Last Updated On : Jan 12, 2023.

Proactive Ways To Remove WordPress Malware from WordPress Site

WordPress is the prominent Content Management System widely being utilized for creating a business website. Due to its huge popularity, it can be a prime target for cyber attackers to hack a WordPress site. So, an online website using the open-source WordPress platform may get infected with WordPress Malware or other malicious threats. Therefore, it should be a prior job to remove malware from the WordPress site and secure the data against intruders.

In the blog post, we’ll enlighten the comprehensive guide for WordPress Malware Removal hurriedly and efficiently. Hence, feast your eyes on the easy steps!

How Do You Know Your WordPress Website Has Been Hacked?

A few signs of a hacked site are listed below:

• Defaced Web Pages
• Links to malicious websites
• Google blocklist warnings
• Showing white screens
• Unable to log in to WordPress Admin Panel
• Notice any unexpected website files are changing
• Suspected or unusual activity on the WordPress website
• Will receive a browser warning message while attempting to access the site
• While searching for the domain, a warning message appears.
• WordPress sites will run slowly and sluggishly.

If any of these indications arise on your WordPress website, it confirms that you’re running a hacked site. In such a scenario, it will be imperative to Scan WordPress Malware and prevent hackers from landing on your site. However, taking the appropriate course of action is required to recover your WordPress website at the earliest possible stage. Thus, stay tuned!

Why Do WordPress Websites Hack?

A website can be hacked because of several reasons. Some of the most common causes why a website is hacked are provided beneath. Have a glance at once:

• Vulnerable CMS, Plugins, or Themes
• Weak Password
• Easily guessable credentials on your WordPress database
• Wrong or too relaxed file permission can lead stalkers to easily WordPress Hack and indeed modify website files.
• If not using a website firewall or security software, your site will possibly be a victim of a brute-force attack.

Precautions To Take To Avoid Getting Your Site Hacked

Following are the relevant precautions you should take to avoid your WordPress website getting infected with WordPress Malware. Have a glance:

Go With Good Hosting Provider

Make sure you host your website on a reputed and trustworthy hosting provider company. A hosting provider makes your website safe and secure. It also improves your website speed and performance.

Use The Least Amount Of Themes & Plugins

Make sure you have only one theme activated on your WordPress website. Also, always try to use the least number of plugins possible that has a good rating and positive reviews.

• Go to your Dashboard
• Click on the “Appearance” tab
• Check the theme that is downloaded and activated.
• If you found any extra theme which you are not using, then immediately delete it.

Update Themes & Plugins

The next precaution is to update the installed themes and plugins frequently. So, always check for any available updates, and make sure you get that update immediately for your WordPress Themes & Plugins if any are available.

Prerequisites Before Malware Removal For Your WordPress Website

Before attempting  to remove malware from your WordPress site, it is important to prepare your site for data safety. Let’s begin to take the beneath-noted preparation steps:

Restrict Access To A Site

Your infected WordPress website can prompt visitors to access the site and leak your personal details. That’s why you are highly recommended to block all access except yours to prevent the further spread of the malware or your data leakage.

Backup Your Hacked WordPress Website

When you make a backup of your hacked WordPress website, it will be easier for you to identify malware. Eventually, your essential files will be at high risk if your WordPress website is hacked. So, as soon as you can, back up your entire site to ensure that your critical data will never be eliminated even after WordPress Malware Scan. The backup processing time will completely depend on the size of your site. But, make sure your WordPress website is backed up from top-to-toe so that no chances of any data loss.

Download The Backup Files

Now, it’s time to download the backup files to your computer. After successfully downloading the backup files for your hacked WordPress website, open it to start analyzing it.

Update All Passwords And Access Keys

Usually, hackers use malware to commend brute-force attacks for snapping administrator accounts’ login credentials. Once they get success in it, they will damage your WordPress website. That’s why; you are suggested to change your password now and then so that they won’t reach out to your site even after multiple attempts. Make sure, you use strong passwords as they are case-sensitive, and also avoid reusing them.

Update WordPress

Most WordPress websites are got hacked if they are running an outdated version of WordPress. Thus, update your WordPress to the current released version to keep your site away from malware attacks.

Step-by-step Intuitive Guide to Remove Malware from WordPress Site

If you literally want to secure your site against WordPress Malware, perform the below-mentioned guide perfectly. In an effortless manner, you will be able to clean your site and remove malware in the blink of an eye. Thus, without any delay, begin to follow!

Guide 1: Scan Your WordPress Website For Malware

First of all, you have to scan your WordPress website to identify whether there is some malware or some virus on your website. Sucuri is the ultimate free website malware and security scanner for WordPress Malware Scan. Thus, feel free to visit the site to scan your site for any malware, website errors, blacklisting status, and out-of-date software. Here’s what you have to perform:

• First, browse the official Sitecheck Sucuri scanner site
• Now, enter your WordPress website’s link or URL in the search box
• And then, hit the “Scan Website” tab.
• Now, you can clearly see a lot of malware on your website if the site is infected by it.
• At the bottom, you will also get the message “Your Site Is Hacked and Needs immediate action or attention!”

Furthermore, you can use the authentic WordPress plugin for your site scan and WordPress Site Removal. We strongly recommend you install Wordfence Security – Firewall & Malware Scan plugin and activate it on your site to scan and remove malware from the site. To get it installed, follow the below steps:

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard
• Click on the “Appearance” tab
• Now, hover over the “Plugins” tab and click on “Add a New Plugin.”
• Now, search for “Wordfence”
• Once you find this plugin, click on the “Install Now” button.
• After it is installed, click on the “Activate” button.
• After installation and activation of the “Wordfence Security – Firewall & Malware Scan” plugin, you will see a new tab at the left-hand side bottom.
• A new option “Wordfence” will be available on the WordPress Dashboard.
• Just, hover over this option and click on the “Scan” tab.
• Finally, click the “Start new scan” tab to start scanning your WordPress website for WordPress Malware.

Guide 2: Clean The Hacked WordPress Files

If the core files are infected, then remove the malware manually by downloading a fresh installation from official WordPress and replacing each compromised file with clean copies. Do not overwrite your wp-config-php file or wp-content folder and also make sure the site is fully backed up.

Ways To Clean Hacked WordPress Core Files

First and forecast, note down the version of your WordPress site by viewing the “wp-includes/version.php” file.

• Now, browse the official WordPress site and download the version that perfectly matches your “wp-includes/version.php” file.
• After that, extract the WordPress installation file on your Windows PC.
• And then, log in to your file structure either via sFTP/FTP or through your hosting account.
• Now, one by one replace each infected core file with a clean copy.

Ways To Manually Clean Hacked WP Plugin & Theme Files

• First, download a clean “plugin/theme” copy from the official WordPress site.
• Extract the “plugin/theme” copy on your computer.
• Log in to your file structure via either sFTP/FTP or a hosting account.
• Replace the valid plugin/theme folder inside “./wp-content/plugins” or “./wp-content/themes” with the clean copy.
• Then, open any custom or premium files using a text editor.
• Eradicate any suspicious code from the custom files.
• Now, test to verify if the site is still operational after modifications.

Ways To Clean A Hacked WP Plugin Via Dashboard

• In the very beginning, sign in to your WordPress dashboard.
• Then, go to the Installed Plugins section by clicking on the “Plugins” tab.
• Now, deactivate and delete the WordPress plugins.
• Again, install & activate each plugin from the dashboard or simply upload a clean copy from a working backup.

Guide 3: Clean The Hacked WordPress Database Tables

Using your database admin panel allows connecting to the database and instantly remove the malware infection. Moreover, you can use tools like PhpMyAdmin or Adminer to identify and remove the infected malware from WordPress Database.

Manually Remove A Malware Infection

• First, sign in to your database admin panel.
• Next, create a backup of the database before making any changes.
• Afterward, search for suspicious content such as spammy keywords, malicious links, or any other flaws.
• Now, open the row that contains suspicious content.
• Manually remove any suspicious content carefully and precisely.
• Test to verify the site is still ready for flawless accessibility even after changes.
• Eliminate any database access tools you might have uploaded earlier.

Transfer WordPress Posts To The Trash Folder

After a certain period, you need to move the posts uploaded on your WordPress website to a trash folder. Here’s what to implement:

• Sign in to your WordPress database admin panel.
• Create a backup of your database before moving ahead to make any changes.
• Go to the “SQL Command” section at the top left menu.
• Write down your WordPress database prefix. wp_ is most commonly used.
• Note down the actual date the spam posts were started.
• Execute the following SQL Command:
• UPDATE `wp_posts` SET `post_status` = ‘trash’ WHERE `post_status` = ‘publish’ AND `post_type` = ‘post’ AND `post_date` > ‘2018/03/08’;

Also, make sure you match the format of the date with how your WordPress Dashboard is displayed. You can find it at the top-right of your posts section.

Guide 4: Secure WordPress User Accounts

Reviewing user account access is indispensable because attackers usually create malicious admin users or FTP users to gain access to your site anytime. Therefore, keep recognizing any suspicious users and remove them immediately so that the hackers will no longer have access.

Ways To Remove Suspicious Users

• Log in to WordPress as an admin.
• Click on “Users”.
• Find the suspicious new user accounts.
• Hover over the suspicious user and click the “Delete” tab.

 Guide 5: Remove Hidden Backdoors

Stalkers always leave a secret way to enter your site and make it infected. So, you can find multiple backdoors on your hacked WordPress website. However, backdoors are embedded in files with a similar name to the WP core files but stored in the wrong directories.

Backdoors typically contain the following PHP functions:

• base64
• str_rot13
• gzuncompress
• eval
• exec
• system
• assert
• stripslashes
• preg_replace (with /e/)
• move_uploaded_file

Therefore, spot backdoors considering any of these functions in your WordPress website and close them right away. Make sure you successfully stop a WordPress hack; otherwise, your website will be reinfected.

Guide 6: Remove Malware Warnings

If your WordPress website has been blacklisted by Google, McAfee, or any other vendor, request a review. All you have to do is to fill up a request review form for each blocklisting.

Ways To Remove Malware Warnings

• If a site is suspended by your hosting provider, call them immediately to ask for disclosing the suspension.
• Fill in a review request form correctly for each blocklisting authority.

How To Enhance The Security Of Your WordPress Website?

You will never want to get your site affected by WordPress Malware. So, let’s give a glimpse of the pros to protect your site from future hacks:

• Update all your outdated Software such as plugins, themes, PHP versions, WordPress, and more.
• Regularly change user passwords.
• Reduce the total number of entry points
• Keep your website and server up to date
• Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
• Run a WordPress Malware Scan using a reputed antivirus program.
• Use a firewall program to prevent any malware from attacking your site.

24×7 Online WordPress Support To Remove WordPress Malware From Your Site

Removing WordPress Malware from your WordPress website is probably now a cakewalk for you. We hope the aforementioned guidance has seriously lent you a hand in securing your site from malware attacks or any malicious threats. But, if all else fails, don’t panic! Professional WordPress Support is at your fingertips. Consult us via the 24/7 helpline number and get rid of the malware from your WordPress site in a couple of minutes.

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