Moving your domain name to another provider is a relatively simple process. Many hosts have a domain transfer form of some sort that you an use to ask for a transfer. Other just ask you to contact them directly.
First you need to get you your new hosting sorted. Although we cannot endorse them, there are some hosts listed here. Also searching the forums using the keywords “host” or “hosting” may provide you with some suggestions. Once you have made your decision, you can sign up to your new hosts and let them know that you already have a domain name. At this point they should provide with an IPSTAG – their unique registrar label. You then pass this info yo your old hosts when you ask for a domain transfer. The two hosts then sort it out between them. The whole process can take anything from a few days to a week. Your new hosts should let you know when the process is complete.
Do you intend to start with a completely fresh, empty install of WordPress?
Moving to a new host is not terribly stressful.
The better hosts will move your site for you free of charge within a an hour or two of your request.
Before you switch make sure to move to a web host who boasts about security on their home page, instead of blue eyes girls grinning back at you.
Search in Google for web host with phrases on their home page like:
free daily malware scanning
pci compliance
secure WordPress hosting
A search for these should get you going in the right direction.
I have been working with my current web host, Hostpapa, to save my site. To date I am unable to get into my cpanel nor can I change the password to my wordpress admin panel. I am stuck and hope that hostpapa can help me here otherwise they will have to reset my site, a process that is destructive. I will lose my data. The work of rebuilding my site after a reset may be the same as starting over with a new web host. That’s where I’m at. Decision time is approaching.
If your database was not hacked (which is unlikely given the hacks I’ve been seeing at HP), then you are probably fine.
Moving to a new host, as long as your cpanel or FTP login works, should allow new host to move your data nicely. If host has any proficiently with WordPress the move is generally quite straightforward.
I would first install the same version of WP at new host, then export db from HP using phymyadmin, and import into new host using phymyadmin. Then it’s just a matter of changing the wp-config.php to the new hosts settings and all should be back to normal.
Now, in some cases I’ve seen hacker has actually replaced a theme file like 404.php or header.php with their hacker coding. In these cases I’ve just hunted down the original theme in Google, then copied the php coding from the original theme into the hacked file. That fixed client’s website nicely.
Really, it’s not that complicated for anyone with a general understanding of WordPress.
There are a few hosts out there that have no qualms in transferring all files and db to get your site running with their new service.
See my notes above for Google queries to find the good security and customer service minded hosts.
A lot of times people getting hack also contribute to their personal security mindset is not there such as using weak username & password for ftp instead of sftp account, not using security plugins(wordfence, bulletproof ,etc)or services(cloudflare, incapsula, any other services which uses cloud & CDN), etc. Usually a good password with upper,lower ,special characters and numbers of a minimum 15 characters length which make very harder to crack using dictionary attack. Even if attackers can download the password hashes and attack with rainbow tables in which also require so times to really crack your password. Before i proceed further, i have to stop here before getting the post deleted 🙂
Note : Being conservative toward computer security is just a good target for crackers/ script kiddies. Rejecting it is just being naive.
That is good advice. As I have mentioned in my first conversation, ‘hacked by hacker’,
I am a neophyte when it comes to all of this. I did not extent the wisdom of a strong password that I would employ for my financial affairs to my the protection of my web site. So, for this situation I have learned a number of very painful lessons.
Sometime you do not need to go through the painful process, if you learn to take hints and digest what given by people. Do some study and learn from people. Nothing is bulletproof including NASA website has been hacked countless times.
