Hacked website? We’ll clean it up and lock it down
If your site shows a red warning, sends visitors to strange pages or was shut off by your host, call us now. We remove the malware and find how it got in. Then we close the hole and ask Google to lift its warning.
What’s included
Cleanup, cause found, lockdown and Google review requests
“Chrome shows a red warning screen when people try to visit us.”
“Google shows “This site may be hacked” under our link.”
“Visitors get sent to casino or pharmacy sites instead of ours.”
“Pages we never wrote, some in other languages, show up in Google under our name.”
“Our hosting company suspended the account because of malware.”
“There’s an admin user on the site that nobody here created.”
What we do
A real cleanup removes both the infection and the way in. Deleting only what you can see often means the hackers walk back in through the same door.
Contain the damage
We save a copy of the infected site as evidence, block the attack and, if visitors are at risk, put up a temporary maintenance page.
Remove the malware
We scan the files and the database and take out what doesn’t belong: injected code, hidden back doors, fake admin users, spam pages. Clean copies of the core files go back in place.
Find how they got in
Usually it’s an outdated plugin or theme, a weak or reused password, or loose hosting settings. You get a short report that names the cause.
Lock it down
We update everything and set new passwords everywhere, with two-step sign-in on top. Unused plugins come out and file permissions get fixed. A firewall goes in front of the site.
Clear Google’s warnings
Once the site is clean, we ask Google to review it through Search Console and check other blocklists, so the warnings can come down.
Tidy up search results
We ask Google to drop the spam pages from its results and keep an eye on your rankings, which often slip while a site is flagged.
Backups and monitoring
Fresh off-site backups and alerts on file changes, so if anything comes back, we know first.
From the first call to a clean site
1
Call or send your site address
Right away
Tell us what you’re seeing. We ask for hosting and website access so we can start.
2
Contain and clean
1–2 days
We block the attack and remove the malware. Before the site goes back to normal, we confirm it’s clean.
3
Close the hole
About 1 day
We fix whatever let the attackers in. Everything gets updated, and the site gets stronger protection.
4
Ask Google to review
A few days to a few weeks
We send review requests to Google and other blocklists. Google says its review can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
5
Watch closely
The following weeks
We watch the site for new changes and act on anything suspicious, so a reinfection is caught early.
Your first-hour checklist
If you just found out, take a breath. These steps limit the damage while help is on the way.
Don’t delete the site
It feels like the fastest fix, but you lose the clues to how they got in, and often your good content too.
Change your passwords
Hosting, website admin, email and domain registrar. Use a new password for each, one you don’t use anywhere else. Turn on two-step sign-in where you can.
Call your hosting company
Ask whether they’ve spotted the problem, whether they have a clean backup and whether the account is suspended.
Check Google Search Console
If you have it set up, the Security Issues report shows what Google found and which pages are affected.
Write down what you saw
When it started, what customers reported, any odd emails or new users. Screenshots help us move faster.
Be careful with instant fixes
A quick scan that removes only the visible symptoms usually leaves the back door open. Ask anyone you hire how they’ll find the cause.
Get help
Call us or send your site address. We’ll tell you what we see and what it will take.
If customer payment or personal details may have been exposed, ask your lawyer whether you need to notify anyone. This checklist is general guidance, not legal advice.
What it costs
Starting at$450
The starting price covers cleanup of a typical hacked business site. That means containing the attack and removing the malware. We also find and close the way in, then lock the site down. Review requests to Google are included too. You get a fixed price after a short look at the damage.
Common signs are a red browser warning, “This site may be hacked” under your link in Google, redirects to spam sites, strange new pages or admin users, or a suspension notice from your host. Sometimes the only sign is a sudden drop in visits. If you’re not sure, we can check.
How long does it take to clean a hacked website?
Most cleanups take one to three days once we have access, depending on the size of the site and how deep the infection goes. Google’s review of its warning is a separate step that can take from a few days to a few weeks.
How do I get my site off Google’s blacklist?
First the site must be fully clean and the cause fixed. Then a review is requested in the Security Issues report in Google Search Console, and once Google confirms the site is clean, the warning comes off. We handle the whole process, including other blocklists.
Will my site get hacked again?
No one can honestly promise it won’t. What we can do is close the way in and update everything. We add a firewall and two-step sign-in, and we keep watching. That stops the automated attacks behind most hacks.
Why would anyone hack a local business website?
Most attacks are automated. Bots scan the web around the clock for known weak spots, like an outdated plugin, and break in wherever they find one. They want your site’s visitors and good name, not your business in particular.
Do I need to switch hosting companies?
Not always. If the hosting itself was the way in, or it can’t support basic security, we’ll say so and help you move. Otherwise we secure the site where it is.
Can a Shopify, Wix or Squarespace site be hacked?
Those platforms handle server security themselves, so trouble there usually means a stolen login or a bad app. We help you secure the account and remove suspicious apps and users. We also check what was changed.
Get a free website review
Send us your website address. We’ll look at it the way your customers do and tell you, in plain English, what to fix first.
