PHP is used by over 80% of websites. With that in mind, keeping your website secure is extremely important. Each new PHP version is actively supported by the PHP community for two years following the initial stable release. At the end of the two-year active support, each receives an additional year of critical security issues updates. At this time, both PHP 5.6 and PHP 7.0 are quickly reaching the end of their extended security support. WordPress statistics indicate that 5.6 and 7.0 are currently in use on over 50% of WordPress sites.
- PHP 5.6 will no longer be supported for critical security updates after December 31st, 2018.
- PHP 7.0 will no longer be supported for critical security updates after December 3rd, 2018.
Namhost recommends preparing for an upgrade by testing your site for compatibility with the newer versions. This may include the need to upgrade multiple times from one version to the next, depending on how many versions behind the current stable release your site currently runs. Critical security updates are an essential part of protecting your business presence on the web. Don’t leave your site vulnerable to attacks. Additionally, the newer PHP versions are far superior in speed, performance, and efficiency. To assist you in preparing for an upgrade, a WordPress plugin, PHP Compatibility Checker, is available: https://wordpress.org/plugins/php-compatibility-checker/
Remember, we are here to help! If you need assistance in upgrading your hosting, please don't hesitate to contact us.
