The Melapress Show

In Episode 29 of The Melapress Show, Francesco Carlucci — cybersecurity researcher, ethical hacker, and author of The Hacker Mindset — joins Robert Abela to dive into the world of ethical hacking and vulnerability research. Together, they explore how adopting a hacker’s perspective can help developers write more secure code and prevent security issues before they happen. Key topics include: What “...

In Episode 28 of the Melapress Show, Rashmi Nagpal, cybersecurity and AI expert at Patchstack and MIT CSAIL Research Affiliate, joins Robert Abela to discuss how AI and automation are transforming WordPress security. From detecting vulnerabilities to predicting attacks before they happen, they dive deep into how machine learning and automation are changing the way we secure WordPress — and what ch...

In Episode 27 of the Melapress Show, Marcel Tannich, WordCamp Speaker, organizer, and Technical Support Team Lead for WPML at onTheGoSystems, joins Robert Abela to explore the evolution of WordPress automation. From command-line tools like WP-CLI to the rise of AI agents, they discuss how automation and artificial intelligence are transforming development, testing, and support workflows. Key topic...

In Episode 26 of the Melapress Show, Adi Spiac from Cozmoslabs joins Robert Abela to discuss the challenges and opportunities of running a WordPress membership website. From building a strong community to managing payments, they explore the key strategies that help membership sites thrive. Key topics include: What to consider before setting up a membership website How to effectively manage existin...

In Episode 25 of the Melapress Show, Roger Williams from Kinsta joins Robert Abela to discuss WordPress updates, from plugins to themes. From automatic updates to staged rollouts, they explore the strategies WordPress users can adopt to keep sites secure, stable, and efficient. Key topics include: The update options WordPress users have today The most common update and auto-update strategies peopl...

In Episode 24 of the Melapress Show, Jennifer Aguilera Schumacher from 7South Digital joins Robert Abela to share her lessons learned from years of working on complex WordPress projects. From small business websites to enterprise builds, they discuss the most common pitfalls teams face and the strategies that actually lead to smoother project delivery. Key topics include: The most common mistakes...

In Episode 23 of the Melapress Show, Navid Ardakanian, creator of AI Workflow Automation, joins Robert Abela to share how he built a WordPress plugin entirely through “vibe coding.” Without being a developer, Navid used AI as his coding partner to create not only the plugin but also its website, licensing system, and checkout. Key topics include: How AI was used to build a WordPress plugin from sc...

In Episode 22 of the Melapress Show, Katie Keith, CEO and founder of Barn2, joins Robert Abela to uncover the real-world challenges of running a WooCommerce store. From day-to-day operations to future trends, they discuss what it really takes to build and maintain a resilient online shop. Key topics include: The realities of running a WooCommerce store and why some projects fail How to manage team...

In Episode 21 of the Melapress Show, Jakob Trost, CTO at GREYD, joins Robert Abela to uncover what it really takes to build and manage large-scale WordPress systems. From universities to global franchises, they discuss how organizations can scale WordPress to hundreds of sites while balancing global control with local flexibility. Key topics include: The architectural options for managing hundreds...

In Episode 20 of the Melapress Show, Ian Muscat, co-founder of Have I Been Squatted, joins Robert Abela to uncover the growing threat of domain squatting and its impact on businesses of all sizes. From reputation damage to phishing attacks, they discuss how malicious actors exploit domain lookalikes and how you can protect your brand. Key topics include: What domain squatting is and how it differs...

In Episode 19 of the Melapress Show, David Johnson, Brand Bard at StellarWP, joins Robert Abela to explore the tension between modern, AI-assisted coding and the growing wave of compliance, particularly the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). They discuss how vibe coding is reshaping development workflows and how developers can navigate new security expectations. Key topics include: What vibe coding...

In Episode 18 of the Melapress Show, Vito Peleg, CEO and Co-Founder of Atarim, joins Robert Abela to discuss the real challenges agencies face when managing client projects. From messy feedback loops and scope creep to pricing models and unresponsive clients, Vito shares actionable strategies to help agencies get it right. Key topics include: Reducing scope creep and managing feedback efficiently...

In Episode 17 of the Melapress Show, WordPress security expert Tim Nash joins Robert Abela to break down real-world security threats and how to handle them. From post-hack checklists to crucial wp-config.php configurations, Tim shares decades of experience in strengthening WordPress sites and making recovery easier. Key topics include: What to check first after a suspected hack Why backups aren't...

In this live episode, Robert Abela of Melapress talks with Maciek Palmowski, Security Community Manager at Patchstack, about Vulnerability Disclosure Programs (VDPs) and their importance for software security. Key topics include: The significance of VDPs Best practices Impact of upcoming EU regulations Practical advice for developers Get expert insights and stay updated on security practices! 🎙️ G...

In this week’s episode, WordPress performance expert Sabrina Zeidan joins Robert Abela to discuss the crucial topic of WordPress website performance. From Google Core Web Vitals to scalability challenges, Sabrina shares valuable insights to help you build faster, more resilient websites. Key topics include: How to measure website performance What Core Web Vitals mean for your WordPress site Balanc...

In this live session, Robert Abela hosts Hector de Prada, CEO and co-founder of Modular DS, to discuss WordPress security and management strategies for agencies. They cover automation, AI, client relations, and key security practices. Key topics include: Automation tools and AI integration Managing client access and expectations Essential WordPress security practices Balancing automated and manual...

In this discussion, Robert Abela and Joel Barbara from Melapress explain the essential role of logs in maintaining a secure and compliant WordPress site. They cover different types of logs, their uses, and why monitoring logs is crucial for efficient site management. Key topics include: Types of logs: Error, activity, and system logs Why logs matter: Troubleshooting, issue identification, and secu...

Join Robert and Joel from Melapress as they dive into the critical topic of brute force attacks targeting WordPress websites. Learn how attackers attempt unauthorized access, the risks these attacks pose, and effective techniques to protect your site. Key topics include: What brute force attacks are and how they occur on WordPress Common signs your site is under attack Strategies to mitigate and p...

In this live session, Robert Abela from Melapress and experts from Rapyd Cloud dive into the challenges of hosting dynamic, high-traffic websites like eCommerce stores and membership platforms. Key topics include: What makes hosting for eCommerce and membership sites different How to evaluate and test hosting solutions Identifying and fixing common performance bottlenecks Improving site speed with...

Join us for a live session where Robert Abela, CEO of Melapress, talks with Gautam Khorana, COO and co-founder of Seahawk Media, about WordPress agency management. They’ll discuss website security, scalability, and how agencies can grow with top tools and services. With over 1000 clients, Seahawk is a leader in white-labelled services like website cleanup and maintenance, making them the ideal gue...

In this live session, Robert Abela and Joel Barbara dive into WordPress user account security, covering essential topics like 2FA, password policies, login restrictions, time-based restrictions, and more. After this session, you’ll know how to protect your user accounts and reduce the risks of phishing, brute force attacks, and other cybersecurity threats. Key topics include: Securing WordPress us...

In this episode, Aurelio Volle from WP Umbrella joins Robert Abela (Melapress) to discuss managing multiple WordPress websites. This live session is essential for agencies, freelancers, and businesses managing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of WordPress sites for clients. Key topics include: Efficiently managing multiple WordPress websites Tools and strategies for scalability Best practices for...

In this episode, Robert Abela and Joel Barbara discuss WooCommerce security and how to secure your WooCommerce store. Cybersecurity is crucial for ecommerce store owners, especially with regulations like PCI-DSS and GDPR protecting customer data. This session covers the steps you can take to secure your store and ensure compliance with these important regulations. Key topics include: Securing your...

In this episode, Robert Abela and Joel Barbara discuss WordPress plugins, covering what they are and what to consider when choosing the best ones for your site. With so many options available, it's important to look at factors like who developed the plugin, its build quality, and the features it offers. We’ll dive into all these considerations and more! Key topics include: What to look for when ch...

In this discussion, Robert Abela of Melapress talks with Akshat Choudhary, founder of BlogVault, about WordPress security and management for agencies. Key topics include: Strategies and tools for securing WordPress sites Best practices for managing WordPress for agencies Insights on improving WordPress workflows Get expert advice on enhancing your WordPress security and management practices! 🎙️ Gu...