Free, Paid, or Custom WordPress Theme? A Practical Guide for Nigerian Businesses (2026)

9th May 2026/in Blog, Software

The Question Nigerian Businesses Are Actually Asking

The question comes up in almost every web project conversation: do I need to pay for a WordPress theme, or will a free one do? In 2026, that is a two-option framing that leaves out the most consequential choice. Nigerian businesses building for long-term credibility and growth now have a third path: a fully custom-built theme.

At Development Standards Technologies (DST), the custom theme is the option we build and the one we consistently recommend for businesses that are serious about performance, brand identity, and scalability. That position is based on evidence, not preference. This guide makes the case, compares all three options across every parameter that matters in the Nigerian context, and gives you a clear recommendation based on where your business is today.

Nigeria’s digital economy is no longer a frontier experiment. With over 107 million internet users as of early 2025, an e-commerce market valued at USD 8.53 billion in 2025 and projected to grow at 11.8% annually through 2033, and more than 84% of internet access occurring via mobile devices, the performance and professionalism of your website is a direct business asset. The theme powering it is not a cosmetic decision.

Understanding the Three Options

Most WordPress conversations treat theme selection as a binary: free or paid. That misses a third category that is increasingly the right answer for established Nigerian businesses. Here is how each option is defined.

1. Free Themes

Free themes are available at no cost from the official WordPress.org theme directory, which contains thousands of options that have passed a code review process. Free themes from this directory meet basic quality and security standards. That is nothing — the review is genuine. However, “free” does not mean “no trade-offs.” Free themes are built for the broadest possible audience, which means they make design compromises that serve no specific business well.

2. Paid Themes

Paid themes (also called premium themes) are purchased from theme developers or marketplaces at prices that typically range from USD 30 to USD 200 or more, often on an annual licence model. They generally offer better design quality, more layout options, and dedicated ticketed support. Paid themes still follow a pre-built, template-based architecture — your site is customised within the boundaries the developer defined, not built specifically for your business.

3. Custom Themes (What DST Builds)

A custom WordPress theme is built from the ground up for a specific business. Every layout, interaction, colour system, and functional component is designed and coded for your brand and your users. At DST, we build custom themes that carry none of the bloat of pre-built solutions, are optimised for the Nigerian mobile-first environment, and are fully owned by the client — no licence dependency, no renewal fees, no features you cannot touch.

What Free Themes Can and Cannot Do

Free themes from the official WordPress.org directory are not bad. Many are well-maintained, genuinely fast when configured correctly, and support standard e-commerce and SEO workflows. They are a legitimate starting point for businesses that have not yet validated their model or do not yet have the budget for a better solution.

Where Free Themes Perform Well

Clean, lightweight base for simple websites and blogs
WooCommerce compatibility for basic store functionality
Acceptable Core Web Vitals performance when paired with a caching plugin and good hosting
Zero upfront cost, reducing financial risk for new ventures
Reviewed codebase — themes listed on WordPress.org meet baseline security and code quality standards

Where Free Themes Fall Short

Design uniqueness: free themes are used by thousands of other websites. Your site will look like your competitors’ sites
Limited customisation: layout and structural changes require coding knowledge that most business owners do not have
Support gap: community forums are the primary resource; there is no dedicated support team to call when something breaks
Update consistency: Some free themes are not maintained with the regularity that a business-critical site requires
Plugin dependency: feature gaps get filled with third-party plugins, each of which introduces performance overhead and a potential conflict
No brand precision: colour and font customisation is possible; rebuilding the information architecture for your specific audience is not

For a Nigerian business where trust is earned slowly and first impressions online often determine whether a customer picks up the phone or navigates away, “good enough” is a strategic risk.

What Paid Themes Offer

Paid themes address several of the gaps that free themes leave. They are typically built by professional design and development teams, updated more frequently, and include dedicated support channels that a business can actually rely on. For a Nigerian SME moving from a free theme to a paid one, the improvement in design quality and support accessibility is real.

Genuine Advantages of Paid Themes

More sophisticated design options with greater layout flexibility
Active developer teams that release security patches and compatibility updates on a regular cycle
Ticketed customer support — usually available for 6 to 12 months from purchase
More purpose-built options for specific industries: e-commerce, professional services, portfolio, hospitality
Better out-of-the-box SEO structure, schema markup support, and performance tooling

Limitations of Paid Themes

You are still working within a template: the developer’s design decisions define your ceiling
Annual licensing: skip a renewal and you lose access to updates and support — on a codebase your entire site depends on
Feature bloat is a real risk. Many paid themes bundle functionality to justify their price, resulting in code that loads on every page regardless of whether you use those features. This slows sites on Nigeria’s variable 3G and 4G networks
Generic identity: paid themes are popular themes. A competitor in the same niche can purchase the same licence and operate a near-identical-looking website
Hidden costs: themes that are not designed for your use case will still require plugin additions, developer customisation hours, and workarounds that erode the apparent cost advantage over custom development

Why DST Builds Custom Themes — and Why We Prefer Them

DST’s position on custom themes is not a sales pitch. It is a conclusion drawn from building websites for Nigerian businesses across industries and watching the patterns of where pre-built themes fail. Here is what drives that position.

1. Nigerian Websites Must Load Fast on Mobile

Over 80% of Nigerians access the internet via mobile devices, predominantly on 3G and 4G networks. A pre-built theme — whether free or paid — loads code for every feature the developer included, whether your site uses those features or not. A custom theme includes only the code your site actually needs. That difference is measurable in load time, and load time is measurable in bounce rate. Custom themes built with clean, minimal code satisfy Google’s Core Web Vitals more reliably than template-based solutions, which has a direct positive effect on search rankings.

2. Your Brand Is Your Competitive Advantage

In a market where consumer trust is harder to earn and more fragile than in more mature digital economies, brand consistency is not optional. A custom theme means your website is a precise expression of your brand identity — not an approximation of it constrained by another developer’s architectural choices. No other business in Nigeria will have a site that looks and works the way yours does.

3. Security Is a Smaller Target with Less Code

Every plugin, every unused feature, every inherited code block from a theme developer’s generic codebase is a potential attack surface. Nigerian businesses face real cybersecurity risks: the financial sector alone reported losses of over NGN 67 billion to cyberattacks in 2024. A custom theme reduces the attack surface by design. There is no redundant code to exploit.

4. You Own the Asset Outright

A paid theme is a licence. When you stop paying, you lose access to updates and support while remaining dependent on the codebase. A custom theme built by DST is your intellectual property. It does not come with renewal fees, licence restrictions, or the risk of a theme developer discontinuing a product your entire website depends on.

5. Scalability Without Architecture Compromise

Pre-built themes are built to serve a general audience. When your business grows and requires new features — a booking system, a membership portal, a custom reporting dashboard, a multi-language interface for cross-border operations — a generic theme either cannot accommodate it or requires workarounds that accumulate as technical debt. A custom theme is designed with your growth trajectory in mind from the start.

6. Fewer Plugins, Fewer Problems

Every plugin added to a WordPress site introduces a dependency: on the plugin developer’s update schedule, security track record, and compatibility with every other plugin on the site. A custom theme can include specific functionality directly in the codebase, reducing the plugin stack significantly. Fewer plugins mean fewer conflicts, fewer vulnerabilities, and faster page loads.

Full Comparison: Free vs Paid vs Custom (DST)

The following table compares all three options across every parameter that should drive the decision for a Nigerian business. Recommendations in the final column reflect DST’s custom theme standard.

Parameter	Free Theme	Paid Theme	Custom Theme (DST)
Upfront Cost	NGN 0 — no licence fee	NGN 50k–250k/yr (USD 30–200+). Recurring licence for updates & support	Higher initial investment. One-time build cost; no recurring licence fee
Long-term Cost	Low. May rise with paid plugins to fill feature gaps	Moderate. Renewal fees, plus plugins for missing features	Low over time. No licence fees; updates maintained by DST
Design Uniqueness	Generic. Thousands of sites share the same layout	More polished, but still template-based. Common on competitor sites	Fully unique. Built exclusively for your brand; no other site looks like it
Brand Alignment	Limited. Colour/font tweaks only; core layout unchanged	Better than free, but constrained to theme developer’s architecture	Complete. Every element — typography, layout, colour system — reflects your brand
Load Speed	Variable. Well-maintained free themes can be fast; many are bloated	Can be fast or bloated depending on the theme. Features you don’t use still load	Optimised. Only the code your site needs is included; no dead weight
Mobile Performance	Basic responsiveness. May struggle on low-end Android devices on 3G	Generally responsive, but heavy JS/CSS libraries slow mobile loads	Built mobile-first. Optimised for Nigeria’s 80%+ mobile internet user base
Security	Moderate. Official WordPress.org themes are reviewed, but updates can lag	Better. Active developer teams patch vulnerabilities; more frequent updates	High. Clean, minimal codebase reduces attack surface; maintained by DST
SEO Readiness	Basic. Clean free themes support SEO plugins, but lack schema structure	Better. Many include structured data and optimised markup	Built-in. Semantic HTML, Core Web Vitals compliance, and schema markup from day one
Customisation Depth	Surface-level. Colour, fonts, basic layout via Customiser only	Deeper, but bounded by the developer’s design decisions	Unlimited. Every pixel, feature, and interaction is designed for your use case
Scalability	Limited. Adding features often requires multiple plugins that conflict	Moderate. Scales within the theme’s architecture; complex needs hit ceilings	Future-proof. Built to grow with your business; new features added cleanly
Plugin Dependencies	High. Functionality gaps filled with third-party plugins	High to moderate. Premium themes bundle some features; the rest need plugins	Low. Core features built into the theme; fewer plugins means fewer conflicts
Support	Community forums only. No dedicated support from the developer	Ticketed support, typically 6–12 months with purchase	Ongoing support from DST. Direct access to the team that built your site
Ownership	You own the installation, not the theme design	Licence model: features and support tied to annual renewal	Full ownership. Your codebase, your asset, no licence dependency

The One Option That Is Never Acceptable: Nulled Themes

A nulled theme that costs NGN 0 upfront can cost a business its entire website, its

customer data, and its Google ranking. It is not a saving. It is a liability.

A nulled theme is a paid theme that has been illegally modified to remove license restrictions and distributed for free. The word “free” is the only appealing thing about it.

Nulled themes are among the most common vectors for malware, backdoor injections, redirect attacks, and hidden affiliate spam on WordPress sites. Unlike free themes on WordPress.org, nulled themes are not reviewed by anyone. They are not updated by anyone. The people who distribute them have no obligation to you and every incentive to use your server as a platform for their own purposes.

What Nulled Themes Actually Cost

Malware injection: attackers gain persistent access to your hosting environment
Data theft: customer names, emails, payment details, and login credentials are exposed
SEO penalties: Google identifies and penalises sites that redirect users to spam or harmful content
Hosting suspension: Most reputable Nigerian hosting providers terminate accounts running malicious code
Recovery cost: cleaning a compromised WordPress site and rebuilding lost trust costs far more than any theme licence

There is no scenario in which using a nulled theme is the right business decision. If budget is the constraint, a well-configured free theme from the official WordPress.org directory is a better choice at NGN 0 than a nulled version of any paid theme at the same price.

Related reading: Why Not to Use Nulled WordPress Themes and Plugins (dst.com.ng) | Common Motivations to Use Nulled Themes (dst.com.ng)

DST Recommendation by Business Type

Not every business needs a custom theme today. The right choice depends on your current stage, budget, and growth ambition. The table below gives a direct recommendation.

Business Type	Recommended Option	Reasoning
Sole trader / personal blog, tight budget, temporary site	Free Theme	A well-configured free theme from the official WordPress.org directory is sufficient. Invest the budget elsewhere.
Small business, early-stage, moderate budget	Paid Theme	A reputable paid theme gives better design options and dedicated support without the cost of custom development at launch.
Established SME, e-commerce store, professional services firm	Custom Theme (DST)	Brand credibility, conversion optimisation, and long-term scalability justify the investment. You stop paying recurring licence fees.
Corporate entity, NGO, institution requiring compliance	Custom Theme (DST)	Security requirements, accessibility standards, and brand governance rules cannot be met with off-the-shelf solutions.
Any business using a nulled theme	Rebuild immediately	A nulled theme is not a cost-saving strategy. It is a security liability that can compromise your site, your data, and your customers.

The Bottom Line

The free vs paid debate misframes the decision. The real question is: what does this website need to do for your business, and what is the most cost-effective way to achieve that over a three-to-five year horizon?

For most growing Nigerian businesses, the honest answer is a custom theme. Not because DST builds them — but because the math works out. No licence renewal fees. No feature ceilings. No generic identity. Optimised for mobile-first performance on Nigerian networks. Clean, secure code with a minimal attack surface. And full ownership of the asset.

For businesses not yet at that stage, a well-configured free theme from the official WordPress.org directory is a legitimate starting point. A paid theme from a reputable developer is a reasonable intermediate step. What is never acceptable, at any stage, is a nulled theme.

When you are ready to build something that actually belongs to your brand, DST is ready to build it with you.

15 Vulnerable Sites To (Legally) Practice Your Hacking Skills

2nd October 2024/in Blog, How To, Software

As technology grows, so does the risk of getting hacked. So, it should come as no surprise that InfoSec skills are becoming more important and more in demand. No matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, nor if you’re a security manager, developer, auditor, or pentester – you can now get started by using these 15 sites to practice your hacking skills – legally. They say the best defence is a good offence – and it’s no different in the InfoSec world. Here’s our updated list of 15 sites to practice your hacking skills so you can be the best defender you can – whether you’re a developer, security manager, auditor or pen-tester. And remember – practice makes perfect! Are there any other sites you’d like to add to this list? Let us know below!

1 bWAPP

bWAPP, which stands for Buggy Web Application, is “a free and open source deliberately insecure web application” created by Malik Messelem, @MME_IT. Vulnerabilities to keep an eye out for include over 100 common issues derived from the OWASP Top 10.bWAPP is built in PHP and uses MySQL. Download the project here. For more advanced users, bWAPP also offers what Malik calls a bee-box, a custom Linux VM that comes pre-installed with bWAPP.

2 Damn Vulnerable iOS App (DVIA)

Recently re-released as a free download by InfoSec Engineer @prateekg147, DVIA was built as an especially insecure mobile app for iOS 7 and above. For mobile app developers the platform is especially helpful, because while there are numerous sites to practice hacking web applications, mobile apps that can be legally hacked are much harder to come by!Get going with DVIA by watching this YouTube video and reading the ‘Getting Started‘ guide.

3 Game of Hacks

Alright, this one isn’t exactly a vulnerable web app – but it’s another engaging way of learning to spot application security vulnerabilities, so we thought we’d throw it in. Call it shameless self-promotion, but we’ve received amazing feedback from security pros and developers alike, so we’re happy to share it with you, too! The game is designed to test your AppSec skills and each question offers a chunk of code which may or may not have a security vulnerability – it’s up to you to figure it out before the clock runs out. A leaderboard makes Game of Hacks just that much more enticing.

4 Google Gruyere

This ‘cheesy’ vulnerable site is full of holes and aimed for those just starting to learn application security. The goal of the labs are threefold:

Learn how hackers find security vulnerabilities
Learn how hackers exploit web applications
Learn how hackers find security vulnerabilities
Learn how to stop hackers from finding and exploiting vulnerabilities

“‘Unfortunately,’ Gruyere has multiple security bugs ranging from cross-site scripting and cross-site request forgery, to information disclosure, denial of service, and remote code execution,” the website states. “The goal of this code lab is to guide you through discovering some of these bugs and learning ways to fix them both in Gruyere and in general.”

Written in Python, Gruyere offers opportunities for both black box and white box testing so “hackers” have the chance to play on both sides of the fence.

Get started here: http://google-gruyere.appspot.com/

5 HackThis!!

HackThis!! was designed to teach how hacks, dumps, and defacement are done, and how you can secure your website against hackers. HackThis!! offers over 50 levels with various difficulty levels, in addition to a lively and active online community making this a great source of hacking and security news and articles.
Get started with HackThis!! here.

6 Hack This Site

HackThisSite! is a legal and safe place for anyone to test their hacking skills. The hub offers hacking news, articles, forums, and tutorials and aims to teach users to learn and practice hacking through skills developed by completing challenges.Start your training on HackThisSite here

7 Hellbound Hackers

Hellbound Hackers, the hands-on approach to computer security, offers a wide array of challenges with the aim to teach how to identify exploits and suggest the code to patch it. And Hellbound Hackers really is the ultimate site for hacking tutorials, covering a large range of topics from encryption and application cracking, to social engineering and rooting. With a community of nearly 100k registered members, it’s also one of the biggest hacking communities out there.
Read more and get started here.

8 McAfee HacMe Sites

Foundstone, a practice within McAfee’s Professional Services, launched a series of sites in 2006 aimed for pen testers and security professionals looking to increase their InfoSec chops. Each simulated app offers a “real-world” experience, built with “real-world” vulnerabilities. From mobile bank apps to apps designed to take reservations, these projects cover a wide array of security issues to help any security-minded professional stay ahead of the hackers.
The group of sites include:

9 Mutillidae

Yet another OWASP project on our list, Mutillidae is another deliberately vulnerable web application built for Linux and Windows. This project is actually a set of PHP scripts containing all the OWASP Top Ten vulnerabilities and more and is armed with hints to help users get started.
Get started with Mutillidae here, and be sure to check out the projects dedicated YouTube channel and Twitter account, run by Mutillidae’s second-generation developer, Jeremy Druin.

10 OverTheWire

OverTheWire is great for developers and security professionals of all experience levels to learn and practice security concepts. This pracrice comes in form of fun-filled wargames – beginners should start with “Bandit”,. where the basics are taught, and will progress to higher levels and to advanced games all with more complex bugs and exploits to patch as you go. Jump in the game here

11 Peruggia

Peruggia is a safe environment for security professionals and developers to learn and test common attacks on web applications. Peruggia is set as an image gallery in which you can download projects to help you learn how to locate and limit potential issues and threats. Download Peruggia here.

12 Root Me

Root Me is a great way to challenge and improve your hacking skills and web security knowledge through over 200 hacking challenges and 50 virtual environments. Check out Root Me here.

13 Try2Hack

Created by ra.phid.ae and considered one of the oldest challenge sites still around, Try2Hack offers multiple security challenges.
The game features diverse levels which are sorted by difficulty, all created to practice hacking for your entertainment. There is an IRC channel for beginners where you can join the community and ask for help, in addition to a full walkthrough based on GitHub.Try2Hack is available here.

14 Vicnum

An OWASP project, Vicnum is a series of basic and obviously web apps based on games “commonly used to kill time.” Because of their simple frameworks, the applications can be tailored for different needs, making Vicnum a great choice for security managers looking to help teach developers AppSec in a fun way.

The goal of Vicnum is “to strengthen the security of web applications by educating different groups (students, management, users, developers, auditors) as to what might go wrong in a web app, the site says. “And of course it’s OK to have a little fun.”

Check out the site, developed by Mordecai Kraushar here to find the games and available CTFs for download.

15 WebGoat

One of the most popular OWASP projects is WebGoat. This insecure app provides a realistic teaching and learning environment with lessons designed to teach users about complex application security issues. WebGoat is aimed for developers looking to learn more about web app security. The name WebGoat is a scapegoat reference: “Even the best programmers make security errors. What they need is a scapegoat, right? Just blame it on the ‘Goat!’”
Installs are available for Windows, OSX Tiger and Linux and has separate downloads for J2EE and .NET environments. There is an “easy-run” version as well as a “source distribution” version that allows users to modify the source code.

Check out the OWASP project page here or the GitHub page to get started with WebGoat.

For help with the lessons, take a look at this series of videos available for download.

Key Aspects of Code Obfuscation

11th April 2024/in How To, Security, Software

Code obfuscation is a process used to modify source code in a way that makes it harder to understand or reverse engineer, while still maintaining its functionality. Developers employ code obfuscation techniques to protect their software from unauthorized access, tampering, and reverse engineering. Let’s explore some key aspects of code obfuscation:

Remove Superfluous Data

The first step in code hardening is to eliminate unnecessary elements from your code. This includes removing redundant functions, debugging information, and metadata. By streamlining your codebase, you reduce the attack surface and make it more challenging for attackers to find vulnerabilities.

String Encryption

Encrypting strings within your code can make it difficult for attackers to extract sensitive information. By converting strings into an encoded format, you enhance security without altering the program’s behaviour.

Process Order Obfuscation

Rearrange the order of instructions or functions in your code. This can confuse reverse engineers and disrupt their understanding of the program’s logic.

Memory Randomization

Randomize memory addresses or data structures used by your program. This prevents attackers from predicting memory layouts and exploiting vulnerabilities.

Naming Obfuscation

Rename variables, functions, and classes in a way that doesn’t reveal their purpose. Meaningless or deceptive names make it harder for attackers to decipher the code.

Control Flow Obfuscation

Alter the control flow of your program by introducing conditional jumps, loops, or other constructs. This confuses static analysis tools and makes it challenging to follow the program’s execution path.

Remember that while code obfuscation enhances security, it may also increase execution time and overhead. Striking the right balance between protection and performance is crucial for real-world applications.

Why not to use nulled WordPress Themes and Plugins

8th April 2024/in Blog, Security, Software

Navigating the world of WordPress themes and plugins can be daunting, especially with the temptation of nulled (pirated or illegally obtained) themes and plugins. However, it’s crucial to understand the risks associated with using nulled WordPress themes and plugins. Here are several compelling reasons why you must avoid them:

1. Security Vulnerabilities

Nulled themes and plugins often contain hidden malicious code inserted by hackers. This code can compromise the security of your website, leading to malware infections, data breaches, and unauthorized access.

2. Lack of Updates and Support

Legitimate WordPress themes and plugins receive regular updates to address security vulnerabilities, introduce new features, and ensure compatibility with the latest version of WordPress. Nulled themes and plugins do not receive these updates, leaving your website vulnerable to security risks and compatibility issues. Furthermore, you won’t have access to customer support from the original developers if you encounter any issues.

3. Legal Risks

Using nulled themes and plugins is illegal and violates copyright laws. By downloading and using pirated software, you expose yourself to legal consequences, including fines and potential lawsuits from developers and copyright holders.

4. Poor Code Quality

Nulled themes and plugins are often poorly coded and lack proper documentation. This can lead to performance issues, website errors, and conflicts with other themes and plugins. In contrast, legitimate WordPress themes and plugins undergo rigorous testing and adhere to coding best practices to ensure optimal performance and reliability.

5. Blacklisting by Search Engines

Search engines like Google can detect websites using pirated software and may penalize them by lowering their search rankings or removing them from search results altogether. This can significantly impact your website’s visibility and traffic, ultimately affecting your online presence and business success.

6. Backdoor Access

Nulled themes and plugins may contain backdoors that allow hackers to gain unauthorized access to your website. Once inside, hackers can steal sensitive information, install malware, or hijack your website for malicious purposes.

7. Hidden Ads and Affiliate Links

Some nulled themes and plugins include hidden ads or affiliate links that generate revenue for the hacker. These ads can appear on your website without your knowledge or consent, detracting from the user experience and potentially driving visitors away.

8. Loss of Reputation

Using nulled themes and plugins can damage your reputation as a website owner or developer. Visitors may view your website as untrustworthy or insecure, leading to a loss of credibility and potential customers.

9. Compatibility Issues

Nulled themes and plugins may not be compatible with other WordPress themes, plugins, or updates, leading to website errors, broken functionality, and poor user experience.

10. Voided Warranties

Many legitimate theme and plugin developers offer warranties and guarantees to customers who purchase their products. However, by using nulled software, you forfeit any warranties or guarantees, leaving you without recourse if something goes wrong.

In summary, the risks associated with using nulled WordPress themes and plugins are extensive and far-reaching. It’s essential to prioritize the security, integrity, and legality of your website by investing in legitimate themes and plugins from reputable developers. By doing so, you can protect your website, your reputation, and your business from harm.

Common motivations to use nulled WordPress themes & plugins

8th April 2024/in Blog, Security, Software

Despite the associated risks, here are some reasons people may be tempted to use nulled WordPress themes and plugins.

1. Cost Savings

One of the primary reasons people opt for nulled themes and plugins is to avoid paying for legitimate versions. Nulled versions are typically available for free or at a significantly lower cost than purchasing the original product.

2. Access to Premium Features

Nulled themes and plugins often claim to offer premium features and functionality found in paid versions. This can be appealing to users who want access to advanced features without having to pay for them.

3. Ease of Access

Nulled themes and plugins are readily available for download from various websites, file-sharing platforms, and online forums. This accessibility makes it convenient for users to obtain and install pirated software without going through official channels.

4. Experimentation and Testing

Some users may use nulled themes and plugins for testing purposes or to experiment with different designs and functionalities on their websites before committing to purchasing the original product.

5. Lack of Awareness

In some cases, users may not be aware of the risks associated with using nulled software. They may mistakenly believe that downloading and using pirated themes and plugins is harmless or acceptable.

6. Desperation or Urgency

Users facing tight budgets or urgent deadlines may resort to using nulled themes and plugins as a quick and inexpensive solution to address their immediate needs.

7. Peer Pressure or Recommendations

In online communities or forums, users may encounter recommendations or endorsements for nulled themes and plugins from other members. Peer pressure or positive reviews may influence users to try out pirated software despite the potential risks.

8. Lack of Technical Knowledge

Some users may lack the technical knowledge or expertise to evaluate the risks associated with using nulled themes and plugins. They may not fully understand the potential security vulnerabilities or legal implications involved.

It’s important to note that while these reasons may seem compelling, the risks associated with using nulled WordPress themes and plugins far outweigh any perceived benefits. Users must prioritize the security, integrity, and legality of their websites by investing in legitimate themes and plugins from reputable developers.

How to send a WhatsApp chat without saving the contact

17th June 2019/in How To, Software

WhatsApp is one of the most popular applications. It makes communication as simple as adding the correct number of anyone in the world and voila, that’s it. However, it can be somewhat annoying that in order to message someone, you always have to first add that person in your address book, but there are so many occasions where you just want to communicate with someone for a couple of messages and nothing else.

That’s why many third-party apps take care of this simple task for you. It shouldn’t be that difficult to send messages through WhatsApp without saving the contact. The problem is that these apps can compromise the security and functionality of your smartphone. They might also be incompatible with certain operating systems.

To help you resolve this issue, we’ll show you how to send messages through WhatsApp without having to add the contact to your address book. And best of all, this method doesn’t require that you install other apps and it works for both iOS and Android operating systems.

The Process:

This process may at first glance seem somewhat confusing for users who are not very experienced using their smartphone. But once you complete the process one time, it will be a piece of cake every time after that.

Open your preferred browser on your smartphone.
Type the following link in the search bar: https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=XXXXXXXXXXX (In place of the Xs type the phone number of the person you want to contact, including the country code, but without the + sign.)
That means that if the person has a Nigerian number (with the +234 prefix), it would look something like this: https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=2348038657737
Press ‘enter‘ on your smartphone.
A WhatsApp window will open asking if you want to send a message to that phone number. Press on ‘send message‘.
You will automatically be redirected to WhatsApp with the ‘start chatting‘ window to the person you entered in your phone.

Programmer finds ridiculous ATM loophole that let him withdraw ₦377 million in cash

6th February 2019/in Blog, Hardware, Security, Software

It sounds like something straight out of a movie: an unsatisfied bank programmer discovers the perfect scheme for making an ATM spit out free money.

But apparently, this story is true: The South China Morning Postand China’s Daily Economic News report that 43-year-old Qin Qisheng managed to withdraw over 7 million yuan (upwards of ₦377 million) from ATMs operated by his employer, Huaxia Bank — all by exploiting a crazy loophole.

According to the reports, the bank’s system didn’t properly record withdrawals made around midnight — effectively spitting out cash without removing the total from a user’s account. Normally, that might send up a red flag that a transaction had failed, but Qisheng allegedly inserted scripts into the system that suppressed those alerts.

Qisheng started pulling out money in November 2016, but it wasn’t until January 2018, some 1,358 withdrawals later, that the bank discovered the bad code in its system and brought him to the authorities.

Perhaps the most surprising part of this story: the bank didn’t want to keep pressing charges once he’d returned the money. Maybe fearing the bad publicity (apparently the loophole has already been fixed), Huaxia Bank reportedly asked police to drop the case — reportedly accepting Qisheng’s explanation that he was merely testing the bank’s security and was holding onto the money for the bank to reclaim. As one does.

The courts refused, though, and Qisheng is now looking at 10 and a half years in prison after losing his appeal. They didn’t buy the argument, considering that he’d moved the money to his personal bank account, instead of the bank’s dummy account, and had apparently been investing some in the stock market, too.

WhatsApp restricts message-sharing to fight fake news

21st January 2019/in Blog, Software

WhatsApp is limiting all its members to forwarding any single message up to five times in an effort to tackle the spread of false information on the platform.

The Facebook-owned business had already introduced the policy in India six months ago.

The move followed a number of mob lynchings that were blamed on fake reports spread via the service.

Until now, users elsewhere could forward messages up to 20 times.

The update to the app’s rules was announced at an event in Jakarta, Indonesia. The country is holding its general election in April.

The firm told the BBC it had made its decision after “carefully” evaluating the results of its half-year-long test in the country.

“The forward limit significantly reduced forwarded messages around the world,” a spokeswoman added.

“[This] will help keep WhatsApp focused on private messaging with close contacts. We’ll continue to listen to user feedback about their experience, and over time, look for new ways of addressing viral content.”

Scrambled messages

Up to 256 users can be enrolled in a WhatsApp group.

So, theoretically, a single user can now only forward a message up to 1,280 other individuals rather than the 5,120 people figure that had been possible previously.

There is nothing, however, to stop those on the receiving end each forwarding the message up to five times themselves.

The restriction comes at a time WhatsApp and Facebook’s other services are under scrutiny for their role in the spread of propaganda and other untruths online.

Last week, Facebook announced it had removed 500 pages and accounts allegedly involved in peddling fake news in Central Europe, Ukraine and other Eastern European nations.

It also recently announced that it had employed a UK-fact-checking service to flag content on its main platform .

However, the use of end-to-end encryption by WhatsApp means its messages can only be read by their senders and recipients, limiting the firm’s ability to spot false reports.

But at the end of last year, the Indian press reported that the governmentwas considering a change to the law that would force Facebook to police WhatsApp for “unlawful” content. This would challenge its use of the encryption technology.

Zimbabwe blocks Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter amid crackdown

19th January 2019/in Blog, Software

Zimbabwe has blocked Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp messaging app amid a crackdown on days of violent protests, BBC reported on Friday.

A coalition of local human rights groups says at least 12 people have been killed and many more beaten and tortured by security forces this week.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum accused the authorities of cutting off the internet “to mask the massive human rights violations”.

The protests were sparked on Monday by a sharp rise in the price of fuel.

The government has blamed the opposition and political rights groups for the protests, which has seen riot police clashing with protesters in the capital, Harare, and the southern city of Bulawayo after they lit fires and blocked roads using rocks.

There has been looting and some businesses and schools in the two cities have been forced to close. Soldiers are guarding petrol stations, where there are still long queues of motorists looking for petrol.

The UN has called on the government to halt the “excessive use of force” by security forces including firing live ammunition, and allegations of night-time door-to-door searches and beatings.

“Doctors’ associations say more than 60 people were treated in hospital for gunshot wounds, this is not way to react to the expression of economic grievances by the population,” Reuters news agency quotes UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani as saying.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said it had recorded at least 844 human rights violations in all.

On Thursday, prominent activist Evan Mawarire, who called for a stay-at-home protest on social media, was charged with subverting the government, a crime which carries up to 20 years in jail. He gained fame as a figurehead of the #ThisFlag protests against the former president, Robert Mugabe, in 2016.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the rise was aimed at tackling shortages caused by an increase in fuel use and “rampant” illegal trading.

But many Zimbabweans – worn down by years of economic hardship – suddenly found they could not even afford the bus fare to work.

Roads were barricaded by protesters earlier this week

They feel that the president, who is on a tour of Russia and Asian countries this week, is failing to live up to his promises following his election last year in disputed polls.

He is struggling to revive the economy, which is experiencing high inflation while wages have stagnated.

The southern African nation faces a severe shortage of US dollar cash and confidence in its bond notes, currency that can only be traded in Zimbabwe, is low.

The bond notes, or “bollars”, are supposed to be worth the same as the dollar but have lost value because of a lack of foreign currency backing the note, and are now worth much less than a dollar.

The fuel hike means petrol prices rose from $1.24 (₦445.16) a litre to $3.31(₦1,188.29) , with diesel up from $1.36(₦488.24) a litre to $3.11(₦1,116.49).

The new prices mean Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com.

Hackers weaponise secure USB drives

27th June 2018/in Hardware, Security, Software

A cyber-espionage group is targeting a specific type of secure USB drive created by a South Korean defence company in a bid to gain access to its air-gapped networks.

According to a blog post by researchers at Palo Alto Networks, the attack was carried out by a group called Tick which conducts cyber-espionage activities targeting organisations in Japan and Korea.

Researchers said the weaponisation of a secure USB drive is an uncommon attack technique and likely done in an effort to spread to air-gapped systems – networks that are not connected to the internet.

They added that the malware used in these attacks will only try to infect systems running Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.

Researchers said that indicated the malware was intentionally targeting older, out-of-support versions of Microsoft Windows installed on systems with no internet connectivity.

The USB stick installs a program called “SymonLoader” as a trojanised version of a Japanese language GO game.

It then extracts a hidden executable file from a specific type of secure USB drive and executes it on the compromised system.

According to researchers, if SymonLoader finds it is on a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 system and finds that a newly attached device is a USB drive made by this particular company, then it will extract an unknown executable file from the USB.

Researchers said that while the identity of the file SymonLoader writes to the USB is unknown, they added that they know enough about it to know it is malicious.

“In contrast to HomamLoader, which requires an internet connection to reach its C2 server to download additional payloads, SymonLoader attempts to extract and install an unknown hidden payload from a specific type of secure USB drive when it’s plugged into a compromised system.

“This technique is uncommon and hardly reported among other attacks in the wild,” the researchers said.

Javvad Malik, security advocate at AlienVault, told SC Media UK that this particular attack bears all the signs of a very specific targeted attack designed to infect particular institutes or machines – not too dissimilar to Stuxnet.

“Employees that work in sensitive organisations that have air-gapped networks should be particularly vigilant against plugging in devices. In some cases, even approved USB drives should be tested in a separate environment prior to being loaded in secure areas,” he said.

“Prevention aside, critical systems should have threat detection controls that can alert where an infected drive has been plugged into an endpoint and take remedial steps beyond raising an alarm, such as isolating an infected machine from the rest of the network.”

Scott Walker, senior solutions engineer at Bomgar, told SC Media UK that with certain state-sponsored hacking groups’ focus on the military, financial and energy sectors, it is paramount that these organisations deploy solutions that help prevent these attacks.

“Integrating regular and up to date security training to educate employees will ensure they are aware of the most recent tactics used to target systems and what can be done to prevent these.

“In addition, implementing solutions to ensure that employees only have access to areas of the network and devices that their role requires can mitigate these types of attacks. This sounds simple, but in reality, it is an area often overlooked,” he said.