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Introducing the IntelBuilder CMS

Content management tools can do a lot these days, but few are able to match up to the exceptional default capabilities of IntelBuilder.  This software acts as a CMS and social media platform, offering users the best of both worlds when it comes to content publishing and serving as a viable web application framework environment.  Here is an overview and a little more on what IntelBuilder has to offer.

The Content Management Aspect

The IntelBuilder content management system is developed and maintained by software creator Vesta Digital.  Like most CMS products, the software has the ability to create and manage basic content.  IntelBuilder is geared more towards the inexperienced user, designed to be easy to use and managed.  It makes it simple for administrators to add and edit existing content, delete content and add an unlimited number of pages to a website.  Some of the most notable benefits IntelBuilder offers include:

- Built for search engine optimization with SEO-friendly URLs and meta data management.

- Cross web browser compatibility

- Automatic submission to major search engines.

- Built-in support for Google Analytics

- Integrated reporting and web statistics.

In comparison to other proprietary commercial CMS products, IntelBuilder distinguishes itself through ease of use, a rich set of features and a high level of global compatibility.  Being a new solution, it is uncertain whether IntelBuilder will evolve into the award-winning content management solution its developers think it will be, but so far, it appears to be simple and powerful enough to suit the needs of most users.

The Social Media Aspect

IntelBuilder offers a social media platform that enables users to achieve a goal that is becoming increasingly popular on the web: being able to effectively distribute content.  Once your content has been published, the platform lets you distribute it over popular social networking sites like FaceBook and Twitter as well as social bookmarking sites such as Delicious and Digg.  It also allows you to send out content to major guns such as Google News and other prominent news and media outlets.  IntelBuilder gives you the ability to effectively manage your audience of readers and subscribers along with tools for monitoring your website traffic and statistics.

Price and Availability

In all honesty, the features and capabilities mentioned in this article can be obtained from a number of CMS products through various add-ons for free.  However, when going with a proprietary solution such as IntelBuilder, they will cost you some real money.  The software is available in a variety of pricing plans with the most affordable coming at $49.95 per month with a one-time setup fee of $295.  The platform is module heavy and very extensible, but the default installation comes with features such as a text editor, site map, RSS news, search functionality and Google Maps among others.  IntelBuilder could turn out to be worth every penny but before making an investment, we recommend examining the product a little closer to determine if it can suit all of your content management and social media needs.

The Insecurity of Web Upload Forms

Convenience aside, allowing anonymous visitors to upload files to your site is pretty much like opening the gates and telling malicious users it is okay to compromise your server.  This puts you, the website owner, in a very tough position when considering that such permissions have become a commonality on today’s internet and has proven to increase business efficiency.

Having the ability to upload files is a regular occurrence on social networking sites such as FaceBook, MySpace and Twitter as well blogs, forums and online banking sites.  This feature is also prevalent in corporate portals as it allows end-users to share files with business employees.  In these environments, users are permitted to upload documents, pictures, music, videos and several other types of files.  The more functionality an end-user is provided with, the greater the probability of creating a vulnerable web application.  It is a known fact that many internet users abuse their privileges to gain access to a specific site or compromise a web server.

During recent tests, security experts have discovered that an alarming number of widely used web applications are not making use of secure upload forms.   According to their findings, many of these vulnerabilities were easily detected and exploited, allowing experts to gain full access to the file system on the web server hosting those applications.   Most of these vulnerabilities were the direct result of improper security configurations, essentially permitting intruders to roll right in.

Viable Solutions

Below is a list of practices you or your system administrator should enforce when file uploads are allowed to your website or web applications:

- Create an .htaccess file that only permits access to files with allowed extensions

- Do not the put the .htaccess file in the same directory where the files uploaded by users will be stored.  This file should be stored in the parent directory that your visitors do not have access to.

- The average .htaccess file that only allows files such as jpg, jpeg, gif and png files should include the following lines:

“deny from all

<Files ~ “^\w+\.(gif|jpe?g|png)$”>

order deny,allow

allow from all

</Files>”

These lines can be adjusted to suit your own personal needs.  Editing the .htaccess file in this manner will not only assure that only these file types are allowed, but also protect you from double extension attacks.

- If at all possible, make sure the files uploaded by users are placed in a directory outside of the server root.

- Do not allow existing files to be overwritten.  This will prevent exploits such as the .hataccess overwrite attack.

- Do not rely solely on client-side validation.  This is simply not enough to ensure an adequate level of security.  It is advisable to implement both client-side and server-side validation.

Conclusion

There are several ways a malicious user can bypass the security configurations applied to a file upload form.  When incorporating such a feature into your web applications, you should make it a priority to follow the best security practices and put them to the test on a regular basis.  While this requires a considerable amount of security expertise, it is worth every bit of time to make sure your website is protected.

E-commerce Hosting and Web 2.0

The phenomenon that is Web 2.0 has made its mark, originating in social networking platforms and evolving through traditional business applications.  Because it has become more widespread, web hosting providers are increasingly customizing their offerings to meet the demands of this trend.  This allows customers to benefit from a dynamic set of features that enable websites to thrive in the world of Web 2.0.

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 can be described as a trend that revolves around using interactive, community-driven sites to promote the sharing of information, networking and other forms of collaboration among users.  Some of the most common examples of this activity are blogs and wikis along with social bookmarking sites like Digg and Reddit.  Thanks to Web 2.0, the customers are now able to interact with the business and actually play a significant role in the company’s successes.  This new wave of web interaction is quickly replacing the dull, static website of past times.  These days, users can interact with the website content and get involved in ways that were not possible before.  By allowing the customers to play an active role, your business will gain trust, popularity and most importantly, credibility in the eyes of your audience.  The web has changed and this is now one of the essential keys to succeeding.

You may be familiar with Web 2.0 and not even realize it.  In fact, popular sites like eBay and Facebook are perfect examples.  Ebay has its detailed feedback report while Facebook offers many web-based applications that allow profile users to get hands-on with the site.   These large, dynamic websites are powered by e-commerce hosting services, thriving off the same features and administrative tools that can be used to bridge the gap between you and your customers.

The Role of E-commerce Hosting

Here are some of the Web 2.0 features you will find in an e-commerce hosting solution:

Free Blogging Applications – Blogs can be considered as some of the Web 2.0 pioneers and many web hosting providers offer these applications free of charge.  WordPress is one of several blogging programs that functions well in the business environment.  These platforms are generally easy to use and very friendly in the eyes of the search engines.

Multimedia Support – Internet gurus are raving about how effective video marketing has become.  With support for multimedia technologies such as Flash and Silverlight, you can incorporate rich features that enhance the experience for your visitors.

Social Networking Tools – Social networking is the core of Web 2.0.  E-commerce hosting features such as chat scripts and bulletin boards will give you the power to create a community environment that makes your site the place to be.

Why Jump on the Bandwagon?

The internet is driven by Web 2.0 and if you don’t catch on, your business could get left behind.  Many have found that this is the most effective way to establish and strengthen brand recognition and keep existing customers around as well.  There are many ways to approach this trend and as long as you stick with the program, you can make your business a success.