Black Hat World Newsletter
November 27th, 2024
Hello BHW,
Christmas comes earlier and earlier each year, and so does the newsletter every week.
We have a very special newsletter this week that we hope you like!
This week, we have threads posted by the community which offer a diverse range of insights, tutorials, and discussions. Some examples of the topics posted by our community this week include: methods to making money online with minimal skills, discussions on the importance of data, success stories in CPA marketing, AI's role in forum moderation, serverless WordPress hosting solutions, and ongoing legal challenges faced by Google in the antitrust arena. For those of you with WordPress websites, one thread starter shared a critical security vulnerability affecting a popular plugin that you should know about.
Our newsletter this week also includes lighter content such as funny discussions on AI-generated imagery and a very active thread on cringe-worthy forum phrases.
So grab a seat, sit back, relax, and let's get into this.
Top Threads of the Week
Discussion topics from the community...
1. How I Make $100 a Day Helping Random Businesses Online – No Skills Required (STUPID EASY!)
Newbie Member
@GlitchPool posted a thread in our making money section this week that goes over a low-tech, easy way to make a steady income online whilst assisting businesses with securing their data. It’s an interesting method for black hat marketers who want to leverage technical opportunities without actually possessing many skills.
This method only requires access to easily-accessible tools such as Shodan and Google, which is part of what makes it a great choice for beginners. For those of you BHW members who are more experienced marketers, this method could also be a stepping stone into cybersecurity or a chance to upsell related services like ongoing database maintenance (you know, an opportunity to get some recurring stable money each month).
Something important to note about this method is that it isn't just about immediate gains, either: it's potentially a gateway to building long-term trust with clients who value their data security. Therefore, if your preference is to work with the same businesses over a long-term period rather than getting new clients regularly, then this might be a good method to look into.
2. (SUCCESS) My Adult CPA Automation is at the best EPC rates! 
$2K okay.
Twenty days ago, Junior Member
@DrDuck completed their automation software that’s now generating over $60 each day, which they promptly posted about on our forums this last week. Their success stems mostly from their optimised traffic, which led to above-average EPC (earnings-per-click) rates. This is actually a great example of how automation can deliver reliable returns without complex setups.
This member's success is also an excellent examples of how scalability is often about setting the right systems in place.
@DrDuck mentions future plans to target Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries, and how they plan to refine their approach with Java and optimization techniques like SOI (single opt-in) and DOI (double opt-in) to increase conversions. For marketers who want to push past the initial stage and scale, these are good strategies to consider for diversifying offers and increasing reach.
If you’re already seeing steady traffic, this method could be worth looking into for fine-tuning your own existing campaigns. The potential to generate even higher returns lies in the ability to work with more diverse traffic sources whilst tweaking your offers for specific demographics.
3. Google is cooked
How do you like your Google: burnt or extra crispy?
Executive VIP
@bartosimpsonio shared an article from Reuters in the lounge about how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly forcing Alphabet (the parent company of Google) to sell off its Chrome browser. This is part of a broader effort to break up what's been cited as monopolistic practices in the tech industry.
This comes after a ruling in August that found Google had illegally monopolised the search market. Alongside the Chrome sale request, the DOJ is also pushing for structural changes to Google’s Android operating system and artificial intelligence systems, which are seen as tools that allow the company to maintain dominance in both the search and digital advertising spaces.
Google plans to appeal any decision and the final ruling may not come until 2025, with an upcoming trial on remedy proposals scheduled for April. These legal battles reflect the growing tension between large tech firms and government regulators, with this case potentially serving as a precedent for future antitrust actions against other tech giants.
4. PSA: Really Simple Security Free and Pro Versions Affected by Critical Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
Executive VIP
@xReminisce alerted our community by sharing an article in our blogging section about a critical security vulnerability that was identified in the "Really Simple Security" plugin (previously known as "Really Simple SSL") for WordPress.
This issue, which affects versions 9.0.0 to 9.1.1.1 of both the free and pro variants of the plugin, allows attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrative access when the plugin’s two-factor authentication feature is enabled.
The vulnerability was reported by Wordfence on 6th November 2024. After it was reported, the developers of the plugin issued a patched version, 9.1.2, on 12th November for pro users and 14th November for free users. To prevent exploitation, Wordfence has deployed firewall rules for premium users, with free users receiving protection on 6th December. Given the risk, it's essential to update the plugin and ensure two-factor authentication is disabled until the fix is in place.
If you use this plugin or you know anyone who does use this plugin, it's important to update the plugin and ensure two-factor authentication is disabled until the fix is in place.
5. Reddit plans to rollout tools to allow mods to detect AI posts/comments
Jr. VIP
@macdonjo3 recently shared his experience with an official moderator survey from Reddit, which included a range of questions focused on AI and moderation. What's interesting about this survey is that some of the questions tested the participant's ability to detect AI-generated content. Other sections of the survey explored the potential for AI to fully replace human moderators whilst asking how the moderator taking the survey would adjust their role if all moderation tasks were handled by AI.
This survey seems to hint at a broader discussion about the future of moderation in environments where AI technology continues to evolve. Whenever companies as large as Reddit issue these questionnaires, they often already have something in development. Should such tools be implemented, those of you marketing on Reddit will likely notice the impact to your content, regardless of whether or not you're using AI.
6. So, I Schooled a Doctor Today
Super Moderator
@BassTrackerBoats was talking to one of his doctors the other day when the topic of what he does for a living came up. One particular point of his conversation stood out to him, leading to the creation of this thread: data.
The core message of this thread is that data serves as the foundation for long-term success, allowing those who collect it to open up new revenue streams and significantly boost financial opportunities.
@BassTrackerBoats is essentially advocating for prioritising data collection as a primary business strategy, suggesting it can potentially lead to generational wealth and substantial personal rewards.
7. This is a fckn cool WordPress project, fast as F*** too.
Feels good, doesn't it?
Executive VIP
@RoiBox seems to think so! That's why he started this discussion thread, which explores the possibility of hosting WordPress sites on serverless platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and AWS Lambda using the ServerlessWP project. The approach is framed as a potential game-changer for those seeking to simplify site management and reduce costs whilst benefiting from features like edge caching for faster performance. This project also makes claims about serverless hosting's ability to lower the environmental impact of websites and the importance of retaining robust support for WordPress plugins and themes. So, if you're planning a small or experimental WordPress website, you may find this option appealing. However, it's probably not currently a great option in terms of practicality for larger-scale operations, at least not until it's tested more.
If you're curious to see how well a serverless-hosted WordPress website performs, then you can preview this setup using a demo link provided in the thread as well.
8. How to easily tell if an image was made by AI?
AI tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, sometimes producing results indistinguishable from genuine visuals. This thread explores tips for identifying AI-generated images, which some people are beginning to feel are becoming problematic on the internet. Executive VIP
@roydan even shared an example image with clues to spot AI artifacts.
It should go without saying this is a joke thread, so if you're looking for genuine tips, this thread isn't for you. However, if you want to have a quick chuckle, then we recommend checking it out.
9. Clouds on a rainy day
Clouds flowing over a hill.
Sky on a sunny day.
Tangerines that are bitter.
Lucky four-leaf-clover.
Points to those of you who get the reference. Bonus points if you understand why the rest of it was left out.
Anyway, Newbie Member
@neonix4232's family has farmland that they were visiting. During their last visit on a rainy day, they took pictures of the farmland and decided to share them with the community.
10. What ONE cringy word you hear on BHW that tells you, "its over from the start"
To end the newsletter this week, Newbie Member
@darkstar91 asked our community about cringy words they come across on BHW.
As you may have guessed, the thread became quite popular as members flocked to it to share words and phrases that annoy them whenever they browse the forum.
Top Posts of the Week
Content for the community, by the community...
1. Executive VIP @RoiBox shared his thoughts on the legal situation between Google and the DOJ.
2. Jr. VIP @cmqwer0 shared some extra information on Reddit releasing anti-AI spam tools to their moderators.
3. Executive VIP @lucky.sparks shared what he thinks is the cringiest word on BHW.
4. Administrator @Zwielicht shares his thoughts on collecting and analysing data.
5. Jr. Executive VIP @BlogPro shares his experience with data collection.
BHW's Tip of the Week
As with all guides on BHW, it's important that you read over the methods shared here carefully to ensure they're right for you. It's also important that you find a way to put a twist on that guide. After all, you won't be the only one following the method, and publicly-shared methods have a tendency to become oversaturated very quickly.
What's New on BHW
We have quite a lot of updates to share with you from this last week.
First off, the in-house position that BHW was hiring for has been filled by
@MrDenz. You can read about it in the official post by Support Admin
@MintyGreenTea here.
Next up, we had a planned update on Wednesday. This was an updated to the latest version of Xenforo that brought along some security updates and other improvements. You can read about it in more detail in our changelog
here.
Another update we have for you is that
@PHPInjected has returned to the moderation team as a Super Moderator. You can welcome him back to the team in the official thread
here.
Finally, we have a new community manager here on Black Hat World:
@PetraAnn! You can welcome her to the community
here.
Advertising on BHW: What You Need to Know
So let's say you've got a marketplace thread approved and you're ready to start getting some customers and clients.
You might be wondering how you can turn your thread into a 'Please Read' sticky thread let some of your competitors.
There's no secret to it, because it's just advertising!
You see, we often get asked about advertising on BHW, so if you're interested in advertising with us, then you can find all of the details on how to advertise with us from $90 per week here. For banners on our website, you don't even need a marketplace thread!
Latest Marketplace Threads
Are you looking for the latest marketplace threads? Just click the links below and you'll automatically be taken to the appropriate marketplace section where the threads are sorted by what's newest!
Yeah, you're welcome!
- Affiliate programs - CPA networks - Affiliate networks, PPA, CPA, CPC, PPL, and more can be found here.
- Content / Copywriting - Need some content for your website or an advertisement written for your campaign? Then look no further than our content and copywriting section.
- Domains & websites for sale - Complete websites and standalone domains for sales can be found here.
- Hosting - WordPress hosting, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, and more can be found here.
- Hot Deals - In the Hot Deals section, you can save over 30% on current marketplace threads.
- Images, logos & videos - Images, logos, and videos to suit a variety of situations.
- Misc - In the expansive world of online marketing, not everything can fit in a neat category. That’s where these services can be found.
- Proxies For Sale - 4G, residential, rotating, worldwide, and any other proxy type you can think of can be found here.
- SEO - Link building - PBNs, web 2.0s, outreach, niche edits, and other link building services can be found here.
- SEO - Other - Any other type of SEO service you need can be found here.
- SEO - Packages - SEO packages provide complete link building packages, often hundreds of dollars cheaper than buying them individually. It includes everything from keyword analysis, social signals and link building all delivered in a complete report.
- Social Media - Accounts, growth services, and more for all your social media needs.
- Web Design - Need a new website designed to convert? Then look no further than our web design marketplace section.
That's all for this week! If there's anything you'd like to see in the newsletter, you can open up a thread in our forum suggestions and feedback section.
Until next time,
The BHW Team
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2024/October