How To Tell If Your WordPress Website Has Been Hacked
You'll probably observe one or more of these obvious symptoms of a hacked website:
- Content you don't recognize has started appearing
- New users appear in your dashboard
- Pop-up ads or pop-unders (tabs which open behind your site)
- Your images or links are all broken
- You cannot access your WordPress dashboard
- Your website redirects visitors to a completely different domain
Act Fast To Protect Your Data and Search Rankings!
If your website has been hacked, you must act quickly to preserve your online reputation and protect your customers' data!
HACKED TODAY
What's At Risk When Your Website's Been Hacked
Depending on where your business operates, you may be subject to mandatory disclosure laws or other policies which govern personally identifiable information. Protect your business by responding quickly, and in good faith, to assess the damage.
- Remove malicious code,
- Update core website software and plugins,
- Perform audit of password policies,
- Harden vulnerable endpoints on your website,
- Try to determine if customer data has been copied and notify as appropriate.
*Please note, I'm not a lawyer!
I recommend using THIS EXTERNAL WEBSITE to find out which laws may apply to your business.
How I Fix Hacked WordPress Websites
A hacked WordPress website isn't the end of the world. In many cases, it's just a matter of finding the right backup or log files. Other times, it may involve changing settings with your hosting provider.
Here's what to expect when working with me to fix a hacked website.
Step 1: Triage and Investigate
Check for backups, logs and other clues for how your site was compromised. If customer data has been stolen, start to formulate a plan.
Step 2: Create A Plan
Assess your hosting settings, password policy, and other factors which affect your business's online reputation.
Step 3: Remediate
Remediate the damage and implement a backup plan. Set up website health reporting with Google Webmaster Tools.