Wikipedia was in read-only mode following mass admin account compromise (wikimediastatus.net)

Article summary

Wikipedia was in read-only mode following a mass admin account compromise. The incident involved an XSS worm that affected the site. The worm's payload and behavior were analyzed by users. The compromise led to discussions about security and the use of certain programming languages.

Main themes

• Wikipedia security incident
• PHP security concerns
• Programming language comparison
• Security best practices
• XSS worm analysis
• Language popularity and security

What commenters say

• Some commenters believe that PHP is a problematic language due to its security concerns and potential for errors.
• Others argue that PHP is not inherently insecure, but rather its misuse can lead to security issues.
• The ease of use and performance of PHP are cited as reasons for its continued popularity despite potential security risks.
• Some argue that the popularity of a programming language is often unrelated to its security properties.
• The importance of proper use and security measures when using any programming language is emphasized.
• Comparisons are made between PHP and other languages, such as Node.js, in terms of security and dependency management.
• The impact of the XSS worm on Wikipedia is seen as a significant security incident that highlights the need for robust security measures.