Discovering that your WordPress site has been hacked can be alarming, but acting quickly and efficiently is the key to minimizing the damage. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to recover your site, regain control, and restore security.

Step 1: Stay Calm and Assess the Situation

Before you take any action, it’s important to stay calm. Rushing into recovery can lead to mistakes that might make things worse. Start by assessing the extent of the damage and documenting anything unusual, such as:

Unauthorized changes to website content
Suspicious new users
Redirects to unknown websites
Unfamiliar plugins or files
By taking note of these details, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s been affected and where to focus your recovery efforts.

Step 2: Take Your Site Offline

To prevent further damage, it’s a good idea to take your site offline temporarily. You can do this by putting your website in maintenance mode or disabling public access. Many hosting providers offer tools for this, or you can use a maintenance mode plugin if you still have access to your WordPress dashboard.

How to Put Your Site in Maintenance Mode:

Access your WordPress dashboard.
Install and activate a maintenance mode plugin like WP Maintenance Mode or Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd.
Enable maintenance mode so visitors won’t be able to access your site while you work on recovery.

Step 3: Change Your Passwords

One of the first steps in securing your WordPress site after a hack is to change all your passwords. Hackers often access websites through weak or stolen passwords, so it’s critical to update all login credentials, including:

WordPress admin accounts
FTP/SFTP accounts
Database passwords
Hosting account credentials
Best Practices for Passwords:
Use strong passwords that are at least 12 characters long, combining upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For added security, consider using a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to generate and store complex passwords.

Step 4: Scan for Malware and Remove Infected Files

Malware scanning is essential in the recovery process, as it helps identify infected files and malicious code. Most hosting providers offer malware scanning tools, or you can use a trusted security plugin like Wordfence, Sucuri, or iThemes Security to conduct a scan.

How to Scan for Malware:

Access your hosting provider’s control panel and look for a security or malware scanning option.

Alternatively, install a security plugin in your WordPress dashboard if you still have access.

Run a full malware scan, paying attention to flagged files or code snippets.
If the scan detects malware, you’ll need to remove or clean infected files. Some security plugins offer one-click cleanup options, while others may require you to delete and replace files manually. In severe cases, it may be best to work with a professional security team, like Site Security Pros, to ensure thorough cleanup.

Step 5: Restore from a Backup

If you have a recent backup of your website, restoring it can be an effective way to recover your hacked WordPress site. This process will replace the compromised files with clean versions, helping you get your website back to its pre-hacked state.

How to Restore a Backup:

Access your backup files through your hosting provider’s backup manager or a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy.
Select a backup created before the hack occurred and initiate the restore process.
Once restored, double-check for any lingering signs of malware or unauthorized changes.
If you don’t have a backup, consider implementing regular backups as part of your security plan moving forward. This will ensure that you have a way to quickly recover your site if it’s ever compromised again.

Step 6: Check User Accounts and Permissions

Hackers often create new user accounts to maintain access to a hacked website. After restoring your site, go through all user accounts to ensure no unauthorized accounts remain.

How to Check User Accounts:

Log into your WordPress dashboard and go to the Users section.
Review each account, especially those with administrator privileges.
Delete any unfamiliar or suspicious accounts immediately.
For extra security, limit administrator access to trusted individuals only and require strong passwords for all users. You may also want to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added protection.

Step 7: Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Outdated software is a major security risk for WordPress sites. Hackers often exploit known vulnerabilities in older versions of WordPress core, themes, and plugins. Once your site is clean, update everything to the latest versions to reduce the risk of another hack.

How to Update WordPress:

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates.
Update the WordPress core, followed by your active theme and all plugins.
Remove any plugins or themes that are no longer in use, as these can also be potential security risks.
Enabling automatic updates can further enhance your site’s security by ensuring that all components are kept up-to-date.

Step 8: Strengthen Your Site’s Security with Plugins

Installing a security plugin will help protect your site from future attacks. Plugins like Wordfence, Sucuri, and iThemes Security offer comprehensive features, including firewalls, malware scanning, and login protection.

Recommended Security Plugins:

Wordfence: Includes a firewall, malware scanner, and login security features.
Sucuri: Offers a web application firewall (WAF) and remote malware scanning.
iThemes Security: Provides brute force protection, two-factor authentication, and file change detection.

By adding one of these plugins to your site, you can monitor for suspicious activity and prevent similar attacks from occurring in the future.

Step 9: Monitor Your Site for Suspicious Activity

After recovering from a hack, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your website’s activity. Monitoring tools can alert you to potential threats, such as unauthorized login attempts, plugin vulnerabilities, and changes to core files.

How to Monitor Your Site:

Use a security plugin with monitoring features, such as Wordfence or Sucuri.
Set up email notifications for any suspicious activity.

Regularly review your site’s security logs and address any flagged issues promptly.

Final Thoughts on Recovering a Hacked WordPress Site

Recovering from a hack can be a challenging experience, but by following these steps, you can regain control of your WordPress site and restore its security. Remember, taking preventive measures is key to avoiding future incidents. Implementing strong passwords, regular backups, and security plugins will help you stay one step ahead of hackers.

At Site Security Pros, we specialize in WordPress security services, including malware cleanup, site recovery, and proactive security measures. If your site has been hacked, don’t wait to get help. Contact us today to secure your website and protect it from future attacks.