Need Help with finding my hack!! (Network Solutions has me offline)

kyle_tv
(@kyle_tv)

9 years, 5 months ago

Hello Friends,

I’ve inherited a very poorly designed/coded website from my predecessor. It was built by a friend of a friend who did not have much experience in development. Our site is frequently offline or suspended by our host, Network Solutions (we are looking for a new host), for issues pertaining to a vulnerable plug-in or PHP that’s sending excessive amounts of e-mail.

I’m very green with WordPress and I’m not able to tell which files are capable of sending e-mail, let alone which could be vulnerable.

I was hoping some of you might have some suggestions on where to start looking? Or maybe have some tools I can run my files through, or something… anything…

Thanks.

(PS. our site is tv45.org)

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The Hack Repair Guy
(@tvcnet)

9 years, 5 months ago

Hi,
There are no free or easy ways to clean up a hacked website.

Unlike your computer, a website does not have viruses which can be removed. A website is just a collection of files.

In this case hacker appears to have modified some files. Which files were changed or need to be “fixed” is not possible to know without opening “the hood.”

That said, you’ll need to have someone work to assist you in replacing all WordPress core files, along with locating and removing any back door scripts that may be hiding within your code or files.
Andrew Nevins
(@anevins)

WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

9 years, 5 months ago
You need to start working your way through these resources:
Additional Resources:
Thread Starter kyle_tv
(@kyle_tv)

9 years, 5 months ago

Thanks for your replies, gents.

I’ve read/poured over some of the resources linked. My main problem is I don’t know how to tell which plug-in could be sending the emails.
I’ve updated/replaced the WP core files with a packaged downloaded from wordpress.org, which makes me think it’s plug-in related.

After working with the host, we’ve deduced it’s an exploit designed to send out mass emails. They can’t tell me the address the “hack” is using or where it’s going, they just know its email traffic.

I’m well aware there isn’t anything free or easy and I don’t mind paying. In fact, I’ve just hired a developer to build a new website ($30,000 contract).

Andrew Nevins
(@anevins)

WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

9 years, 5 months ago

Cool, if worst comes to worst you can hire the best to resolve this for you http://sucuri.net/website-antivirus/malware-removal/

The Hack Repair Guy
(@tvcnet)

9 years, 5 months ago

I likely not a plugin at all, and is likely a script installed by hacker which is not part of WordPress in any respect.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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Need Help with finding my hack!! (Network Solutions has me offline)

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