Hacked & Security
My WordPress Site Was Hacked
Updated
wordpress site hacked
What's happening
If your site is redirecting visitors to spam, showing ads you never added, or carrying a Google warning, someone (most likely an automated bot) got in and is using it for their own ends. A hacked site can almost always be cleaned up and kept, without starting over.
Other signs: pharmaceutical or gambling pages you didn't create, emails going out that you didn't write, or search traffic that dropped overnight. Google may show "This site may be hacked" under your listing, and Chrome may show visitors a red "Dangerous site" warning.
Why it happens
Most hacked WordPress sites were running something out of date with a known security hole — an old plugin, theme, or core version — that a routine update would have closed. Weak passwords and missing security layers make it easier. It's rarely personal; bots probe millions of sites looking for the unlocked door.
What you can safely try
- Change your passwords (WordPress, hosting, and email) from a device you trust.
- Take the site offline or put up a maintenance page if it's actively harming visitors.
- Don't assume one cleanup is enough — if the hole isn't closed, it comes right back.
When to call us
A hack is the moment to bring in someone who knows where attackers hide things. We remove the infection, find and close the hole that let it in, harden the site against another attempt, and send Google the review request to clear any warnings. Lifting a warning is Google's decision, made on Google's timeline. We clean it up at a flat rate you approve before any work starts.
Common questions
- Should I just delete everything and start over?
- Usually not — that throws away your content and your search ranking, and it doesn't address how they got in. A proper cleanup removes the infection, keeps your site intact, and closes the door they came in through.
- Google is showing a 'this site may be hacked' warning — can that be removed?
- Usually, yes. Once the site is genuinely clean and the vulnerability is patched, you ask Google to review it, and Google decides when the warning comes off. The key word is *genuinely* — asking before it's fully cleaned just resets the clock.
Related terms
Want this fixed for you?
Hacked Site Recovery
From $249, flat rate. You approve the price before we start.
Not an emergency? Get a free audit of your site, done by a person, no obligation.