A hacked WordPress website can be a nightmare, especially when your website starts redirecting to strange websites. Sometimes, your website may display unknown files, spam pop-ups, or Google warnings. Have you ever experienced this terrible situation? Perhaps you’re facing it now.
The good news? You can remove malware from your WordPress website by following the proper steps and using the appropriate tools.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through a simple, effective process to clean your site and secure it from future attacks.
Let’s begin!
1. Identify the Signs of Malware Infection
Before you start cleaning your website, confirm that it is infected. Below are some of the common symptoms that show your website could be infected with Malware:
- Website redirecting to unknown pages
- Suspicious admin users added.
- Unknown files or scripts in your WordPress folders
- Excessive CPU usage or slow performance
- Google blacklists your website.
- Strange pop-ups or spam content appearing
If you notice any of these signs, your website is compromised. So, let’s proceed to the next step.
2. Scan Your Website for Malware
The first action step to remove malware from your site and clean it is to use a trusted security scanning tool to detect infected files, malicious scripts, or vulnerabilities. Some popular options include:
- Wordfence Security
- Sucuri Security
These tools scan your files, themes, and plugins to locate infected code. Make note of every malicious file or path it flags—you’ll need them for cleanup.
3. Backup Your Website Before Cleaning
Before you do anything on your website, make sure to back up your site. It allows you to:
- Restore files if something goes wrong.
- Compare clean files with infected ones later.
- Keep a copy of your website structure.
You can either use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or use your hosting control panel to download a backup. If you are unsure how to do this, hire a professional website developer.
4. Remove Malware From WordPress Files
Now comes the real work: cleaning the files. Begin the cleanup by following these steps:
a. Delete Unknown Files
Check folders like:
/wp-admin/
/wp-includes/
/wp-content/uploads/
Delete anything that doesn’t belong (e.g., .php files inside uploads).
b. Replace Core WordPress Files
Download a fresh WordPress version from WordPress.org and replace everything except the /wp-content/ folder and wp-config.php.
This removes malicious modifications in core files.
c. Clean Theme and Plugin Files
If your scanner detected malicious code inside your theme or plugins:
Reinstall the theme or plugin.
Or manually remove infected code if you’re comfortable with PHP.
Avoid using nulled themes or plugins — in most cases of malware attacks, they are the culprits.
d. Delete Suspicious Admin Users
Check Users → All Users and remove unknown accounts with admin rights.
5. Clean and Secure Your WordPress Database
Some malware injects scripts into your database, especially in:
wp_posts
wp_options
wp_users
Search for suspicious JavaScript or iframe code.
If you’re not sure, hire an experienced WordPress developer. Short on budget? No worries. Consider hiring a website builder in India who can not only remove malicious code from your WordPress site but also upgrade and maintain it to prevent future malware infections.
6. Change All Passwords and Keys
After removing malware, change:
- WordPress admin password
- Hosting/cPanel password
- FTP/SFTP credentials
- Database password
Also, regenerate WordPress security keys using the WordPress key generator and update them in wp-config.php.
This ensures attackers cannot regain access.
7. Install a Security Plugin to Prevent Future Attacks
Once your website is clean, install a strong security plugin to monitor new threats:
- Wordfence
- All-in-One WP Security
Enable features such as a firewall, brute-force protection, file monitoring, and login protection. Both the plugins mentioned above offer these security features.
8. Keep Your Website Updated Regularly
Most hacks happen because of outdated plugins, themes, or WordPress versions.
Make sure you:
- Update plugins and themes regularly
- Remove unused plugins
- Avoid null or pirated themes.
- Enable automatic updates for minor releases.
- Routine maintenance ensures long-term protection.
Final Thoughts
Identify the infection, clean your files, secure your database, update everything, and install strong security measures. Suppose the malware keeps coming back, or the cleanup process feels too technical. In that case, it’s best to hire a professional WordPress malware removal developer to ensure your site is fully secured.
