Most new WordPress website owners are unaware of WordPress security scanners. That’s why hidden malware can linger on their WordPress server for a long time unnoticed.
If the purpose of the malicious code is achieved, the hacker will have access to the website and can do whatever they want.
You should be familiar with the act of scanning your website before it’s too late – start now.
It will protect your site from future attacks, and you can take charge of your WordPress security like a pro.
Interestingly, you don’t need coding skills; just plugins and a few prescribed steps and you’re good.
Don’t be in a hurry to leave this post without learning how to scan your WordPress website for malware detection.
Possible Ways Malware Attacks
There are numerous ways hackers target your website for hacking. One is brute force.
It is the repeated use of randomly guessed login details until one works and grants them access. These hackers use botnet tools to target a site for this action.
Sometimes you might accidentally click on a phishing link. Don’t click on redirects that you don’t understand; don’t be ignorant.
A sweet leek involves outdated plugins, themes, and unpatched exploits. Also, servers with old versions of PHP.
These are vulnerabilities where target bots can easily get access to your site.
Website owners mostly download malware on their devices accidentally when they click on bad links. If you’re already in trouble, let’s fix it in 3 steps.
Steps to Scan Your WordPress Website for Malware Detection
Now that you’ve known some possible loopholes for malware into your system, here are six steps to scan your WordPress website for malware detection:
#1. Get an Anti-Malware Plugin:
Don’t wait until your website starts malfunctioning before considering malware scan plugins. If you don’t know where to begin, here are a few:
- Sucuri: Don’t mention WordPress anti-malware plugins without Sucuri. It is the best WordPress security plugin. You can use Sucuri as a WordPress firewall to speed up your site. Sucuri helps you scan your website for threats and also reinforces your site security. Install the plugin on WordPress, activate it, and manage your site security at the Sucuri dashboard. It’s free.
- MalCare: Malcare is a WordPress security plugin that automatically scans your site files and database for backdoors, malware, suspicious codes, etc., daily. When done, you’ll get notifications on the scan results.
- Wordfence: This is another popular WordPress security plugin (like Sucuri) that allows quick scanning of your WordPress site for hidden malware, malicious code, and URLs. Although Wordfence automatically scans for these vulnerabilities, you can go deeper to dig out faults anytime.
#2. Scan for Hidden Malware:
Feel free to choose any malware detection plugin of your choice, but in this post, we’ll be using Wordfence. Here’s how to scan your WordPress site for hidden malware with Wordfence:
- Navigate to WordFence – Scan, ignore the numerous days, and locate ‘Start New Scan.’
- Click on “Start New Scan”; that’s it.
- After the scan, you’ll receive detailed log results.
- There are many tabs and elements on the Wordfence Interface that you should spend time seeking out.
After Scanning
After the scan for malware with Wordfence, the next thing is to understand what the results are saying.
- If the results are labeled with a red dot, that means High Priority, and it requires urgent attention.
- What you should do is use the feature on Wordfence that allows you to delete all deletable files with the click of a button.
Before any major deletions, always back up important documents – luckily, Wordfence reminds you of that.
What to do After Removing the Hidden Malware
After removing the hidden malware on your site, the next thing is prevention.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Update your password: To avoid future admin password compromise, you should change them. Use the plugin to change the password and enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
- Confirm Registered Users: Maybe you might have granted access to a fellow for any activities without logging them out. After a change of oasis, confirm that people with access to the site are registered users.
- Backup Your Site: Back up your website files. There might be a malware attack in the future, and you might want to ensure your files are safe.
Conclusion
Run malware scans as routine.
This will keep you two steps ahead, preventing you from doing the heavy lifting when calamity strikes.
If you’re concerned about the best WordPress malware scanners, then Join me for the Wordfence gang.
Read Also: 5 Ways to Fix Your Slow-Loading Website
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Debashrita @ The WP Website Help Team