An average of over 30,000 websites are hacked every day, with 43% of these being owned by small businesses. Websites are often hacked to steal sensitive data, disrupt services, or exploit vulnerabilities for financial gain or malicious purposes. Unfortunately, most of the website admins become aware of these hacks only after attackers have gained access and caused significant harm. Don’t wait until it’s too late – your website could be under attack right now, and you might not even know it. Let’s explore the common signs you must look for.
9 Common Signs of a Hacked Website
These are the signs that usually show after attackers have gained access to a website:
1. Visitors Get Redirected from Your Website
One of the most troubling signs of a hacked website is when visitors are automatically redirected to other sites, often spam or malicious ones. This can take the form of a continuous refresh loop, preventing users from accessing your original content. Such malware, known as a redirect hack, may also redirect visitors to unwanted sites, potentially leading to phishing pages that aim to steal sensitive information.
2. Google Chrome’s Safe Browsing Warnings
Google Chrome Safe Browsing protects users from potentially dangerous websites by displaying warning messages. If your site has been compromised, visitors may see warnings like “Deceptive site ahead” or “This site may harm your computer.” Other browsers might show this as well, but Google Chrome is generally more reliable at doing so.
These warnings can deter users from visiting your site, causing a drop in traffic and harming your site’s reputation. If you receive such a warning, it’s crucial to scan your site for malware and resolve the issue quickly.
3. Spam Pages and New Indexed Pages
When attackers get access to your site, they will often create spam pages that promote irrelevant or harmful content, which can negatively impact your site’s reputation. These pages may include advertisements for counterfeit products or adult content. You might also notice a sudden appearance of thousands of new indexed pages in your search results.
This often happens because hackers exploit vulnerabilities in your site to create these pages. Both spam pages and excessively indexed pages can harm your site’s search engine rankings and user trust.
4. Random Code Changes and Fake Plugins
If you notice unfamiliar changes in your website’s code, especially in headers, footers, or files, it’s a clear indication of a hack. Hackers may inject malicious scripts designed to redirect visitors or steal data. Fake plugins with unusual names may also appear in your plugins folder. These malicious plugins often masquerade as legitimate ones but can compromise your site’s security.
5. Login Issues and New Users with Strange Names
If you’re having trouble logging into your website’s admin panel or if you notice new user accounts with strange names and email addresses, this could mean that hackers have gained unauthorized access. Usually, attackers will change the admin login credentials as the first thing when they get access to your site. They might also create fake accounts to install malware or manipulate your site.
6. Server Usage Spikes and Warnings
Sudden spikes in server usage can be a sign of a hack. Attackers can install malware on your site’s servers that may cause your site to run background processes or send out spam emails, leading to increased resource consumption. If your hosting provider sends warnings about exceeding server limits, it’s a sign that your site might be compromised.
7. Slow Site Performance and 404 Errors
A sudden decrease in site performance, including slow load times or error messages, can indicate a malware infection. Malware can consume server resources, slowing down your site or causing it to crash when normal users try to access it. You may also encounter unexpected 404 errors if malware alters your site’s code, leading to broken links or redirecting users to fake error pages designed to trick them.
8. Inaccessibility of Your Site
When a website is hacked, hackers can make it inaccessible to visitors by modifying files or installing malware. Users may see a blank white screen or error message when trying to access your site. If this happens, you need to investigate the issue through your server logs and possibly restore your site from a backup.
9. Warnings from Your Hosting Provider
When your site gets hacked, your hosting provider may send you a warning or take your site offline, especially if they detect malware. Hosting companies routinely scan for malicious code and may disable sites to prevent further spread. This can happen if they find your site blacklisted or if it’s being used to send spam.
Proactive Ways to Know Your Website Is Hacked
To avoid the serious consequences of discovering a hack after attackers have gained significant access, it’s important to take proactive measures. Here are some effective methods you can use to check your website’s security and determine if it has been hacked.
Use a Source Code Scanner
A source code scanner helps identify hidden infections on your website, as malware often lurks in the code. Tools like Wordfence and WPScan systematically scan your PHP and other source files for known malware patterns. While many scanners rely on recognizing established malware signatures, they also compare your code against a verified, clean version of your files.
This dual approach helps catch newer infections without existing signatures. Regular scans with a source code scanner effectively detect and remove hacks, safeguarding your website from potential damage. To ensure your site is safe from hacks, consider installing a source code scanner.
Use a Monitoring Service That Includes Site Changes
Implementing a monitoring service can provide immediate alerts about any changes or downtime on your site. These services can track content alterations and notify you if changes exceed a certain threshold, which can indicate a hack. WebsitePulse and Pingdom are some of the popular options available for WordPress sites.
These tools offer content monitoring, allowing for prompt responses to suspicious activity. It’s also a good idea to monitor from multiple locations, as attacks may target specific users based on various criteria. This enhances your detection capabilities and helps you identify targeted threats more effectively.
Monitor Site Traffic and Watch for Spikes
Getting more traffic on our site is the goal for almost every business. However, unexpected random traffic spikes can be a sign of malicious activities. So, keeping an eye on your website traffic is crucial for spotting potential hacks. A sudden spike in traffic could indicate your site is compromised, possibly through a spamvertising campaign where hackers link to your clean domain to avoid detection.
Visit Your Site Regularly
Regularly visiting your website allows you to monitor its performance and maintain vigilance against hacks. By checking a few pages daily, you can spot unusual changes, such as unexpected text or broken layouts. PHP errors at the top of your pages can also signal infections, as they often indicate unauthorized modifications. This ultimately helps you catch security issues early and ensure your content is intact, contributing to a secure and reliable experience for your users.
Use a Remote Scanner
Remote scanners analyze the rendered version of your site, which can help detect infections that activate under specific conditions. Although they may miss inactive malware, they are valuable for identifying less sophisticated infections. Some popular remote scanning tools include VirusTotal, which can scan your site against numerous virus databases, SpamHaus, which checks if your domain has been flagged for spam, and many more.
Key Takeaway
It is essential to always stay vigilant about your website’s security, as hackers are constantly targeting vulnerable sites. We recommend using proactive methods like source code scanners, monitoring services, and regular checks to detect and prevent hacks before they cause significant damage. However, if you notice common signs of a hacked website, such as unexpected redirects, spam pages, or login issues, take immediate action to prevent further harm. If you need help securing your WordPress website or recovering from a hack, contact us for assistance.
