The Google Webmaster blog has announced a new service being offered to users of its Webmaster Tools service - an alert to webmasters if Google identifies possible issues with a CMS website or online publishing system (like Wordpress) that could create an exposure to hackers.

This is currently undergoing a trial phase, but Google says that they are seeing more websites getting hacked because of various security holes, so this new service should help to provide valuable information to website owners if there is a potential vulnerability. A message will then be posted in the Webmaster Tools account (and even if a website hasn't yet signed up for this tool, the message will be available once the account is opened).

If this service proves effective and is extended across the system then it adds another valuable element to the Webmaster Tools console. Of course Google isn't going to pick up every potential hacker issue, but sites that use common software systems where there are issues should be notified and this will give website owners an advance warning to fix the problem.