This page explains how to identify if a website has been hacked, describes common attack methods like zombie bots and DDoS attacks, and recommends security solutions including plugins, CDN services, and secure hosting. V Digital Services offers secure hosting with multiple layers of protection and offers free assessments for hacked sites.
Overview
This page explains how to identify if a website has been hacked, describes common attack methods like zombie bots and DDoS attacks, and recommends security solutions including plugins, CDN services, and secure hosting. V Digital Services offers secure hosting with multiple layers of protection and offers free assessments for hacked sites.
Has Your Website Been Hacked? Here's What To Do Next
Has Your Website Been Hacked? Here's What To Do Next V DIGITAL SERVICES BLOG Straight From The Pros Website Hacked? Learn What To Do Next Website Development Posted by Angie M. On April 16, 2021 Updated Oct 29th, 2024 Identifying a Website Hack As you may already know the internet is full of criminals and scammers. Websites today are under constant attack by malicious bots. Not all bots are bad but some are looking for openings and weaknesses in a website’s security. Most of these bots are malware that has infected users computers or even other websites. Most of these users do not know they are infected and the same goes for the website owner. These are called Zombie bots and they can be used by the hackers to take over the use of the computer or website. They may be running quietly in the background doing things like mining crypto currency, sending spam, or be the place holder for the malware to infect another computer. The background work can cause your website to run slow and lower your rankings. Those links you see in Phishing emails that you should know not to click on, well that could be your website. You could be delivering a malicious payload to unsuspecting users or be sending the Phishing emails and not even know it. That is until your site gets blacklisted. Protecting Your Site Against Being Hacked You can protect your website with plugins like Wordfence and WP engine. You will also need real time scanners to check for malware that may have slipped through. However another layer of security would be required for DDOS attacks (Distributed Denial of Service). This is when a botnet (a network of bots) from the internet simultaneously sends regular requests to your website. This can overwhelm your website unless you have purchased enough bandwidth and CPU from your hosting provider. One drawback to having only protection through plugins on your website is that it puts more load on website resources and can impact performance. Companies like Cloudflare or Securi can help with offloading the security of your website as a front end as well as provide caching to take even more load off your website. The Benefit of Secure Hosting With V Digital Services V Digital Services offers secure hosting that provides a full service approach. With multiple layers of protection, scanner and warning systems in place and the ability to quickly clean up any security issues that may arise. With perimeter protection most of the attacks stop before reaching the website thus preventing excess load on that site. Please contact us if you have been hacked for a free assessment. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Print Email Angie M. Web Services Manager - H&M Angie is the Web Services Manager of Hosting & Maintenance at V Digital Services. With her extensive experience of over 25 years in web development, UX (user experience), digital marketing, and project management, Angie brings a wealth of expertise to the team. Her leadership and knowledge contribute significantly to the team’s ability to deliver responsive and high-quality website solutions. Connect on LinkedIn Get To Know Us Your full-service digital marketing agency and trusted Google Premier Partner Get Started 2026 V Digital Services | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | SITEMAP | Privacy | Terms Of Use | Cookies | Accessibility | Your Privacy Rights Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our policies linked above. V Digital Services may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. ©2026 V Digital Services, LLC. All rights reserved. Do Not Sell or Share My Information
Frequently Asked Questions
What are zombie bots and how do they affect websites?
Zombie bots are malware-infected bots that hackers can use to take over computers or websites. They run quietly in the background doing things like mining cryptocurrency, sending spam, or serving as placeholders for malware to infect other computers. This background activity can cause websites to run slow and lower their search rankings.
How can a hacked website harm users?
A hacked website could be delivering malicious payloads to unsuspecting users or sending phishing emails without the owner's knowledge. Users may receive phishing emails with links from your website, and your site could get blacklisted as a result.
What security tools are recommended to protect a website?
The page recommends using plugins like Wordfence and WP Engine, along with real-time malware scanners. For DDoS attack protection, companies like Cloudflare or Securi can help by offloading security to a front-end service and providing caching to reduce website load.
What is a DDoS attack?
A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack occurs when a botnet—a network of bots from the internet—simultaneously sends regular requests to a website. This can overwhelm a website unless the hosting provider has sufficient bandwidth and CPU resources.
What does V Digital Services offer for website security?
V Digital Services offers secure hosting with multiple layers of protection, scanners, warning systems, and the ability to quickly clean up security issues. They provide perimeter protection to stop most attacks before they reach the website, preventing excess load. They also offer free assessments for hacked websites.
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