The Situation
The site appeared to function normally. No obvious errors. No warnings from users.
The problem was discovered when:
- Organic traffic dropped sharply
- Search results showed suspicious page titles
- Hosting logs showed unusual activity
What We Found
The site had:
- An outdated plugin with a known vulnerability
- Malicious scripts injected into core files
- Spam links injected into the database
- A persistent backdoor allowing reinfection
The hack had likely been active for weeks.
The Cleanup Process
We:
- Isolated the site
- Scanned all files and the database
- Removed injected code
- Identified and closed the vulnerability
- Reset all credentials
- Removed abandoned plugins
Every change was verified, not assumed.
Recovery and Hardening
After cleanup, we:
- Updated all software
- Implemented monitoring
- Reviewed hosting configuration
- Added proper backup and security processes
- Reduced plugin surface area
The Outcome
- Site fully restored
- Search engine warnings resolved
- Traffic gradually recovered
- No reinfections
- Ongoing maintenance put in place
Most Hacks Follow This Pattern
This case wasn’t unusual.
It followed the same pattern seen repeatedly:
- Neglected updates
- No monitoring
- No clear maintenance plan
Once those gaps were closed, the problem stopped.
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