Sat May 18 1:36:13 EDT 2024
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Amazon AWS Lightsail Critical Error on WordPress

By
Paul Williams
-

About 36 hours ago, a well used plugin in the WordPress ecosystem wreaked havoc across the internet. As of January 2024, 8.8 million websites worldwide use Elementor, which is 3.7 million more than in 2022. This includes 3.6 million websites using the Elementor Pro version, and more than 13 million websites built with Elementor. The free Elementor plugin has more than 5 million active installs, and over 260 million overall installs since its launch. To put this better into perspective, WordPress is used by 43.2% of all websites. Among those created with a known CMS, the market share is even higher — 62.8%! So, when an add on to Elementor known as the Elementor Header & Footer Builder had some bad code shipped out, there was a catastrophic failure across the web.

Normally, most folks would simply go into their cPanel — a Linux-based web hosting control panel that provides a dashboard to manage a website or server — and edit the wp-config.php file, set the WP_DEBUG entry to true and track things down. The issue several of my Clients had was that they run their WordPress instances on Amazon AWS Lightsail. The difference between Lightsail and say shared hosting on GoDaddy or TMD Hosting is that you have to understand shell script on a UNIX/Linux operating system. Thus, when they were unable to reach their tech personnel overseas, they reached out to Ghost on Demand. 😉

The dreaded, There Has Been a Critical Error on Your Website error, was afoot. Many call it the White Screen of Death (WSOD) similar to the Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). With WSOD, though, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The primary coding language used in WordPress is PHP — Hypertext Preprocessor.

Amazon AWS Lightsail is a barebones server that allows for a one click deployment of WordPress. While there was initially a fairly steep learning curve, today it is as simple as plug and play. The challenge with Lightsail is that there is no real graphic user interface (GUI) like with shared hosting or cPanel. Today, we are going to focus on simply getting inside the server, diagnosing the problem, and fixing it.

Triage

After logging into the Lightsail application, you are going to first try a series of actions to simply see if it is an AWS server issue which hung things up or not. Our first level of observation is Triage. First, login to your Lightsail. Then, let’s click the three red dots in the upper right. Then, let’s try to Reboot the system. It may take a few minutes. In another tab, try to reopen your website. If the error is still there, let’s repeat the process, this time selecting Stop. Once the server is stopped, let’s click the three dots again and then select Start. Try to open your website in another tab again. If this didn’t solve the issue, then we are going to move to the operating theater.

Operating Theater

What we learned during triage is that our error is not associated with the Lightsail system. Now, we need to dig in and figure out what the issue is. So, let’s click the Command Line button next to the three red dots. It is going to open up the Bitnami Server Command Line in a pop up window. From the command line you are going to type: cd ~/stack/wordpress/ and hit enter. Then, you are going to type: sudo nano wp-config.php and hit enter. Using your manual cursor from the keyboard, you are going to locate the define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false ); statement and change the false to true. You will then hit the Ctrl and X keys simultaneously. It will ask if you want to save the file and simply hit Y.

Go to a new tab and reload your website. It will publish a bunch of errors citing file names and line numbers. Here is where the fun starts. Somewhere in the errors it is going to cite a file or plugin. In our case it was this,

An E_COMPILE_ERROR error was caused in line 32 of file /home/grlu3439/public_html/wp-content/plugins/header-footer-elementor/header-footer-elementor.php. Error message: require_once(): Failed opening required ‘/home/grlu3439/public_html/wp-content/plugins/header-footer-elementor/vendor/autoload.php’ (include_path=’.:/opt/alt/php74 /usr/share/pear’)

The key here was the directory structure. We know that the error was kicked from a WordPress plugin called header-footer-elementor. It is an add on to the Elementor plugin. So, we are going to go back to our Bitnami Server pop up window and type clear. We are going to now enter cd. Now, enter cd ~/stack/wordpress/wp-content/plugins followed by dir. It will display the files in the plugins directory. In our case, we are searching for header-footer-elementor. Now, we will enter sudo rm -rf header-footer-elementor. The reality is that you could replace the file we used with any file, but make sure that it is the one that is needed as you could do a lot of damage otherwise. Try reloading your website. It may look a bit different, but if it loads and the error is gone, then we know what the issue is.

If the website loads, you are going to login as the Administrator. You will probably have an error that the plugin we removed has been deactivated from WordPress as there is no longer a folder for it. You will have to do some due diligence on the offending plugin to see if there is an update to correct the error. If so, simply re-install it, clear any cache plugins and you may sign out.

A side note here: If you caught the fact that the PHP was set at 7.4 and not 8.1.x you get a gold star. PHP 7.4 has hit end of life and is causing a lot of problems on many platforms as dev’s attempt to bring their creations into the new dawn of PHP 8.x. We will probably cover that down the road as it is an easy fix!

Now, we need to type cd followed by clear in the Bitnami server pop up. Then, we will reverse the debugging on the website by entering cd ~/stack/wordpress/ in the command line. Now, type sudo nano wp-config.php and define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true ); statement and change the true to false. You will then simply hit the Ctrl and X keys simultaneously. It will ask if you want to save the file and simply hit Y. Then, reload your website to make sure that the debugging statements are gone. If they are, log out of your Lightsail.

That’s it! Code is Poetry!

Why Not 1099 Clients For Chargebacks? NAMFS and HUD are Worried!

By
Paul Williams
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Eleven Contractors filed 1099’s against their Clients for over $100,000 last year, for chargebacks. Not a single one was objected to. In historic interviews which built upon a framework I proposed challenging chargebacks, last fiscal year, began a turning point in fraud. Many may ask what was different about 2023’s IRS filings that triggered this event? To be brutally honest, when Assero, owned and operated by Eduardo San Roman, decided to 1099 Labor for work San Roman never paid for, it was the final straw. As many know, San Roman owns and controls the 24 Family of Companies including 24 Asset Management, a recent HUD M&M FSM Awardee, which has been struggling to perform upon the Award.

With the average inspection now paying around $6 and a typical initial grass cut for an acre or less running $35, one would think that it would be profit enough for these predators. It isn’t, though. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD all pay $30 for an exterior inspection and $45 for an interior inspection. Freddie Mac pays $525 for an initial grass cut over 10K square feet. The chargebacks are simply yet another line item for profit, with much of the money going to pay the Vendor Manager’s bonuses.

1099’s always have been a legal way to shift the burden of taxation upon the shoulder’s of those whom owe the tax. In the case of our Industry, it now has become a legitimate tool to utilize when fraud, waste, and abuse are levied upon Contractors. The primary reason that your Clients will not challenge them is because of the auditing process. While you may be the only one to 1099, the reality is that an IRS audit may uncover many, many more errors.

A final note on this article. Without the permission of those whom I receive emails, texts, or interviews from, I do not release their names. I do not dispense legal or financial advise. I do Consult, but only directly to Clients whom have entered into legally binding agreements. Legitimate businesses all have expenses. Because yours did not make the proper decisions to protect your investment does not mean that your lawyers may email me requesting information to benefit your case — free of charge. If you have no history of Donating to support these articles, chances are slim to none that I will drop everything to help out. In fact, I have been doing my best to get out of reporting on this Industry and into the Education and Development side of things for over a year, now. I fear, with the recent influx of illegal alien labor in our Industry, it will only get worse.

Price of Inspections Lowered By Prime Vendors

By
Paul Williams
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At a time when grocery prices are up 26% and fast food meals are up a whopping 33%, firms like GIS Field Services have lowered pricing on inspections. GIS Field Services, owned by Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS) parent company, Littlejohn & Co., have recently been taking over the Five Brothers portfolio. As many recall, Foreclosurepedia reported upon MCS purchasing Five Brothers making it the largest conglomeration of industry firm purchases and ensuring an anti-trust investigation . . .

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The Power of Precision: Why NAICS Codes Matter for Industries, Employees, and Success

By
Paul Williams
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Imagine trying to organize your sock drawer without categories. Cotton socks end up with wool, dress socks mingle with athletics, and forget about finding that lucky pair! Industries face a similar challenge without the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. This seemingly simple code unlocks a surprising amount of power, impacting everything from employee well-being to industry growth. The question that presents is why the National Association of Mortgage Field Services (NAMFS) has fought for decades to prevent a specific NAICS designation for our Industry.

NAICS: The Unsung Hero of Data

A NAICS code acts as a unique identifier for an industry. It’s like a fingerprint in the vast world of business. This code allows for the collection of accurate industry statistics. We can track employment rates, wages, and even emerging trends. This data is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and businesses themselves. Policymakers can use it to tailor programs that support struggling industries. Researchers can identify areas for innovation and growth. Businesses can use it to benchmark their performance and identify opportunities. The International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST) by and through their IAFST Federation of Labor has finally begun the petitioning process to bring a NAICS to our Industry.

The Peril of Misclassification

Without a NAICS code, data becomes a jumbled mess. Imagine statistics on “sock production” including everything from dress socks to athletic wear. It paints an inaccurate picture, hindering informed decision-making. Additionally, employee misclassification, which can happen without a clear NAICS code, can have serious consequences. Employees might be denied benefits they’re entitled to, or worse, be placed in unsafe working conditions. Further, though, it allows for the fraudulent classification of employees as independent contractors.

Training: The Key to Consistency

An accurate NAICS code is just the first step. To ensure consistent data collection across the industry, training for those responsible for assigning codes is vital. Standardized training programs create a common language, minimizing the risk of misclassification. This consistency allows for the duplication of results, making industry trends even more reliable. The IAFST Federation of Labor has been working hard on the IAFST University to bring about affordable and comprehensible education in order to both increase pay as well as provide a systematic way of universal work order delivery.

The Apprenticeship Advantage

Industries with a well-defined NAICS code, standardized training, and a strong apprenticeship framework often see higher rates of pay and employee retention. Apprenticeship programs provide a clear path for career development, while training ensures workers have the necessary skills to succeed. This combination creates a more professionalized workforce, attracting and retaining top talent. Higher wages and a skilled workforce, in turn, fuel innovation and industry growth.

The Bottom Line

NAICS codes, training programs, and apprenticeship frameworks are the cornerstones of a successful industry. They create a foundation for accurate data collection, protect employees, and foster a skilled workforce. In today’s dynamic economy, these elements aren’t just important, they’re essential for achieving long-term success. Just like a well-organized sock drawer makes life easier, a well-defined industry with the right systems in place paves the way for a brighter future. Why not join the IAFST today and begin your training not only for this Industry, but for the future!

Storms, Storms, Storms Where are the Disaster Inspections?

By
Paul Williams
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As destruction is spreading from the West Coast through the Midwest and sets its eyes upon the Southeast, the reality is that there are tens of thousands of inspections available; however, by the time an inspection gets to the boots on the ground, pricing is generally even worse. In fact, even here at Foreclosurepedia GHQ, we have been hit with back-to-back storms that have caused some fairly extensive damage. It begged the question pertaining to how much of a gap is there between disaster inspections pricing and the real world. In the case . . .

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