If you suspect your website is compromised, it’s crucial to act fast. A compromised site puts your users, reputation, and business at risk. Whether your homepage was defaced, your visitors are being redirected, or you’ve received a security warning from Google, don’t panic—this guide will help you recover quickly and securely.
Signs Your Website Has Been Compromised
You might be dealing with a compromised site if you notice:
- Your website is redirecting to unknown or malicious sites
- There are new admin users you didn’t create
- Google shows your site as “This site may be hacked”
- Unexpected files appear on your server
- Your site is blacklisted by antivirus tools
If you’re seeing posts or support tickets with the title “website gehackt” (German for “website hacked”), you’re not alone—this is a global issue.
Step-by-Step Recovery Guide
1. Take the Site Offline Temporarily
Use a maintenance mode plugin or restrict access with an .htaccess rule while you investigate.
2. Change All Passwords
Immediately update:
- Website admin passwords
- Hosting control panel login
- FTP/SFTP credentials
- Database access credentials
3. Scan Your Website for Malware
Use a scanner like:
- PressVuln.com to detect plugin or theme vulnerabilities
- Wordfence or Sucuri for file-level malware detection
4. Remove or Restore
If you have a clean backup from before the compromise, restore it. Otherwise, carefully remove malicious files and repair infected code.
5. Notify Affected Users
If customer data may have been accessed, inform your users and reset affected passwords.
How to Prevent Future Website Compromises
- Keep software updated (WordPress core, plugins, themes)
- Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts
- Install a web application firewall (WAF)
- Regularly scan both your website and your personal computer
- Use two-factor authentication wherever possible
Final Thoughts
A website compromised incident is serious—but recoverable. React quickly, clean thoroughly, and strengthen your defenses moving forward.
Once you’ve restored your site, scan it again using PressVuln.com to ensure no vulnerabilities remain.