A massive brute force attack is targeting WordPress sites worldwide, and Mark has been busy locking down his own installations. In this episode, he explains exactly what the attack does, gives you three steps to protect yourself, and then dives into why keyword research is the most important skill in internet marketing — with real listener questions to illustrate the point.<\/p>\n
Mark opens with the WordPress attack that was making headlines in April 2013. The CERT website<\/a> documented a botnet-driven brute force campaign targeting WordPress installations with the default “admin” username. The attackers' goal was to hijack sites and build a massive botnet for denial-of-service attacks — the same kind of attack that had recently taken down Pat Flynn's site.<\/p>\n Mark's three-step protection plan: update all themes, plugins, and WordPress core; eliminate the “admin” username by creating a new admin account and demoting the old one; and install the Limit Login Attempts<\/a> plugin to throttle failed login attempts.<\/p>\n The episode also features listener Michael's question about whether internet marketing is a legitimate path to income, plus Patrick's question about keyword targeting for a test preparation site. Mark uses both questions to demonstrate the critical importance of understanding searcher intent — the foundation of all effective keyword research.<\/p>\n WordPress security<\/strong> has matured significantly since 2013. Automatic minor updates, two-factor authentication plugins, and managed hosting security layers have made WordPress much more resilient. The specific attack Mark describes — brute-forcing the “admin” username — is now prevented by default on most modern installations.<\/p>\n Search intent classification<\/strong> has become formalized in SEO. Google's algorithms now categorize queries as informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial investigation, and the search results pages are structured accordingly. Mark's advice about matching content to searcher intent was ahead of the curve and remains foundational.<\/p>\n The Google Keyword Tool<\/strong> was replaced by Google Keyword Planner shortly after this episode aired. Modern keyword research relies on tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Search Console for more accurate and actionable data.<\/p>\n If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:<\/p>\n Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts<\/a> or subscribe at latenightim.com\/internet-marketing-podcast\/<\/a>. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.<\/p>\nKey Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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