When using the WordPress Admin --> Plugins page, nothing appears listed even though you installed the plugins manually. You or your hosting company may have disabled the php function fopen.

If you have access to /etc/php.ini:

vi /etc/php.ini

Search for the disable_functions line:

/disable_

Ensure that fopen is not included in the list of disabled functions. Then save and quit the file:

:wq!

Restart your httpd service:

service httpd restart

Go to your Manage Plugins page and you should now see a list of Active and Inactive WordPress plugins.

If you boot a Fedora or Red Hat system and find yourself staring at the text GRUB with a blinking cursor, then GRUB (Grand Unified Boot Loader) is missing files or damaged.

Grab your operating system installation disk and boot into rescue mode.

Don't bother with grub-install as it is broken and not being fixed.

Enter GRUB's command line interface:

grub

Find GRUB's installation location:

grub> find /grub/stage1

Re-install GRUB -- my location was (hd0,1), yours may be different:

grub> root (hd0,1)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit

Exit rescue mode:

exit

If GRUB still doesn't load correctly, check the syntax of your grub.conf file. Re-enter rescue mode:

vi /mnt/sysimage/etc/grub.conf

Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) is a Linux feature that provides a variety of security policies, including U.S. Department of Defense style mandatory access controls, through the use of Linux Security Modules (LSM) in the Linux kernel. It is not a Linux distribution, but rather a set of modifications that can be applied to Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux and BSD. Its architecture strives to streamline the volume of software charged with security policy enforcement. (Wikipedia: SELinux)

One of the first Linux features that most users disable is Security-Enhanced Linux. SELinux "provides a hybrid of concepts and capabilities drawn from mandatory access controls, mandatory integrity controls, role-based access control (RBAC), and type enforcement architecture." SELinux's confinement of user programs and system servers is so much more secure, but confusing to implement for beginners.

As sudo or root, you can enable or disable SELinux in Fedora or any Red Hat clone with the following commands:

Temporary permissive mode:

setenforce 0

Temporary enforcing mode:

setenforce 1

Check the status of SELinux:

getenforce

As sudo or root, to permanently disable or enforce SELinux in any Red Hat clone:

vi /etc/selinux/config

Making time to secure your systems:

Sorry, I don't have the time for SELinux:

If you are in a GUI, and installed the setroubleshoot package:

sealert -b #To view SELinux messages

If you are working from the command line:

vi /var/log/audit/audit.log #To view SELinux messages

Finally, use the power of Google and Youtube to get a better grasp of SELinux.

Millions of people are still doing their online banking and financial transactions running Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer with lackadaisical enforcement of firewalls, anti-virus and patching. Even when users know their systems are compromised, they go on with their daily routine -- as if nothing is wrong.

The cyberwar is being lost by the military, government, corporations and private individuals. Worms are making their way into Windows systems, wireless networks are being broken into in under 8 minutes, and electronic spies are watching your screens and key strokes,

It's an unending battle against an army of trojan horses, worms, hacked sites, viruses, malware, badware, crime and fraud. All they need is one opportunity to damage or steal every piece of data from your networks or add your system to a massive botnet. An unprecedented amount of data theft is occurring while a token arrest occurs here and there.

The increasing sophistication and scope of attacks requires too much knowledge and experience for the lay person or busy systems admin.

Ready for a safer computing environment?

1. Consider migrating to Ubuntu or Fedora for a desktop.
2. Consider migrating to CentOS, Scientific Linux, Red Hat or FreeBSD for a server.
3. Install IPCop in front of your small business and home network. Knowing what goes in and out of your network is beneficial.

If you still want to risk using Microsoft Windows -- be paranoid and protect yourself at all times.

1. Don't open e-mail from unknown Senders.
2. Don't visit shady sites.
3. Don't use Internet Explorer
4. Don't download and install warez.
5. Don't use wireless networking.
6. Don't execute or allow it, unless you are sure what it is. Just click "No."
7. Disable Windows Autorun.
8. Install Firefox, NoScript and AdBlock Plus.
9. Always have backups of your data offline.
10. Encrypt everything.
11. Scan downloaded files before executing them.

Lapses in judgment can cost you and your company time/money plus your identity, data, computer, network and job.