A hacked website isn't going to present itself with a big flashing warning. Instead it is more subtle - a sluggish page here, a weird redirect there, a customer claiming your link led them to a stranger place. While no one is looking, your integrity is being compromised, often costing you visitors and ranking points. These six hacking signs most webmasters overlook should give you pause.
Why a Hacked Website Often Goes Unnoticed
Attackers don't want to be noticed. They use your site to send spam, display ads, redirect visitors or host pages that sell something different. Most sites' owners rarely visit the controls area, and visitors won't stick around and let you know they're having trouble – they'll just leave. A site can be behaving badly for weeks before anyone notices. Owners generally learn only when a customer calls to complain, or when Google first detects the page.
Six Warning Signs of a Hacked Website
- Your web page used to download faster, and no one did anything on your side.
- People often arrive on an unknown site – alone from Google, or on mobile.
- You may find strange titles or pages in another language for your business in Google.
- There are other admin users you never created, or you are no longer able to log in.
- Google or your browser is telling your visitors your site might be fake or dangerous.
- You receive spam emails from yourdomain.com, or you notice pages that you didn't create.
Immediate Steps to Take
Keep calm and don't deleting anything in a panic, or you could be deleting the evidence you need. Follow this order:
- You update all passwords: hosting, website admin, database and email.
- Keep a copy of the site intact, so an expert can examine the site to understand what transpired.
- Update your platform, themes and plugins and delete what you don't use.
- Restore from a clean backup if you have one, then scan again.
The Google malware prevention guide can give an idea of what you should verify and how to mitigate the risk. It's so much easier to read this before an incident, than in one.
How to Minimize the Risk Next Time
Most attacks are with everyday vulnerabilities, like old plugins, weak passwords and accounts that nobody can remember. Keep your software up to date, turn on two-factor log-in, remove old plugins and archive regular backups offline. A few minutes of simple maintenance saves the pain of a break-in. Understand who has the keys to your website-former employees and agencies often left with access are another risk.
Getting a Website Health Check
No need to wait until your website breaks. A basic website health check scans for updates, security configurations, performance and any unintended changes. At One Hub we create and maintain business websites, and part of our website design and development services is to give you some practical guidance on how to keep your website secure. Call us for a website health check when you're uncertain – or maybe just once a year as standard.
FAQs
How do I know if my website got hacked?
Watch out for persistent slowdowns, redirects to unknown sites, unrecognized administrators, unexplained pages in Google and warning signs from your browser security. Sometimes the pages you normally look at show no change at all, which is why regular checks are important!
Can a hacked site damage my search engine ranking?
Yes, since Google might give security warnings or even remove certain pages, thereby losing site visitors and confidence, and restoration might take weeks if the problem remains unresolved.
What should I do first if my site is hacked?
Immediately change all the passwords, keep a copy of the site for an investigation and get a specialist to clean and secure the site before turning anything back on.
How can I prevent my website being hacked?
Maintain your software, strong passwords, two-factor login, deactivate plugins you are not using, and keep up backups stored separately from your site so one problem cannot take two.
How frequently do I need to monitor my website's health?
One quick check every month, and then an annual review by an expert who can look closely at the site, understand it and fix any issues they find.