5 Signs Your WordPress Site Has Been Hacked

Do you think your WordPress site might have been hacked?

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Unusual Website Behavior

One of the first signs that your WordPress site may have been compromised is unusual website behavior. Hackers often inject malicious code into websites to gain unauthorized access or perform malicious activities. Here are some examples of unusual website behavior to watch out for:

Sudden Slowdowns
If your website suddenly becomes slow and unresponsive, it could be a result of malware or malicious scripts running in the background. These malicious codes consume server resources and slow down the site’s performance.

Unexpected Redirects
If visitors are being redirected to other websites without their consent, it’s a clear indication of a compromised site. Hackers often redirect traffic to phishing sites or other malicious destinations to steal sensitive information or spread malware.

Strange Pop-ups and Advertisements
If your website starts displaying excessive pop-ups, intrusive advertisements, or content that you didn’t authorize, it’s a sign of a hack. Hackers may inject malicious code to display ads, collect user data, or generate revenue through fraudulent means.

Defaced Website
A defaced website is one where the hacker has replaced the original content with their own messages or images. It’s a clear sign that your site’s security has been breached, and immediate action is required to regain control.

Error Messages and Warnings
If you or your visitors start seeing unusual error messages, warnings about insecure connections, or security alerts from browsers, it’s a strong indication of a hacked site. These messages often appear when hackers manipulate website code or attempt to exploit vulnerabilities.

Suspicious User Accounts

If you find that your user accounts have been tampered with or new suspicious accounts have been created, it’s a strong indication of a hacked WordPress site. Hackers often manipulate user accounts to maintain control over the compromised site or exploit vulnerabilities. Here are some additional examples of changes to user accounts that may indicate a hacked site:

Unauthorized Administrator Access
If you discover that a new administrator account has been created without your knowledge or permission, it’s a clear sign that your site has been compromised. Hackers create these unauthorized admin accounts to gain full control over your site’s settings, content, and functionality. They can make further changes to the site or even lock you out as the legitimate administrator.

Changed Passwords
If you are unable to log in to your WordPress site using your regular credentials because the password has been changed without your consent, it’s a strong indication of a hacked site. Hackers may change passwords to restrict your access and prevent you from regaining control over your own website.

Altered User Roles and Permissions
Hackers may modify the roles and permissions assigned to user accounts on your WordPress site. They may elevate the privileges of compromised accounts to gain more control and access to sensitive areas of your site. For example, a regular subscriber account may be elevated to an administrator role, allowing the hacker to perform unauthorized actions.

Unusual User Activities
If you notice that user accounts are engaging in unusual activities, such as editing or deleting critical content, creating spammy links, or performing actions that are outside their normal behavior, it’s likely that these accounts have been compromised. Hackers may use compromised accounts to manipulate your site’s content, inject malicious code, or carry out other malicious activities.

Failed Login Attempts
If you notice an unusually high number of failed login attempts, especially for administrator accounts, it could be an indication of a brute-force attack. Hackers use automated scripts to systematically attempt different username and password combinations to gain unauthorized access. The increased failed login attempts can be identified through server logs or security plugins.

When experiencing user-related hacks, reset all WP admin passwords, implement 2 factor-authentication, and setup a security logging plugin.

Unexpected Website Defacements

Another telltale sign of a hacked WordPress site is the presence of unauthorized content or links. Hackers often manipulate websites to insert their own content or promote their malicious activities. Here are some additional examples of unauthorized content or links that may indicate a compromised site:

Spammy or Irrelevant Blog Posts
If you notice new blog posts on your site that contain unrelated or spammy content, it’s a clear indication of unauthorized access. Hackers may use your site to publish blog posts filled with keywords and links to promote their own products, services, or websites.

Hidden Text or Links
Hackers sometimes hide text or links within the website’s code to improve their search engine rankings or redirect visitors to malicious sites. These hidden elements are typically invisible to human visitors but can be detected by search engines or security scanners.

Malicious Downloads
If your site offers downloads, such as software, PDF files, or media files, hackers may inject malicious code into these downloads. When visitors unknowingly download and open these files, their devices can become infected with malware or viruses.

Unwanted Advertisements
If your website displays unauthorized advertisements or banners, it’s a strong indication of a compromised site. Hackers may insert ad codes to generate revenue through fraudulent means or promote their own products or services.

Phishing Pages
Hackers may create phishing pages that mimic legitimate login or payment pages of popular websites. These pages are designed to trick users into entering their sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details. If you find such pages on your site, it’s crucial to remove them immediately to protect your users from falling victim to identity theft or financial fraud.

Malicious External Links
Hackers may insert malicious external links within your website’s content. These links often lead to websites hosting malware, promoting scams, or engaging in other malicious activities. Clicking on such links can expose your visitors to security risks and compromise their devices.

Plugins or Themes You Didn’t Install
Sometimes these are randomly named plugin/theme directories or start with wp- An important key here is that these rogue plugins/themes usually do not show in the WordPress dashboard, but can be found in the plugin and theme directories.

Unexpected Server Resource Usage

If your WordPress site is suddenly consuming a significantly higher amount of server resources, such as CPU or memory, it may be a sign of a hacking attempt. Hackers often exploit compromised sites to perform resource-intensive activities. Here are some additional examples of unexpected server resource usage that may indicate a hacked site:

Cryptocurrency Mining
Hackers may hijack your website’s resources to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Monero. They use malicious scripts or plugins that run in the background, utilizing your server’s processing power and electricity to generate cryptocurrency for their own benefit. This unauthorized mining can significantly slow down your website and increase your server’s resource consumption.

Sending Spam Emails
Compromised WordPress sites are often used to send out spam emails on a large scale. Hackers leverage the site’s server resources to send unsolicited emails, which can overload your server and impact its performance. This excessive email traffic can also result in your domain being blacklisted by email service providers, affecting your ability to send legitimate emails.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
Hackers may utilize your hacked WordPress site as part of a botnet to launch DDoS attacks against other websites or servers. During a DDoS attack, a large volume of traffic is directed toward the targeted server, overwhelming it and causing service disruptions. If your server resources are unexpectedly consumed during periods of high traffic or unusual network activity, it could be an indication of involvement in a DDoS attack.

Brute Force Attacks
Hackers often employ brute force techniques to gain unauthorized access to websites by continuously attempting different username and password combinations. These repeated login attempts consume server resources and can result in high CPU usage. If you notice a sudden increase in CPU usage or server load, it’s essential to investigate whether your site is being targeted by brute force attacks.

Excessive File Uploads
Hackers may exploit vulnerabilities in your WordPress site to upload large quantities of files, such as malware or malicious scripts. These files can consume a significant amount of server storage and impact overall performance. Monitoring your server’s storage usage and regularly checking for unexpected or suspicious files can help detect unauthorized uploads.

Search Engine Warnings or Blocklisting

If your WordPress site has been hacked, it may trigger warnings or blocklisting by search engines. Search engines strive to provide safe and reliable search results to their users, and they actively identify and flag websites that pose security risks or contain malicious content. Here are some additional examples of search engine warnings or blocklisting that may indicate a hacked site:

Search Engine Warnings
When search engines detect malicious code or suspicious activities on your website, they may display warnings in search results. These warnings alert users that the site may be compromised and advise them to proceed with caution or avoid visiting altogether. Users may see messages such as “This site may be hacked” or “This site may harm your computer” next to your site’s listing in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Redirection Warnings
If your site has been hacked and is redirecting visitors to malicious or spammy websites, search engines may flag your site with redirection warnings. These warnings inform users that clicking on your site’s link may lead them to unsafe destinations, potentially exposing them to malware, phishing attempts, or other security risks. As a result, users may be discouraged from clicking on your site’s link in search results.

Suspension or Removal from Search Results
In severe cases, search engines may suspend or remove your hacked site from their search results entirely. This means that your site will no longer appear in organic search listings, making it difficult for users to find your website through search queries. This can have a significant negative impact on your site’s visibility, traffic, and overall online presence.

Blocklisting
Search engines maintain blocklists or blacklists of websites that are known to distribute malware, engage in phishing activities, or violate their guidelines. If your WordPress site is hacked and becomes part of a malicious network or is involved in malicious activities, it may get added to these blocklists. Being blocklisted by search engines can lead to a loss of organic search traffic and trust among your audience.

Security Notifications in Webmaster Tools
Webmaster Tools or Search Console provided by search engines may send you security notifications if they detect hacking or suspicious activities on your site. These notifications alert you to the presence of security vulnerabilities or compromises, allowing you to take immediate action to secure your site and resolve any issues.

Blocklistings do not get automatically removed. After cleaning, you’ll need to request delisting via any providers that have your domain listed.

FAQs about Hacked WordPress Sites

How did my WordPress site get hacked?

WordPress sites can be hacked due to various reasons, including weak passwords, outdated themes or plugins, insecure hosting environments, or vulnerabilities in the WordPress core itself. It’s essential to regularly update your WordPress installation and plugins, use strong passwords, and employ security measures like two-factor authentication to mitigate the risk of hacking attempts.

Can I recover my hacked WordPress site?

Yes, it is possible to recover a hacked WordPress site. The first step is to identify the extent of the breach and the compromised areas. Then, you should remove any malicious code, update all themes and plugins to their latest versions, change all passwords, and implement additional security measures to prevent future attacks. It’s recommended to seek professional assistance if you are unsure about the recovery process.

Quality hosts like Kinsta provide free malware cleanups if your site becomes infected while on their servers. You will have to pay a $100 fee to have their team migrate and clean an infected site. From there, it would be covered by free malware cleanups provided that you satisfy requirements.

If you’re not looking to switch hosts, take a look at the services that Sucuri offers.