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      Elimination and prevention of hacks

      Hacking reasons

      Hacking is the most common cause of malicious code on a website. The main reasons for hacking:

      Leaked login/password for the account, server control panel, CMS panel, FTP or SSH. Login and password can be stolen for the following reasons:
      • malware on the local computer,
      • connection to the server without encryption (use encrypted protocols - SSH, SFTP, HTTPS).
      Vulnerability of the site code:
      • outdated version of the CMS or its components that have vulnerabilities.
      • vulnerabilities in site scripts.

      If there was a hack

      First, find the vulnerability that led to the hack. As a rule, these are site scripts. It is recommended to constantly monitor the security of sites. Timely elimination of vulnerabilities avoids most hacks.

      You can enable access logs in the server control panel. All logs will be saved in the access_log file in the site directory. We can also provide access logs to your web server. To do this, create a request to technical support and specify the period for which logs are needed.

      You can recover intact site files and database from a backup copy. Our hosting runs free weekly backups. Also, backup is configured in the server control panel:

      ISPmanager​, 

      VestaCP

      DirectAdmin

      After removing the deletion of infected files, it is recommended to do the following:

      • change all passwords for accessing the server, server control panel, website, FTP, database,
      • update CMS and all its components to the latest current versions,
      • check the site for vulnerabilities. To do this, you can use free software, for example, AI-Bolit from Revisium.

      How to prevent hacking

      In order to reduce the likelihood of being hacked, follow these guidelines:

      1. Use complex passwords to access the server, control panel, website, FTP. It is also recommended to change passwords regularly.

      2. To provide access to the site for third parties, create separate users with limited rights. Do not give third parties administrator passwords to access the server and site.

      3. Back up sites.

      4. Use only verified versions of CMS and their components. Also update them regularly to the latest versions.

      5. Use secure protocols for server administration and data transfer - SSH, SFTP, HTTPS.

      6. Use additional software to protect the server and sites.

      If you still have questions, please create a ticket to technical support.