Cloudflare Blocks Automattic’s WP Engine Tracker For Phishing

Automattic’s WP Engine Tracker web site was quickly blocked by Cloudflare over the weekend as a suspected phishing web site, sparking cheers from members of the WordPress subreddit. In the meantime, somebody registered the typosquatting area WPEngineTracker.com to protest towards Matt Mullenweg.

Automattic, presumably below the route of Matt Mullenweg, lately created an internet site known as WP Engine Tracker on the WordPressEngineTracker.com area title that lists what number of WordPress websites have moved away from managed internet host WP Engine. It additionally recommends internet hosts that present clients can transfer to and gives a obtain of all domains which are hosted on WP Engine.

An Automattic emailed Search Engine Journal provided background details about the WP Engine Tracker web site:

“The fantastic thing about open supply software program is that everybody is ready to entry knowledge on a granular stage, as a result of it’s all publicly accessible data. That public knowledge has proven that ever since WP Engine filed its lawsuit – making it clear that they don’t have an official affiliation with WordPress and attracting better consideration to the corporate’s poor service, modifications to the WordPress core software program, rising and convoluted pricing construction, and repeated down instances – their clients have left their platform for different internet hosting suppliers. WP Engine can and all the time has been capable of entry the WordPress software program and plugins accessible on WordPress.org, as can anybody.”

Cloudflare Blocks WP Engine Tracker Web site

Someday on November ninth Cloudflare blocked entry to Automattic’s WP Engine Tracker web site with a message alerting Web customers that the web site has been reported for phishing makes an attempt.

The Cloudflare warning mentioned:

“Warning

Suspected Phishing

This web site has been reported for potential phishing.

Phishing is when a web site makes an attempt to steal delicate data by falsely presenting as a secure supply.”

WordPress Subreddit Cheers The Blocking

A Reddit discussion appeared quickly after the location was blocked with the headline: Cloudflare is displaying a phishing warning on wordpressenginetracker.com

Typical feedback:

“Wow I’ve truly by no means seen that display screen earlier than. That’s hilarious.”

“Because it ought to. Chrome ought to give it the crimson display screen of demise”

“It’s an attention-grabbing growth, which made me marvel: Are folks reporting phishing to Cloudflare simply to mess with Mr. Mullenweg or is there one thing the location does that may truly be thought-about phishing?

Cloudflare’s report type has one other sort of abuse to pick out, which, on this case, is as apparent because the solar on the sunniest day: Trademark infringement. Why are folks reporting phishing?”

One commenter famous the web site was displaying a “403 Forbidden” error message if a web site customer ignored the warning and clicked by to the location. A 403 server response signifies that the server acknowledges the browser request however is denying entry to the web site.

Screenshot Of Blocked Web site

Typosquatting Area Title Registered

Typosquatting is when somebody registers a site title that’s much like a model title and that customers could sort to go to. On this case, somebody registered the area title WPEngineTracker.com to make the most of the truth that Automattic had registered the area title WordPressEngineTracker.com however was calling it WP Engine Tracker. When folks attempt to attain the Automattic web site by typing within the title of the location because the area they then arrive on the typosquat area.

Screenshot of Typosquat Area

The above area title was solely registered a couple of days in the past on November seventh. The Web being what it’s, it was inevitable that somebody would register the typosquat area title variant.

WordPressEngineTracker.com Is Again On-line

After a couple of hours of downtime Cloudflare eliminated the phishing block and the Automattic WordPress Engine Tracker web site was restored.

Featured Picture by Shutterstock/santypan