More than 10 million websites are hacked every year. Phishing and ransomware are major threats, but compromised credentials are the primary cause of breaches. You know your site’s been hacked if:
Your Traffic Rises Suddenly
If your website traffic spikes for no apparent reason, hackers might be sending spam emails from your server to improve their own search rank. Website security checks can detect spamvertising.
Your Visitors Are Being Redirected From Your Site
If your users are being redirected away from your site and trapped in an infinite refresh loop, you might have picked up some malware. Businesses such as //www.etempa.co.uk/website-security-checks/ can detect malware and other vulnerabilities.
Google Is Displaying a Warning Message
When Google detects malicious content, it creates a warning message for anyone attempting to use your site. Common warning messages include “Deceptive site ahead” and “This site may harm your computer.”
Redirects Are Sending Visitors To a New Site
Redirects occur due to cross-site scripting or code manipulation. Hackers may be sending your traffic to phishing pages or rival websites. If this is the case, your site may become slow to load or prone to freezing.
Your Host Suspends Your Website
If your hosting provider believes your site is infected, they might suspend it to prevent further damage.
If you’ve experienced a hack, your hosting provider might be able to diagnose the problem and send you access logs. It’s best to change your passwords, secure your devices, and restore your site from a clean backup.