I am using GPL3 licensed blogging software, for security reasons and to confuse the enemy, in case someone wants to hack me, I would like to add a link at the bottom of the blog that says "Powered by WordPress", this blog is not a Wordpress but it looks alike.

Is this allowed under the GPL3 licensing terms?

Many thanks

I don't know but (since you mentioned security by obscurity) more interestingly
could I discover your software anyway by:
- looking for product-specific features or behaviour in the site?
- looking at the source code?
- enumerating paths specific to the product?
- elicit product-specific error messages?
- (in case you're renting a host or space) looking at adjacent hosted sites?
- use a search-engine to scrape your site?
- use a search-engines cache or Archive.org to find previous versions?
- find comms or other indications linked to your handle you're thinking of cloaking your web log? ;-p

Unrelated to the security aspect, the WordPress name is owned by AutoMattic and they may have something to say about using their name without permission. If there were a problem with your site - unintentionally even - you could give their trademark a bad name and they could, potentially, come after you.

Also, and IANAL, doesn't the GPL protect the right of the creator to have their own name on the code? Any cracker worth their salt will ignore your writings on the site and head straight for the vulnerabilities in the underlying database or coding.

Why not just make up a nonsense name?

Frankly, if a hacker is stupid enough that he can't figure out you aren't really using Wordpress, you don't have to worry about him anyway.

I'm not a lawyer, but generally the GPL is not concerned so much with how you personally use the software, but rather how you distribute it. For example, if you modify some GPLv3 code, but then distribute it as an official, unchanged distribution, you have directly violated the GPLv3:

What you want to do here is, I think, more a generic issue of falsely representing someone's work. It would be like putting a "made by Sony" sticker on a VCR you built.

I can just barely believe you are getting hacked whilst running freeBSD. Not one that is targetted that much, except maybe a few big sites that host servers on it.. hmm.. I have to agree, that the powered by ...is not going to buy you much, but as some have said maybe some troubles with W.P. Most browsers allow one to look at source.. with one click, so .. hmm not much advantage I wouldn't think. --gene

OK, I understand, thanks for feedback. As for me, based on what I read, I changed my mind and you can consider this thread closed, I will not be implementing the trick and will keep the footer as it is.