How to Tell If Your Website Has Been Hacked: 7 Warning Signs and What to Do

by Jason Sindram | Jun 6, 2025 | WordPress Maintenance

Your website is still online… but something feels off. Maybe clients are reporting problems, or Google flags your domain. Hacks can go unnoticed for days—or even weeks.

Here are 7 signs that your WordPress site might be compromised—and what you should do right now.


1. ⚠️ Your website redirects to strange websites

Casino, adult, or crypto spam? If your site redirects visitors, it's likely infected with malicious code.


2. 🧪 Unknown users or admins in WordPress

Check your users. If you see unfamiliar accounts, delete them immediately and change all your passwords.


3. 🐌 Your website is suddenly slow

Extreme slowness can be a sign your server is being hijacked to send spam or run scripts in the background.


4. 🦠 Google displays a security warning for your domain

Messages like “This site may be hacked” or removal from search results damage your traffic and reputation.


5. 🛑 Plugins or themes behave strangely

Menus change, settings reset themselves, layouts look broken—and you didn’t touch anything. That’s suspicious.


6. 💬 You're getting strange spam through your contact forms

A sudden spike in form spam can indicate a breach or injection.


7. 🔒 You can't log into your site anymore

Your login doesn't work, or your admin account has disappeared. That’s a red flag.


🚨 What to do if your site is hacked

  • 🔧 Take the site offline or enable maintenance mode
  • 🧼 Scan for and remove malware
  • 🔐 Change all passwords—WordPress, hosting, email
  • 📦 Restore from a clean backup if available
  • 🛡️ Secure your site to prevent future hacks

🧰 Prevention is easier than cleanup

Strong security and regular maintenance make your site much harder to hack. No time or technical skills? I can help.

➡️ Want to check if your site is secure? Request a free security audit.