I’m just a little website, storing no customer data.
Why would I get hacked?
Hackers aren’t necessarily targeting you specifically. They’ve created a program that will scan the Internet for files they know are outdated and/or accessible. Once they’ve identified these files, the program will add harmful code to the file.
Why should I worry?
Types of hacks can include a simple screen that say the site’s been hacked, or a redirect that will take site visitors to a new site upon reaching the infected site. In addition, another type of hack can take you to malicious pop-ups and pharmaceutical content and links.
Once infected, hackers can place malware that will track you and your site visitors actions online, grab your passwords, or install viruses just to name a few things.
What can it do to my business?
Once your site has been hacked, it doesn’t just affect the user experience and potentially harm your site visitors; it can also affect your reputation.
- Google will stop showing your site in search results and drop your page rank.
- If your site does pop-up, Google will add “This Site May Be Hacked.” to your search snippet.
- If a user clicks the site they may be presented with a red screen warning the user that the site is harmful and not let them visit the site, or they may be redirected to a new “spam” site, thus never reaching your site.
- If a Pharma Hack, a variety of prescription drugs primarily being Viagra, has attacked you it will display in the text of your search results and/or throughout your page content, deterring the user from visiting your site.
- These messages gives a potential customer a sense of insecurity or lack of trust in your business.
- Depending on the severity of the hack, you could lose website files, changes, or important customer information.
Without proper site monitoring, a hacked site may go unnoticed for days, weeks, or even months, preventing potential customers from contacting you unless they find your contact details some place else.
The increase of popularity in WordPress combined with consistent updates to core files and plugins has made WordPress websites more prone to getting hacked if not properly maintained. It’s important to be proactive and perform routine updates in a controlled environment to protect your investment, customers, and business.
Contact us to learn more about how we can protect and care for your website.