My Website Has Been Hacked. What Should I do?

Each day, thousands of websites are compromised by internet hackers. These stealthy intrusions are often invisible, but the damage they cause is far from benign. Just visiting a hacked site makes computers susceptible to dangerous code. Once infected, some of these viruses can record user keystrokes and can even steal the login information for financial transactions.

You may not believe your website is a target, but any weakness is a potential opportunity for cybercriminals. Websites which are not fully up-to-date are wide open for attack. In fact, automated tools exist so hackers can crawl the web in search of unsecure websites and infect them with malicious code. Don’t be a victim!

Our team at WishDesk points out some clues that indicate whether or not your website has been compromised. If you have been hacked, let’s see what you can do to rescue your website and prevent further attacks.

How do you know if your website has been hacked?

How vulnerable are you? No matter what content management system (CMS) your platform is built on, it should always be kept up to date. Check to see if any security updates are missing. If so, here is almost 100% chance you will be hacked in the near future — if you have not been already.

So what are the signs? There are some other indications that might mean your website has been hacked:

• Look for unfamiliar users with administrative permissions or roles.
• Look for files with some obvious naming in the website code.
• Check redirects on your pages. If your website has been hacked, it may link off to pages it is not supposed to or navigation might not work at all.
• Look through your content and comments. If the website is hacked, unrelated data might appear on your website.

If you are not familiar with your website’s code, hire a web development team that will check it for you. Interrupting the code without the proper knowledge may put your platform down. 

Besides, Google will label your platform as hacked or harmful if its search bots find any suspicious activity on your website.

What can a hacked website cost your business?

Financial expenses related to a hacker attack pale in comparison to the harm to your reputation and the loss of a customer trust. Here is what you stand to lose:

• Lost Revenue

The more traffic your platform gets, the more conversions you will lose if your website gets hacked. There is no money to earn when your web resource is unavailable to visitors.

• Lost Data

Hacked websites suffer data compromise, damage and loss. These can make your business completely inoperable. Here’s a tip — perform daily website backups and think about a reliable hosting provider. For example, WishDesk provides high-quality hosting services for digital platforms.

• Lost Traffic and Credibility

When Google search bots encounter malicious code on your website, your platform is labeled as hacked or harmful to prevent ordinary users from visiting dangerous pages. Even after your site is fully recovered, you’ll have to wait for a week or more for Google to remove you from its blacklist. Aside from the stain of harboring a virus, your site will suffer a costly quarantine from visitor traffic.

• Lost Customer Loyalty

Visitors are hesitant to entrust the security of their personal data to websites that were previously compromised. Long after your website gets hacked, your reputation will continue to suffer.

Hire Professionals to Rescue Your Hacked Website

Fixing the platform after a hacker attack requires some in-depth knowledge about the inner structure and working processes of the website. If you find yourself a victim, it is best to seek the help of an expert.

The road to recovery is much faster and easier with backups and a team of professionals. Remember that preserving a record of your website will serve to provide an essential reference to its restoration in case it becomes compromised again.

Guide Your Website from Being Hacked Again

In order to safeguard your website, make sure your software is always up-to-date. A website maintenance plan will guarantee your platform’s functionality. 

A team of professionals can protect your site 24/7 and perform updates and add new features to keep the platform fresh and prevent it from bugs and hackers. Today, investing in cybersecurity means investing in the future. Besides, you need SSL certificate to encrypt data. SSL certificate helps keep website visitors as well as your information safe.

It’s much easier to inoculate yourself than to suffer a long recovery from disease. The same goes with hacker attacks and website restoration. Think about your website security in advance. Contact WishDesk web development company for obtaining site backups, website maintenance plan or any support regarding your hacked website.