Massive Effort to Update 70% of Internet Websites In Progress

By Sue Kientz

On October 21, 2026, the tech world awoke to a dramatic announcement – a major vulnerability had been identified in a software powering 70% of the world’s websites, specifically those who used the PHP protocol to display their web pages. (1) Before complete panic ensued, however, the announcement also mentioned that patches were immediately available to fix the four latest PHP versions. (2) That was very good news, but only for administrators who had updated over the years to one of the four patched PHP codes. And so chaos indeed erupted as web server admins hastily checked their systems, with some able to do the patch update, while others abruptly took down their sites until more elaborate work could be performed. Meanwhile, hackers also heard the news, some even before the timed patch release, (3) and many began attacking any unprotected website they found.

This is a serious, widespread crisis that experts already label as historic, one to be studied for decades to come. Such a banner event should be extremely interesting to look at astrologically. One has the choice of several starting points. For example, PHP is a code tool set for webmasters that was released in the Internet age and documented extensively, so anyone can access online the date and time when its creator announced its availability. (4) PHP is open-source code and that means PHP’s author, Rasmus Lerdorf, did all the original development and release work for free. Essentially, he’s an Internet hero, enshrined in Wikipedia, with his birth data listed (5) so grateful geeks can raise a glass to him each year. With a “creation date” for PHP, we can ask, “does it look like PHP would be found to have a severe vulnerability around August 19, 2026, and then a solution would emerge by October 21, 2026?” With a birthdate for PHP creator Lerdorf, we can note any markers of reaction or discomfort he experienced around August 24, when the PHP Security Team was told of the problem, and then check for signs of relief and exultation on October 21 when the world is given access to the software patches. (6) One other plus, we know exactly what time the patches were released. (7)

Because astrology works for everyone and everything that “begins” at a certain date, let’s look at both Lerdorf’s birth and PHP’s creation dates, first for the signs of genius both display and then to see how transiting planetary bodies on those key dates point to what happened with both Lerdorf and PHP during the August 19-24 discovery and confirmation period and the subsequent October patch release announcement.

PHP creator Rasmus Lerdorf has a birth chart with elements that suggest he will make a great impact around the world. Think of him as equivalent to Man Walking on the Moon, because that’s exactly what his key birth configuration most resembles. When Apollo 13 landed safely on the moon, the Sun (28 Cancer) was sextile (60 degrees; supportive, facilitating) Jupiter and Uranus (both at 0 Libra). (8) When Lerdorf was born, his Sun (0 Sagittarius) was sextile Jupiter (1 Libra) and Uranus (3 Libra). Both the Apollo missions and Lerdorf displayed an exceptionalism that most people celebrate – with the Apollo program, humans created technology (Uranus) to reach the moon (Jupiter: a long journey) and made sure that the entire world experienced that achievement by broadcasting the audio and video of the first step on the surface. The trajectory of Lerdorf is no less amazing. Born in Greenland, he grew up in Denmark and Canada, finding his talent in computers and admiration of open-source software that would lead to his work facilitating web development all over the world. In addition to that amazing Sun/Jupiter/Uranus setup, Lerdorf’s Mercury (22 Scorpio) was conjunct (0-7 degrees; closely aligned or in tune with) Neptune (26 Scorpio) and sextile Pluto (24 Virgo), again representing concern for the whole (Neptune symbolizes community, the “all”), desire to be charitable (Neptune), and for such purposes he trained and used his powerful (Pluto) intellect (Mercury). His Mars (8 Libra), also conjunct Jupiter-Uranus, is another sign that not only is his life devoted to being generous (Jupiter) and involved in high-tech software (Uranus); all his energy (Mars) is directed there.

With all that in mind, you can imagine the shock for Lerdorf when he learned PHP had such a serious vulnerability. He never stopped being involved with PHP development and its language, according to his Wikipedia page, so he likely learned of the critical issue on August 24 when the PHP Security Team was told what the initial investigation uncovered using AI. That day the Sun (1 Virgo) was opposite (180 degrees; something revealed, or a confrontation) dwarf planet Sedna (2 Gemini), and both were square (90 degrees; a major difficulty, challenge, or crisis) Lerdorf’s Sun (0 Sagittarius). When the Sun is square your natal Sun, you might have a cold or a bad day. Add a Sedna challenge and you have a DEFCON 2 emergency. Sedna’s orbit circles the sun in roughly 11,400 years, and such slow motion means it represents situations that initially present impossible problems, but with persistence and determination, over time one can prevail, (9) which is how this played out. Mars (8 Cancer) closely square his Mars was also operative that day, suggesting he was angry, perhaps at himself for failing to notice the hidden flaw in his code. Lerdorf was known to speak at conferences and bring with him some vulnerabilities he found in the software he knew was being presented at the conference. (10) He obviously did this to be helpful, but one can imagine such a person might be embarrassed to have it happen to them.

On October 21, however, all was jubilant for Lerdorf as that day, Jupiter (22 Leo) was closely square (11) his Mercury with transiting Mercury (20 Scorpio) conjunct, as he had to be full of gratitude at the careful handling of the vulnerability announcement and all the patch solutions ready to go. Transiting Neptune (2 Aries) was also trine (120 degrees; exceptionally fortunate, goodwill) his Sun. Rasmus Lerdorf was made whole (Neptune) by the actions of the many participants involved (Neptune as community), all intent as he was to ensure that the world’s websites remain secure.

Turning our focus to the inanimate character in this drama, the PHP software was deployed on June 8, 1995, at 12:00 a.m. (CDT assumed for Ontario, Canada). (4) At the time, the Sun (27 Sagittarius) was square Pluto (25 Virgo), Uranus (3 Libra) and Jupiter (4 Libra), the latter two echoing the major theme in Lerdorf’s chart (Sun sextile Jupiter-Uranus), but this time, it’s been hard work (Sun square to Pluto, Uranus, and Jupiter) not only to build the software but to test it sufficiently, to name a few concerns; the code was finished two years before the 1995 announcement. (12) Not to mention, server code is intended to work all the time. So it makes sense that PHP’s Mercury (3 Capricorn) is also square Jupiter-Uranus, still a positive as you want a code that communicates expeditiously (Jupiter: smooth running, flowing) and accurately (Uranus logic and exactness). Perhaps the only red flag in the code’s origin chart is Mars (23 Libra) semisquare (45 degrees; an annoyance, troublesome) dwarf planet Haumea (8 Virgo). Haumea is named for a Hawai’ian creation goddess known to cut parts of her body off to create her progeny, and in charts often signals disaster and destruction, even as that inevitably brings rebirth and renewal in its wake. (13) Lurking there in a minor semisquare, Haumea represents how the flaw was very hard to detect. But the same power that destroys also heals, and by October 21, transiting Haumea (2 Scorpio) was sextile PHP’s Mercury (3 Capricorn). The code fix (Haumea) was communicated to site owners using PHP by many methods so as to keep those websites communicating (Mercury) securely, a process that needed to happen, even these many decades later and with the help of the latest (frontier) AI assisting the determined human teams.

Title Image credit: Story and issues described by author to ChatGPT, which generated the above Image.

Notes and References

1. Tzadik, S., S. Tamari, N. Ohfeld, and T. Schwartz, “PHP2Shell: AI uncovers critical RCE vulnerabilities affecting 70% of the Internet,” 21 October 2026, WIZ.io, https://www.wiz.io/blog/php2shell-php-rce 
2. “Critical Vulnerabilities in PHP Require Immediate Patching,” 21 October 2026, Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2026/10/21/critical-vulnerabilities-php-require-immediate-patching 
3. Doubleday, Justin, “‘Dangerous:’ CISA official criticizes company’s decision to release PHP bug early,” 30 October 2026, 6:5 7 p.m., Federal News Network, https://federalnewsnetwork.com/cybersecurity/2026/10/dangerous-cisa-official-criticizes-companys-decision-to-release-php-bug-early/
4. Lerdorf, Rasmus, “Announce: Personal Home Page Tools (PHP Tools) version 1.0.,” 8 June 1995, 12:00 a.m. EDT (Ontario, Canada), Usenet News announcement on comp.infosystems.www.authoring.cgi (archived at Google Groups), https://groups.google.com/g/comp.infosystems.www.authoring.cgi/c/PyJ25gZ6z7A/m/M9FkTUVDfcwJ?pli=1
5. Lerdorf, Rasmus, 22 November 1968, Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland (69°14′50″N 53°32′00″W), 9 a.m. BZT2 +3:00 used, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasmus_Lerdorf 
6. Tzadik, S., et al, ibid., https://www.wiz.io/blog/php2shell-php-rce#responsible-disclosure-timeline-62
7. “The PHP security team is giving advance notice of an upcoming security release scheduled for Wed, 21 October 2026 at 14:00 UTC, addresses two critical vulnerabilities, both rated CVSSv4 9.2.,” 20 October 2026, 12:51 p.m., Fosstodon.org, https://fosstodon.org/@php/117474977977509509 
8. Moon Landing, 20 July 1969, 3:17 p.m. CDT, Houston, TX (NASA Mission Control), https://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Space:_Moon_Landing
9. Kientz, S., “Sedna, Treasure from the Depths,” the Sedna chapter from More Plutos that appeared in The Mountain Astrologer, Feb./March 2015 issue, pp 63-70; https://moreplutos.com/articles/Sedna-SueKientz_MtAstrol-Feb-Mar2015.pdf
10. In Career: “Lerdorf is a frequent speaker at Open Source conferences around the world. During his keynote presentation at OSCMS 2007, he presented a security vulnerability in each of the projects represented at the conference that year.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasmus_Lerdorf#Career
11. Jupiter square personal planets – usually considered to be fortunate unlike other squares, although perhaps one might become too excited or celebratory.
12. PHP (scripting language), Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP
13. Kientz, Sue, “Pluto and Haumea: Having Power, and Using that Power,” eNews newsletter of The National Council for Geocosmic Research, Inc. (NCGR), Issue 215, June 30, 2015

For astrological keywords and examples of historical figures for Sedna and Haumea, see “Dwarf Planet Basics,” Astrology News Service, 6 November 2024,  https://astrologynewsservice.com/articles/dwarf-planet-basics/

For more details about the angles or relationships between planets, see Lynne Hyde’s “Astrology Basics,” 12 November 2024, ANS, https://astrologynewsservice.com/articles/astrology-basics/