Your site looks different
Sometimes we suddenly find our website looks different. The formatting has been lost or the screen has gone blank. Or the backend has lost it's typical look and feel.
Either your site has components that are out of sync or you may have a malware infection. This is time to open a ticket.
Testing for malware
If you can remember how to access your Cpanel then you could run a scan on your site using our Imunify scanner which you will find under the "Security Tab". The scan will tell you if you have a malware infection and then we will need a technical specialist to clean it up for you.
The cost of repairing an infected site
The cost depends on the time taken to fix the site. This will depend on a number of factors:
- The size of your website.
- The length of time that the site has been infected.
- The severity and type of the malware.
Typically these charged range from R650 to R2000 with the majority falling in the R900 odd category.
Why does my site get infected?
The reasons are multiple. You could have introduced the malware when you made your last post using your computer. Any malware on the your computer can be transferred with uploads.
One of your sites plugins could have been used as a gateway to introduce the malware.
You may have suffered a "brute force attack"where someone has guessed your password using a computer algorithm. The brute force attacks are typically aimed at sites with quite a bit of traffic. So the better your site performs the more likely you will be as a target.
You may be one of those people who use the same password on multiple sites and your password has been compromised on another sites attack. Many retailers eCommerce stores have been affected. They are supposed to let you know but that is not always the case.
Check if your password has possibly been compromised by running it through this url: https://haveibeenpwned.com
Have I been Pawned is a useful site that will let you know when and where your email address and possibly passwords have been distributed to the hacker community. If you are a victim you need to change your passwords immediately, implement difficult passwords on all your login credentials and store your passwords on either Chrome, Safari browser password reminders of buy a copy of 1Password or Enpass to store your passwords.
