With the advances in technology, hackers are getting better and better at cracking passwords, bypassing security systems, and stealing data. WordPress attacks increased from 74 percent in 2016 to 83 percent in 2017. More than 16.7 million Americans experienced identity theft in 2017.
Cyber attacks are a global concern. Whether you’re a blogger, business owner, or digital marketer, it’s your responsibility to safeguard customer data. Failure to do so can harm your reputation and lead to hefty fines or lawsuits.
But how can you tell that you have been hacked? Luckily, there are some telltale signs that give hackers away. Here’s what you should look for when checking your website’s health and what to do if something doesn’t look right.
The Red Screen of Death
Have you ever accessed a website just to see a red warning saying that it contains malware? This is the most obvious sign of an infection.
If you open your site and see the red screen of death, don’t go any further. Clicking on it could give hackers the chance to steal your information. Reach out to a malware removal specialist or contact a data recovery expert to figure out the next steps.
Your Website Shows Error Messages
Hackers often inject malicious code into signup pages, login pages, payment pages, and other critical web pages. If your site displays error messages or takes ages to load, run a malware scan to determine the cause.
Check your database for error logs, modified files, and suspicious code. Use this guide from Happy Grasshopper so you know what to look for.
Spam Pop-up Ads
You’ve probably stumbled over a website or two that redirected to malicious sites or had spam pop-ups all over the place. That’s another sign of hacking.
If your website redirects to other websites or displays pop-ups that shouldn’t be there in the first place, it’s time for a cleanup.
Open your database and look for new files and existing files with unknown code. Consider installing a security plugin that notifies you when a file has been added or modified.
Your Emails End Up in the SPAM Folder
Have you recently sent any emails that didn’t reach your customers? If your domain has been blacklisted, any email addresses associated with it will be marked as SPAM.
This means that might never read them — after all, how many folks check their SPAM folders?
Run a malware scan to check your website’s health. Change your admin login details and FTP passwords, update your plugins, and put your site in maintenance mode until you fix the problem.
You Cannot Log into Your Website
It’s not uncommon for hackers to remove or block all admin users. This gives them complete access to the site.
First, try to reset your password. If you can’t do it the traditional way (access the password reset link sent to your email address), access PhpMyAdmin and edit your database.
Another option is to use Filezilla or other FTP solution to access your files and make any necessary changes.
You Have Been Hacked: What to Do Next?
Depending on the severity of the attack, it could take you days or weeks to detect and fix the problem. Prevention is your best defense.
Constantly check your website for warning signs that you have been hacked. If anything seems out of place, run a malware scan and back up your files. Contact a security expert immediately.
If you’re experiencing software issues, check out to see what you can do about it. Remember to use to keep your computer and website safe.
