Website hacking is not very uncommon these days. No site is immune to malware attacks, whether you run a corporate website, an e-commerce website, or any web portal. If your website has also been hacked, this post could be helpful. In this post, we have shared key reasons for website hacking and how to fix them if your website is compromised.
Common Reasons Why Websites Get Hacked
1. Outdated Software and Plugins
One common reason a website is hacked is outdated software and plugins. When the software, theme, or plugins of a website get outdated, they often contain security vulnerabilities that hackers can easily exploit. It’s because outdated components no longer receive security patches or updates, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks such as malware injections and data breaches.
2. Weak Passwords
Another reason for website hacking is the use of easy-to-guess passwords for admin login, FTP, and the control panel. Simple passwords make it easier for attackers to break into your website using brute-force attacks.
3. Unsecured Hosting
A site’s web host can also be responsible for it being hacked. Unreliable web hosting can expose your website to vulnerabilities on shared servers.
4. Malicious Plugins or Themes
Free or nulled plugins and themes often contain hidden malware or backdoors. These malicious codes can allow hackers to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or inject harmful scripts without your knowledge.
5. Lack of Regular Maintenance
Last but not least, a lack of regular web maintenance can also lead to a website being hacked. When you don’t maintain your site regularly, security vulnerabilities go unnoticed, leaving your website exposed to potential attacks and data breaches.
How to Fix a Hacked Website
1. Take Your Website Offline Temporarily
To prevent further damage to your site, put it in maintenance mode or temporarily disable it until it’s cleaned.
2. Scan Your Website for Malware
Use trusted tools like Sucuri, Wordfence, or MalCare to scan your website for malware, suspicious code, or unauthorized changes.
3. Remove Malicious Files
After identifying infected files, delete or replace them with clean versions. To do this, you should hire a professional web developer to remove all the malicious code or files. If you live in a Western country, consider hiring a website developer in India to save money.
4. Update All Software and Plugins
Once your site is clean, update your CMS, plugins, and themes to their latest versions to eliminate known vulnerabilities.
5. Change All Passwords
Immediately reset all passwords — including admin, FTP, and database credentials — to secure your website from further access.
6. Restore From a Backup (If Available)
If you maintain regular backups, restore your website from a clean version created before the hack occurred.
7. Install Security Plugins
Add trusted WordPress security plugins like “Wordfence” or “All in One WP Security” to monitor and protect your website against future attacks.
