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Hackers are constantly scanning the internet for websites with weak spots, and WordPress sites aren’t an exception. An outdated plugin, a weak password, or a poorly secured hosting environment is often all a bad actor needs to exploit your website.
The sooner you recognize the signs of a hack, the faster you can prevent serious damage. Early detection can help you avoid SEO blacklisting, stolen customer data, malware spreading to users, or full site outages.
Read on to learn about the most common warning signs and how to take action quickly against threats.
Why WordPress sites get hacked
Most hacks aren’t personal. They’re automated and opportunistic. Bots constantly scan websites for vulnerabilities and exploit them when they find weaknesses.
Common causes include:
- Out-of-date plugins, themes, or WordPress core files
- Weak or reused passwords
- Low-quality hosting with limited security protections
- Using abandoned, or “nulled” (pirated) plugins
Understanding how these attacks happen can help you lower your risk and protect your site moving forward.
Common signs your WordPress site has been hacked
Strange pop-ups, ads, or redirects
If your site sends people to spammy, adult, or unrelated third-party pages, malware may be adding scripts into your theme or database.
Admin users you don’t recognize
Think of your WordPress site like a building with locks. If a hacker breaks in, one of the first things they might do is make a copy of the key. Creating an admin account is one of the first things attackers do after gaining entry, because it gives them full access to your website and a reliable way back in.
It’s best to periodically review your website’s admin user accounts. If you see a name or email you don’t know with, that’s a serious warning sign that someone may have broken into your site.
Content or media files you didn’t add
You may notice spam pages, blog posts, strange PDFs, or pharmaceutical keywords on hidden pages of your site. These often exist solely to manipulate search engines.
Common things you might see:
- Files with random names in /wp-content/uploads/
- .php files where image files should be
- Recently modified theme files without explanation
Search engine warnings
Google may display warnings, such as “This site may be hacked” or “This site may harm your computer.” You can also check Google Search Console for alerts or indexing issues. A sudden drop in search rankings or organic traffic can also be a red flag.
The website is running slower than normal
If your server resources are being hijacked, malware may be running scripts in the background, slowing down your website.
Emails from your hosting provider
Hosting companies often detect outgoing spam sent from your site or sudden spikes in resource usage. If you receive these messages, don’t ignore them; verify their authenticity with your hosting provider before taking action.
Trouble logging in
If your admin password suddenly stops working or your login page behaves strangely, your credentials may have been changed or restricted by someone who has gained unwanted access to your site.
Unusual code or files
Random code, encoded text, or long scrambled strings inside files are major warning signs of a compromise.
Sudden drop in SEO rankings or traffic
Google may temporarily remove infected websites from search results to protect users. If your traffic suddenly drops without explanation, malware could be a factor.
Users report that something doesn’t look right
Take user complaints seriously. Users often spot issues before site owners do.
Verify authenticity
Important: Just because you receive a “your website has been hacked” email doesn’t mean it’s real. Many scammers send fake alerts. Always verify directly with your hosting provider or security tools, not by clicking links in the email.
What to do first if your WordPress site has been hacked
If you believe your WordPress site has been compromised, taking immediate action can help limit damage.
Start with these tasks:
- Trigger a sitewide user password reset
- Change all hosting, FTP, and database passwords
- Contact your hosting provider or website support team for assistance
These steps help block further unwanted access while you investigate the issue.
You should also consider temporarily putting the site into maintenance mode if the hack is affecting visitors or causing suspicious content to appear. This can prevent users from encountering malware or being redirected to harmful pages while the issue is being resolved.
Finally, review your administrator accounts and remove any users you don’t recognize. Hackers often create hidden admin accounts to maintain long-term access to the site even after passwords are changed.
How to clean and secure a hacked WordPress website
Here are some next steps you can take after your immediate response to help secure your website moving forward.
Important: Take a full site backup of your website before removing or changing any files, plugins, or themes. Some immediate steps, like updating passwords and deleting suspicious users, are simple enough to handle on your own. Others, like cleaning infected files or restoring from a backup, can get technical fast. If you’re not comfortable with something, don’t guess. Reach out to your hosting provider or a website support professional for help.
- Run a malware scan using a plugin like Defender Pro or Wordfence (Stellaractive provides the paid Defender Pro plugin to all clients as a value-added benefit)
- Install a web application firewall (WAF). Plugins like Defender Pro come with this feature
- Remove unused or abandoned plugins & themes
- Update WordPress core files, themes, plugins, and PHP version
- Replace infected files with clean versions from the official source
- Set up automatic backups that save copies of your website somewhere other than your main server
How to prevent your WordPress site from getting hacked again
Once your website is clean, following stronger security practices can help prevent future attacks.
Recommended security practices include:
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all logins
- Use a hosting provider that includes built-in security monitoring to help detect and block threats
- Schedule monthly updates and plugin audits
- Use Monitor Uptime or a similar service to help keep an eye on your website and make sure it stays online, and that no unexpected files or changes appear
- Keep daily backups of your website so it can be restored quickly if something goes wrong
These preventive steps can help provide peace of mind and are far less costly than recovering from a compromised website.
Worried your WordPress site might be compromised?
If you think your website may have been hacked, it’s best to act quickly. A swift response to a potentially hacked WordPress website can prevent damage to your content, SEO rankings, and your brand.
Some malware is deeply embedded and can be hidden inside your database, create backdoors for future access, and reinfect your site after cleanup. If you suspect your site may be compromised, it’s best to talk with a WordPress security expert.
Stellaractive’s support teams can help identify how the WordPress hack occurred, patch vulnerabilities, and strengthen security to help mitigate future risks. Our SEO professionals can also help rebuild search engine trust after a cleanup.
If you’re concerned about the current or future risk of your website, Stellaractive is here to help! Reach out to our support team or call us at 503-384-2413 to get started.