The Holocron

Field notes & deep dives

Everything we have learned rescuing, rebuilding and speeding up WordPress sites.

WordPress News: Critical Core Exploit, WooCommerce 11.0 (Week of 28 July 2026)Featured
WordPress News

WordPress News: Critical Core Exploit, WooCommerce 11.0 (Week of 28 July 2026)

WordPress core is under active attack from a chained exploit called wp2shell. If your site is not on 7.0.2, 6.9.5, or 6.8.6, update today.

Wynand HoltzhausenAug 04, 20265 min read
WordPress News: Two Critical Vulnerabilities This Week (Week of 4 August 2026)WordPress News

WordPress News: Two Critical Vulnerabilities This Week (Week of 4 August 2026)

A deliberate backdoor in a popular plugin and a critical WooCommerce login flaw made this a week for checking your site, not just updating it.

Wynand HoltzhausenAug 04, 20264 min read
WordPress News: Critical Core Vulnerability Patched (Week of 21 July 2026)WordPress News

WordPress News: Critical Core Vulnerability Patched (Week of 21 July 2026)

WordPress patched a critical remote code execution flaw this week, and attackers are already exploiting it. Here's what needs updating right now.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 21, 20264 min read
WordPress News: Security Patches, Core Updates, WooCommerce Growth (Week of 13 July 2026)WordPress News

WordPress News: Security Patches, Core Updates, WooCommerce Growth (Week of 13 July 2026)

Blocksy's critical plugin flaw is already patched, WordPress 7.0.1 fixes bugs, and WooCommerce 11.0 is coming. Here's what actually needs your attention this week.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 14, 20264 min read
WordPress Core Web Vitals: Why Only 44% of Sites Pass (and How to Join Them)WordPress Speed

WordPress Core Web Vitals: Why Only 44% of Sites Pass (and How to Join Them)

Only around 44% of WordPress sites pass Core Web Vitals on mobile. If you buy traffic or compete for rankings, that's a budget line. Here's how to reach green.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 13, 2026
Why Is My WordPress Site So Slow? 12 Real Causes (and How to Fix Them)WordPress Speed

Why Is My WordPress Site So Slow? 12 Real Causes (and How to Fix Them)

Slow is expensive: visitors abandon, rankings drop, ads cost more. The 12 real causes of WordPress slowness, in the exact order you should fix them.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 10, 2026
What Does WordPress Maintenance Actually Include? (And What Happens Without It)WordPress Maintenance

What Does WordPress Maintenance Actually Include? (And What Happens Without It)

When maintenance works, nothing happens. Here's what a real plan includes, what it should cost, and how to tell a professional service from an invoice for vibes.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 08, 2026
WordPress News: Critical Patches and AI Ambitions (Week of 2 July 2026)WordPress News

WordPress News: Critical Patches and AI Ambitions (Week of 2 July 2026)

A critical flaw in Dokan Pro and several unpatched plugin bugs headline this week's news, plus a look at WordPress's AI ambitions.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 07, 20265 min read
WordPress White Screen of Death: Diagnose and Fix It FastWordPress Emergency

WordPress White Screen of Death: Diagnose and Fix It Fast

The WSOD is the drama queen of WordPress errors: terrifying to look at, rarely serious underneath. The site's lights are off; the building is fine. Here's the flashlight.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 06, 2026
WordPress News: Critical Patches and Quick Fixes (Week of 3 July 2026)WordPress News

WordPress News: Critical Patches and Quick Fixes (Week of 3 July 2026)

This week: a critical, unpatched flaw in a popular invoice plugin, a Dokan Pro patch for marketplace stores, and two emergency WooCommerce fixes.

Wynand HoltzhausenJul 05, 20264 min read