Your WordPress site has been hacked – Here's how to restore it

As the managing director of the digital agency Waterproof Web Wizard GmbH, we’ve experienced many situations that have made us break out in a cold sweat. One case that particularly stands out in our memory was when a long-time client’s WordPress site was hacked overnight. The desperate email we received that ordinary Tuesday morning is a scenario that, unfortunately, occurs all too often.

It is estimated that thousands of websites are hacked every day, and WordPress sites are a frequent target due to their popularity. Such hacking attacks can have devastating consequences, ranging from data loss and reputational damage to significant financial losses.

This post is dedicated to exactly this topic: What to do if your WordPress site has been hacked? Based on our experience and knowledge, we’d like to provide you with a detailed guide on how to proceed in such situations. We’ll look at how to recognize a hack, what the first steps you should take are, and how to restore your hacked WordPress site and prevent future attacks.

Even though the topic of “WordPress site hacked” can be scary, we hope this article will help you be better prepared and understand that there are solutions even in the toughest moments. Because as the saying goes: Preparation is half the battle.

Statistics and Facts About Hacked WordPress Websites

The security of WordPress websites is a serious concern, as they are often the target of hacker attacks. According to our estimates, at least 13,000 WordPress websites are hacked every day. That’s about 9 per minute, 390,000 per month, and 4.7 million per year.

Sucuri, a leading provider of website security solutions, found that in 2021, 4.3% of WordPress websites scanned with SiteCheck were hacked or infected. This means that about 1 in 25 websites was affected. Furthermore, 10.4% of WordPress websites were at risk of being hacked because they were running outdated software.

When looking at various content management systems (CMS), WordPress was the most frequently hacked CMS in 2021. Over 95.6% of the infections detected by Sucuri were on websites using WordPress.

Common Types of WordPress Hacks

Various types of hacks threaten the security of WordPress websites. Sucuri found that malware is the most common type of WordPress hack, accounting for 61.65%. Other common types of infections include backdoor hacks, SEO spam, hacking tools, and phishing hacks.

The most common WordPress hacks detected by Sucuri in 2021 were:

1. Malware – 61.65%
2. Backdoor – 60.04%
3. SEO spam – 52.60%
4. Hack tool – 20.27%
5. Phishing – 7.39%
6. Defacements – 6.63%
7. Mailer – 5.92%
8. Droppers – 0.63%

These statistics and insights underscore the importance of security measures to protect your WordPress website. It is essential to install the latest updates and patches and close security vulnerabilities to minimize the risk of hacks and infections.

Security Vulnerabilities in WordPress: Themes and Plugins as Major Issues

In the WordPress world, themes and plugins pose a significant security threat. In 2021, a staggering 99.42% of all identified security vulnerabilities in the WordPress ecosystem originated from these two components. This percentage has actually increased compared to the previous year, when the figure stood at 96.22%.

If we take a closer look at these figures, 92.81% of the vulnerabilities were caused by plugins and 6.61% by themes. Among the vulnerable WordPress plugins, 91.38% were free plugins made available through the official WordPress.org repository. Premium plugins sold on third-party marketplaces such as Envato accounted for only 8.62% of the problematic plugins.

It is noteworthy that 42% of WordPress websites have at least one vulnerable component installed. Patchstack, a provider of security solutions, found that only 0.58% of the vulnerabilities identified were directly attributable to the WordPress core software. This underscores the immense importance of carefully selecting and maintaining themes and plugins to ensure the security of your WordPress website.

How to Tell If Your WordPress Website Has Been Hacked

Detecting a hacked website is one of the most challenging aspects of dealing with cyberattacks. Hackers are typically skilled at covering their tracks and hiding their malicious activities. However, there are some telltale signs that may indicate your WordPress website has fallen victim to an attack.

Symptoms of a Hacked WordPress Website

1. Unexpected changes to your website: If you notice that elements of your website have changed that you didn’t modify yourself, this is a clear warning sign. This can include the addition of new user accounts, changes to your website’s content, or modifications to your themes or plugins.
2. Unusual activity on your website: If your website suddenly becomes very slow, displays unexplained errors, or is even temporarily unavailable, this could indicate a compromise.
3. Warnings from Google or your hosting provider: Google and many hosting companies monitor websites for suspicious activity. If your website is hacked, you may receive a warning message.
4. Unexplained increase in traffic: A sudden spike in traffic to your website, especially from unusual sources or at atypical times, could be an indicator that your website is being misused for malicious activities.
5. Unusual search engine rankings: If your website suddenly appears in search engine rankings for strange or unrelated keywords, this could be a sign that a hacker has placed SEO spam on your website.

It’s important to note that the presence of one or more of these signs doesn’t necessarily mean your website has been hacked. However, they are warning signs that require a thorough investigation. Also note that early detection and response to these signs are crucial for minimizing potential damage and speeding up the recovery of your website.

Guide to Conducting an Initial Check

If you suspect that your WordPress website has been hacked, it’s important to act quickly. Here are some steps you can take to perform an initial check:

1. Check your website for obvious signs of a hack: Take a close look at your website. Are there any visible changes or inconsistencies? Altered content, suspicious pop-ups, unexplained traffic changes, and new user accounts can all be signs of a compromised website.
2. Check your email notifications: Have you received emails from your hosting provider or Google indicating suspicious activity? These services often send alerts when they detect suspicious behavior.
3. Check user accounts: Are there new user accounts that you didn’t create? Unauthorized user accounts can be a sign that an attacker has gained access to your website.
4. Check your files and databases: Examine your files and databases for signs of malware or suspicious code. There are various plugins and tools that can help you with this. Make sure to check all files and folders, including those located deep within your website’s structure.
5. Check your access logs: Your server logs can reveal whether unauthorized access to your website has occurred. Look for suspicious IP addresses, unusual request patterns, and requests at unusual times.

If your investigation confirms that your website has been hacked, you must take immediate action.

Restoring a Hacked WordPress Site

If your WordPress website has been hacked, it’s important to act quickly and follow a systematic approach to restoring your website. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through this process.

Step-by-step guide to restoring your website

1. Isolate your website: The first thing you should do if you discover that your website has been hacked is to isolate it. This means you should restrict access to your website to prevent the hacker from causing further damage and to prevent malware or other harmful content from being transmitted to your visitors. This could be achieved, for example, by setting up a maintenance page or by temporarily deactivating your server.
2. Identify the cause of the hack: Before you try to fix your website, you need to understand how the hacker gained access to it. This could have been caused by a security vulnerability in one of your plugins or themes, a weak password, or another security flaw on your server. It can be helpful to check your server logs and your website’s activity history to find possible signs of an intrusion.
3. Clean up your code: Once you’ve identified the cause of the hack, you should clean up your code. This means removing any malicious or suspicious code that the hacker placed on your website. This can be a time-consuming task, especially if you’re not familiar with code. In such cases, it may be helpful to consult a professional.
4. Restore from backups: If you regularly create backups of your website (which you should definitely do), you can restore an earlier, secure version of your website. Make sure the backup you use was created before the hack occurred. Keep in mind that restoring a backup will overwrite your most recent data, so you should make sure to save any recently created content before performing this step.
5. Update your passwords and security measures: After you’ve cleaned up and restored your website, you should update all your passwords. This includes the passwords for your WordPress admin account, your hosting account, and your database. You should also review and improve your security measures to prevent future hacks. This might mean updating or removing insecure plugins or themes, checking and improving your file and directory permissions, or implementing additional security measures such as two-factor authentication.

Tips and Best Practices for Recovery

• Work systematically: It’s important to work systematically and document each step carefully. This way, you can ensure that you don’t overlook anything and that you have a clear record of your actions in case of future issues. A detailed log of your steps can also help you identify patterns or recurring issues that may lead to security problems.
• Seek professional help: If you’re unsure about restoring your website, you should seek the help of a professional security expert. There are many companies and individuals who specialize in restoring hacked websites and who have the necessary knowledge and experience to guide you through this process. Keep in mind that some security vulnerabilities can be complex, and an expert will be able to perform in-depth analyses and fixes that you may not be able to handle on your own.
• Learn from the incident: A hack is an unpleasant experience, but it can also be a learning opportunity. Use this opportunity to review and improve your security practices and ensure you are better prepared in the future. Consider what you can do to reduce the likelihood of another attack. This could include creating more frequent and comprehensive backups, changing your passwords more often, or installing additional security plugins.

In the next section of this article, we’ll discuss how you can secure your WordPress site to prevent future hacks. It’s important to be proactive and take steps to improve your security before a problem arises. This will not only help make your website more secure but can also help boost your confidence in your ability to manage and protect your website.

Strengthen Security and Prevent Future Hacks

After successfully restoring your WordPress website, it is crucial to take proactive steps to prevent future attacks and strengthen your website’s security. Here are some steps and recommendations that can help you secure your website and ensure its regular maintenance and monitoring.

Recommendations for Security Plugins and Configurations

There are a variety of security plugins for WordPress that can significantly help strengthen your website’s security. Here are a few that are highly recommended due to their extensive features and positive user reviews:

1. Wordfence: This plugin offers a wide range of security features, including a firewall, malware scans, and login security measures. It can protect you from threats and send immediate notifications in the event of an attack.
2. iThemes Security: This plugin helps you address many of the most common security vulnerabilities in WordPress. It includes features such as two-factor authentication, password security, and protection against brute-force attacks.
3. Sucuri Security: Sucuri offers a comprehensive security solution, including malware scans, security audits, and a firewall. It can help protect your website from a variety of threats and also provides professional support in the event of a hack.

In addition to using these plugins, it’s important to configure WordPress securely. This includes limiting the number of failed login attempts, disabling file editing in the WordPress dashboard, and regularly updating WordPress, themes, and plugins to patch known security vulnerabilities.

Tips for Regular Maintenance and Monitoring of Your Website

Regular maintenance and monitoring of your website are crucial factors in maintaining your website’s security. Here are some recommendations that can help you with this:

1. Regular Updates: Make sure your WordPress installation, themes, and plugins are always up to date. Many security vulnerabilities arise from outdated software, and regular updates can help minimize these risks.
2. Regular Backups: Backups are your best defense against hacks. Make sure you regularly back up your entire website and that you know how to restore it in an emergency. There are various plugins that can help you schedule and store automatic backups.
3. Website monitoring: Use tools like Google Search Console and the security plugins mentioned above to continuously monitor your website for signs of hacking or malware. Many of these tools can help you identify and resolve issues before they become a serious security problem.
4. Strengthen your passwords: Make sure all your passwords are strong and unique, and change them regularly. Use password managers to generate and store complex passwords, and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible for added security.
5. Access restrictions: Grant access to your WordPress dashboard only to trusted individuals and limit the number of administrator accounts. Regularly review user accounts and permissions, and remove any accounts that are no longer needed or active.

By following these recommendations, you can help keep your WordPress website secure and prevent future attacks. Keep in mind that security is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process that requires vigilance, regular checks, and updates. Take your website’s security seriously and stay up to date on security threats and best practices.

In this post, we’ve taken an in-depth look at the serious and widespread problem of WordPress website hacking. Since hacking can have serious consequences for both your website and your business, it’s essential to be aware of the risks and take appropriate protective measures.

Recap of key points and actions:

1. Recognizing that your WordPress site has been hacked: One of the first signs that your website has been hacked is an unexpected change in your website’s behavior. These include, among other things, unexplained drops in website traffic, unusual activity in your admin panel, or the appearance of strange links on your site. By being aware of these symptoms and performing regular checks, you can ensure that your website remains secure.
2. Restoring a Hacked WordPress Site: If your website has been hacked, it’s important to stay calm and proceed systematically. Restoring your website can be complex, but by following our step-by-step guide—which includes cleaning up infected code, restoring backups, and strengthening security measures—you can recover your website and prevent future attacks.
3. Strengthen security and prevent future hacks: It’s important to take proactive security measures to protect your website. Use security plugins, keep your WordPress installation, themes, and plugins up to date, and perform regular maintenance and monitoring. Strengthening your passwords, restricting access to your WordPress dashboard, and using tools to monitor your website are additional effective methods for preventing future attacks.

Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Readers:

Dealing with a hacked WordPress website can be a challenge, but you’re not alone. With the right tools and knowledge, you can protect your website and recover from a hack. We hope this post helps you keep your WordPress website secure. Remember that prevention is key—by taking proactive steps to protect your website, you can significantly reduce the risk of a hack.

We at Waterproof Web Wizard are always here to help you with your WordPress security concerns. Stay safe, and thanks for reading!

For additional help and information, here is a list of further links and resources:

1. WordPress Codex – FAQ: My site was hacked
2. Hardening WordPress – WordPress.org
3. Sucuri – Free Website Security Check & Malware Scanner
4. iThemes – WordPress Security Guide

These resources can help you protect and secure your WordPress website. They offer valuable information and guidance on identifying and resolving security issues.

Professional Support

If you need professional assistance with restoring and securing a hacked WordPress site, our team at Waterproof Web Wizard GmbH is here to help. We offer WordPress maintenance contracts that include regular updates, security checks, and emergency support. In addition, we provide hack cleanup services to quickly and efficiently remove malware from your website and restore its security.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need further information. You can reach us by email at hey@waterproof-web-wizard.com or by phone at +49 (0) 751 958 992 17.

We look forward to helping you keep your WordPress website safe and secure. Stay safe, and thanks for reading!