Getting malware on your website can be a real problem and it’s important you know how to deal with it quickly and efficiently to prevent future infections.

Here are five steps you need to take if you suspect that your site has a malware infection.

1. Make Sure it’s Malware

If you suspect that your website has malware, visit Google’s malware detection site to make sure. Once you’ve confirmed that it is indeed malware, proceed to step two. If it isn’t malware, then something else is acting up and you should contact your hosting company.

2. Quarantine and Remove

Before you do anything, take down your site temporarily to prevent the malware from spreading to other websites and computers. Then, contact your hosting company to either get their help with removing the malware, or use malware removal tools like SiteLock, which is included in many hosting packages.

3. Passwords and Logins

Before your website goes live again, change all of your passwords. This includes the hosting passwords, admin login, etc.

4. Search for Weaknesses

Look for backdoors that have been installed by hackers and other weaknesses that got your site infected. This can be done by either going over all of the files manually or using a third party tool recommended by your hosting company.

5. Back Everything Up

Always make sure to back your files up and save backups from different dates. This will come in handy if you can’t find the malware and need to erase the entire website. If you host your site with us, you can always easily restore your file from backup drive. Most good hosting provider will have backup.