While running a website, you tend to face many problems, one such sad and a critical dilemma arises when your website gets hacked. No matter how many security measures you take or the inputs you give on building your WordPress website, a hacked WordPress site will vanish your business’s reputation as well as readership.
If you want a clean website that works efficiently for your goal, we have provided a step-by-step procedure for the same. Before beginning with the procedure, let’s understand a few things to ensure your website’s health.
You have to keep in mind that whichever website you use, it can get hacked.
In case your website is hacked, your readers are exposed to viruses, you might lose page rankings, lose the data of the entire site and the worst of them all, you might get redirects from bad neighborhood websites.
If you run a business through this website, then security should be vital for you. If required, take assistance from the best WordPress development services in USA.
Ensure to use a reliable WordPress backup solution to ease up things. You can also use a robust web application firewall like Sucuri.
Now, let us begin with this comprehensive guide on how to fix a hacked WordPress site.
Recognize the Hack
We know it’s not easy to deal with a hacked website. Do not panic and write down the things you know about hack. Below are the following signs of your site being hacked;
- WordPress site is redirecting to some other website;
- Can’t easily log in to WordPress admin panel;
- Google evaluates your website as a threat or unsecured site;
- The links of your WordPress site is not legal.
If you know these signs, write it down on paper, as only then you can tell the same to your hosting company. Also, it is important to change the passwords when you are cleaning the hack.
Take Support from Your Hosting Company
If you are lucky, there are chances to get good assistance from your hosting provider. They have highly-qualified staff who can easily deal with these kinds of problems. Also, they are aware of the hosting environment, which becomes more useful for you. You just have to contact your web hosting provider and follow their instructions for a better understanding of the situation.
If you think that only your site is in danger of getting hacked, you will be surprised to know it can very well go beyond it. Your hosting provider can give you information about how the hack originated and the places of backdoor. HostGator and Siteground are useful when anything like that happens to your site. You can also expect your host cleans up the entire hack.
Revive Your Data from the Backup
If you have a backup for your WordPress Website, it would be best for you to restore it before the site gets hacked. If you have done this already, you are saved. Moreover, if you have a blog where content is posted daily, then there is a risk to losing blog posts, comments, etc.
If you don’t have the backup or your website had been hacked long ago, you can remove the hack manually to regain the lost content.
Scanning and Removal of Malware
Check your WordPress site and delete any inactive WordPress plugins and themes. Plugins are the backdoors for hackers. In simple words, the backdoor is a method of avoiding authentication and obtaining the ability to access remotely without getting caught. The hackers always use the backdoor as their first weapon. This permits them to gain access even when the plugin is removed.
You can use Theme Authenticity Checker (TAC), a free plugin for your website. Once you are done with the setup, the checker will let you know the integrity status of all your WordPress files.
In other words, you will know where the hack is hiding with the help of this plugin. The most general places of the hack are uploads directory, htaccess file, wp-includes, wp-config.php, and plugin directories. If there are any suspicious or malicious code in your themes, the theme authenticity checker will show the entire detail near the theme with the reference file.
Moreover, it will also show you any malicious code. You can manually remove the code or can replace the file in place of the original file.
Theme files – You can download a fresh copy and replace the corrupted files with the new ones. Note: You can do this if you have not yet made any changes in your WordPress theme codes.
Ensure that your plugin and themes match the original ones. The hackers would also use additional files that may look like a plugin file name, and you will easily ignore it.
Changing Passwords are Mandatory
Yes, we know you have already changed the password initially. You have to do it again. Ensure that you choose a password which is not used elsewhere. Always use the password which is not easily detected. If you have many users for your site, you have to ensure that everyone changes their password.
Have a Secured WordPress Site
There is no better security option than having a reliable backup solution in place. If you do not have any backup schedule, it is advisable to back up the site on a daily basis.
We have provided extensive information to protect the site more efficiently. Have a look!
- Structure a strong Website firewall and Monitoring System as it prevents from any attacks or blocks before it enters the server;
- Employ Managed WordPress Hosting to keep your site more secure;
- Protect your admin directory with Password protection to be on the safe side
- It is important to disable plugin and theme editors;
- Decrease the login attempts in WordPress;
- Remove the PHP program in specific directories.
Ensure your WordPress plugins, as well as the themes are up-to-date.
Examine the User Permission
Check the user section of WordPress to ensure that only you and your teams have official access to the site. If you find any suspicious user, delete them, then and there.
Professional Assistance is the Key in Case of Hacking Issue
Security is the most serious matter when you are dealing with certain websites. If you are someone who does not enjoy dealing with servers and codes, it is a good thing to rely on a preeminent landing WordPress development company in the USA.
Hackers have the mastery to hide their scripts in several locations, allowing multiple places to enter the site. If you want peace of mind, taking assistance from the authentic IT Company is important.
Summary
A WordPress site getting hacked not only removes the data from your site, but it is an unpleasant experience for the audiences too. You will witness a great loss in the business when your account is hacked. There are also chances of negative publicity of the website, which will add fuel to the fire. Ensure that you are keeping your site secure. Also, Google has recently announced new changes in the algorithm that affects hacked sites with spam results.
We hope with this comprehensive guide, you would be able to fix your hacked WordPress site more efficiently. If you still have issues pertaining WordPress hacking, hiring a professional would be the best choice for you. Be aware and always update your system to stay away from viruses and malware.
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