If your WordPress site has been hacked, it can be a frightening experience. You might be concerned about your data, website security, and the reputation of your business or domain. Luckily, there are steps you can take to help secure your site and get it back up and running.
Delete Suspicious Accounts
The first step is to delete all suspicious user accounts that have admin access level. It’s important to delete any suspicious accounts before taking the next steps, as the hacker may still have access even after you’ve changed all of your passwords.
Change Passwords
Next, you’ll want to change all admin passwords, including FTP/hosting/DB passwords. It’s important to use unique and complex passwords, as hackers may have guessed or stolen your old passwords. Additionally, you may want to change any passwords associated with plugins and themes that you have installed.
Back Up Your Site
After changing your passwords, it’s a good idea to back up your site or have your hosting provider do it for you. If you’re on managed hosting, you should have the hosting support team clean up and protect your site. This will help prevent the hacker from getting back in and make sure your data is secure.
Remove Suspicious Plugins
Finally, you’ll want to go through your installed plugins and themes and look for any suspicious ones. If you see one, delete it immediately. You may also want to install a security plugin like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded to help protect your site in the future.
Recovering a hacked WordPress site can be a difficult and time-consuming process, but by following these steps, all these headaches can be avoided. Remember it’s better to proactively protect your site rather then dealing with it after it’s been hacked!
