Most of the time, when we offer WP support to our clients, we have to answer the question, ‘How can I know that my WordPress website is hacked? Well, to help you figure out what’s going behind the scenes, we have compiled some signs. These can either be dangerous or can bring annoying lags as you load web pages.
Six Signs That Your WordPress Website Is Hacked
Sudden Dip in Web Traffic
As you review the Google Analytics report, you may see a drop in website traffic. This surely indicates that the website has been hacked. While some viruses might hide the impact, others might direct the web browser to spam sites. Attention should then be paid time to time or else you would be among the blacklist of 20,000 sites which Google filters out.
A Defaced Homepage
Once the site is hacked, you may not see the original landing page. Hackers post a unique message announcing that the website is of no use. While this is the case most of the time, others may use their intellect to escape without any notice. In worse cases, a ransomware may spread and seek to extort money in exchange of the information that’s stolen.
Inability to Login as Admin
If you are unable to login into WordPress account, then you are sure that the site is hacked. There are high chances that the account has been deleted. Moreover, you won’t be able to reset the password since the account doesn’t exist. You can only keep the CMS platform up and running by adding an account through FTP or PhpMyAdmin. Even then, your site is unsafe till you know how the hacker was able to get through.
A Slow / Unresponsive Site
If web pages are getting loaded at a snail’s pace, then understand that someone is trying to break into the site. Hackers access the site through anonymous IP addresses. They are also sending more than required requests to the server. In such a scenario, the problem can get resolved by checking the server logs and blocking the unknown IPs. But, even if this tip doesn’t work, then you need to follow the steps to boost website performance.
Popups on your Website
Popups actually drive hackers into a money making business stating that your site is illegal to navigate. In case the visitor is going through the site directly, then such messages don’t appear. These only appear when the web browser notices the online presence through search engines. These open in a different window and are never noticed by users.
Failure of Sending Emails
Hacked servers are known as spams. Many web hosting companies offer you with free E-mail account when the WP platform is deployed. Host’s mail servers are used to send emails. But, if you aren’t able to send or receive emails then it must strike you that the mail server is hacked. You can send emails but then they would be received in the Spam folder.
It’s a headache to clean hacked websites. This is the reason why you should get in touch with an expert. These offer round the clock website maintenance and keep you away from malicious attacks much before anything happens. Besides, they lend help even when you’re caught with the worst case.
Author Bio
By Vishal Patel
Vishal Patel is the Chief Technology Officer at Loyal Web Solutions, where he has been a key leader since 2011. With a deep understanding of web technologies and a passion for innovation, Vishal has guided the company to consistently deliver top-tier digital solutions. His expertise in the industry ensures that every project is executed with precision and excellence.