process of isolating files before they are repaired or removed, providing a more secure option compared to immediately deleting files that are suspicious or have been altered.

Here’s how Defender Pro handles these requests from version 4.1 onward:

Suspicious Files

Defender flags PHP functions, code, and files when they vary from what is expected or when they match known issues.

Once a flagged function or suspicious code has been verified as suspicious, Defender presents you with three actions: Ignore, Delete, or Safe Repair (note: you may need to deactivate the plugin for the ‘Delete’ option to become active).

Prior to v4.0, deleting suspicious files would occasionally cause a plugin, theme, or even the entire website to break. Often, this is caused by code from the plugin or theme itself being flagged by Defender as being suspicious.

The problem, however, appears when it’s a false positive, meaning that the flagged file isn’t malicious per se, but part of the plugin’s (or theme’s) core files and contains risky code added by the theme or plugin developer. Hence, deleting this file could cause errors on the site, break functionality, or even break the entire site.

Starting with version 4.1 of Defender Pro, users have the option to fix and isolate or create backups of questionable files for a period of 30 days or longer, rather than immediately removing the file. The files are kept under the newly added quarantine section, giving you the ability to retrieve them if necessary, including manual restoration. This offers a secure approach to managing suspicious files and gives you the ability to recover them if errors or incorrect detections occur.

Note: The Safe Repair option becomes available only if the suspicious code found differs from the plugin’s original code. Also, Safe Repair only works with WordPress.org plugins currently.

Modified Files

If code in a plugin, theme, or WordPress core file doesn’t match what is found in the official WordPress repository. Defender will flag the file as a Modified file. Restoring the original file fixes this issue.

Previous editions of Defender (including the Defender Free plugin) included a “Restore” option in the Malware Scanning area of the plugin. This option retrieves a new file from the WordPress repository and substitutes it for the current file in the server directory.

However, when a file has been modified by an admin or site developer (e.g. by adding a custom code for a certain functionality), deleting or replacing the file with its original can result in the loss of custom code or functionality, and in some cases, lead to sites breaking.

In Defender Pro, the Restore function has been updated to Safe Repair. This enhanced feature not only substitutes the altered file with the original version from the WordPress repository, but also provides an option to isolate the altered file before substituting it. This allows users to recover the file if necessary.

Repairing Files

Repair is a handy feature to have when a file in the server directory gets modified for any reason. It smartly fetches a fresh file from the WordPress repository and swaps it with the current file in the server directory. (See below for more details on how to use this feature.)

Quarantined Files

Files that have been altered or appear to be suspicious on your server will be isolated and transferred to a separate directory./wp-content/.defender-security-quarantine), allowing you to restore the files if needed (explained in more detail further below).

How to Use Defender’s Safe Repair Feature

To access the Safe Repair function, ensure that Defender Pro is installed and updated to the latest version. If you are using the free version of Defender WordPress Security plugin, consider upgrading to the Pro version by joining WPMU DEV as a member.

Also, make sure that you have enabled the plugin’s settings as shown below for the Safe Repair feature to work.

If you have installed Defender Pro v4.1 or higher, and have set up the configurations mentioned above, initiate a new Malware Scan by navigating to Defender, selecting Malware Scanning, and clicking on New Scan.

Once the scan is completed, check for modified or suspicious files.

Next, click on the Malware Scanning > Issues tab.

Select a file and click on the Safe Repair button.

You will have the choice to fix and/or isolate the chosen file.

Note that by default, quarantined files will remain isolated for 30 days before being automatically deleted. You can configure quarantine duration in the Malware scanning settings if you want to change this default period.

Restoring Quarantined Files

There are two methods for retrieving files that have been quarantined.

1. Via WordPress Admin: Go to Defender > Malware scanning > Quarantined section.
2. Via The Hub: Use the Quarantined Hub widget under the Security tab.

Restoring Quarantined Files Via The WordPress Admin

Quarantined files are listed under the new quarantine tab.

To restore quarantined files from your WordPress admin, log into your WordPress site, and go to Defender Pro > Malware Scanning > Quarantined.

This section lets you go through your quarantined files and choose to either restore or permanently delete these.

Files can also be manually retrieved by downloading them from/wp-content/.defender-security-quarantine.

Restoring Quarantined Files Via The Hub

The Hub’s Security tab lists your most recent quarantined files (up to a maximum of 5 files) and provides the following options, depending on whether the website is running or not.

• If the website is up – files can be restored from the Hub.
• If the website is not functioning, there will be instructions provided on how to manually recover the quarantined file(s) through FTP/SSH.

Repair Files Safely Using Defender

Defender 4.1 now offers the ability to quarantine and repair altered or questionable files, as well as isolate them rather than completely remove them. This reduces the chance of damaging your website, as quarantined files can be recovered if necessary.

For full details on using the new Safe Repair feature and all of its options, see the Defender plugin documentation section.

In today’s digital age, the importance of data security and website uptime cannot be overstated. Whether you’re a business owner, blogger, or just someone who relies on their computer for everyday tasks, the last thing you want is to lose important files or have your website go down unexpectedly. That’s where Defender Safe Repair comes in – a tool designed to prevent accidental file deletion and site downtime.

Defender Safe Repair is a software solution that provides an extra layer of protection for your files and website. It works by creating regular backups of your data, so that if something goes wrong, you can quickly restore your files and get your site back up and running. This means that even if you accidentally delete a file or your website is hacked, you won’t lose any important information.

One of the key features of Defender Safe Repair is its user-friendly interface. The software is easy to install and set up, and once it’s running, it does all the work for you. You can schedule regular backups to occur at a time that’s convenient for you, and you can also choose which files and folders you want to include in the backup. This means that you can tailor the software to your specific needs, ensuring that all your important data is protected.

Another benefit of Defender Safe Repair is that it can help prevent site downtime. If your website goes down, it can be a major inconvenience for you and your customers. With Defender Safe Repair, you can quickly restore your site from a backup, minimizing the amount of time it’s offline. This can help you avoid lost revenue and damage to your reputation.

In addition to its backup and restore capabilities, Defender Safe Repair also includes a range of other features designed to keep your files and website safe. For example, it includes a malware scanner that can detect and remove any malicious software that may have made its way onto your computer or website. It also includes a firewall that can block unauthorized access to your files and site.

Overall, Defender Safe Repair is an essential tool for anyone who wants to protect their files and website from accidental deletion and downtime. With its user-friendly interface, regular backups, and additional security features, it provides peace of mind and ensures that your data is always safe and secure. Whether you’re a business owner or just someone who relies on their computer for everyday tasks, Defender Safe Repair is a tool you can’t afford to be without.

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