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How to Survive Your WordPress Website Being Hacked

Your website’s been hacked. Deep breath — we’ve got your back.

With WordPress powering 43% of the internet, hackers are like kids in a candy store. But here’s the thing: getting hacked isn’t the end of the world. It’s fixable. Let’s get you back up and running.

“Why Would Anyone Hack MY Website?”

Here’s the truth: it’s rarely personal. Hackers are lazy. They use automated bots that crawl the web looking for easy targets — kind of like someone trying every door handle on a street until they find one that’s unlocked.

They don’t care if you’re a small business or a global brand. If there’s a way in, they’ll take it. And with WordPress being practically half the internet, that’s a lot of doors to try.

First Aid for Your Hacked Site

Step 1: Stop the Bleeding

Your website’s showing a hack message or throwing up warnings? Not great for business. Let’s get a temporary page up fast:

  • Think of it as putting up an “Under Maintenance” sign
  • Quick fix: Set up a simple landing page on a different server
  • Keep your contact details visible so customers can still reach you

Step 2: Change the Locks

First thing you do when you lose your house keys? Change the locks. Same goes here:

  • FTP passwords
  • Hosting control panel access
  • Database passwords
  • WordPress login details
  • Security keys

Step 3: Save Everything

Before we start fixing, let’s grab a copy of everything — just in case:

  • All your files and folders
  • Your content (WordPress has an export tool for this)
  • Your database
  • Your site settings

Step 4: Clean House

Time to get rid of anything suspicious:

  1. Turn off all plugins (yes, all of them)
  2. Get your hosting company in the loop
  3. Clear out the old WordPress files
  4. Start fresh with a clean WordPress install
  5. Carefully bring your content back
  6. Test everything twice

Prevent It From Happening Again

Backups Are Your Best Friend

Think of backups like insurance for your website. You hope you’ll never need them, but you’ll be thankful they’re there if you do.

Keep Everything Updated

Running old versions of WordPress, themes, or plugins is like leaving your front door wide open. Updates aren’t just for new features — they patch security holes.

Add Some Muscle

  • Get a website firewall (it’s like a bouncer for your site)
  • Use CloudFlare (think of it as a security shield)
  • Keep the bad guys out before they can cause trouble

Let Us Be Your Website’s Bodyguard

Look, keeping a WordPress website secure is a full-time job. It’s like trying to keep your house safe — you need alarms, locks, and someone keeping an eye on things.

Our WordPress Care Plans handle all of it:
✓ We watch for trouble 24/7
✓ Keep everything updated
✓ Run regular security checks
✓ Back up everything (offsite, where it’s safe)
✓ Fix issues before they become problems
✓ Keep your site running fast

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

If you’re staring at a hacked website right now, give us a call. If you’re not — let us keep it that way.

We’ve helped countless businesses recover from and prevent WordPress hacks. Your website security is our obsession, so you can focus on what you do best — running your business.

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