I Give Up.!
So there I was - happily getting traffic on Pinterest and speaking to a few people in Live Chat at WA - then someone sent me a PM - I can't access your site...It's been re-directed to another one...
Eh?? So I mozie on over to try and access my site - Weird Spanish message comes up on a white computer screen - Por favour - press button to be allowed to continue...
Another message comes up - this url would like to turn on notifications - Allow or Block...I blocked it..
Then spent half a day between Site Support and Live Chat trying to figure how to re-install and deactivate my plugins and theme as all the they are all now infected.
Even though I have been updating my plugins and themes on a regular basis - Thrive Leads got infected and infected all the rest.
Luvverly - I'm really not tech savvy and didn't know that plugins in Wordpress can get infected and also conflict with one another...
Meanwhile my site is suffering and I have just spent yesterday pointing Pinterest traffic to my site. GRRRR!
I really feel as if I've been wasting time either learning Thrive Architect, Aweber as an autoresponder and now WPress Theme re-installation...
Something needs to be fixed about Wordpress - OR - even better we at WA should be warned about the fact that plugins can conflict with one another, and also get infected with malware..
WA is great - but Wordpress needs to be overhauled and people need to know that their plugins can get infected even through updating. I have just read nathaniel's WA blog about him being hacked 8 years ago...
There is a way forward - but boy - does it take up precious time!!
PS - I know nothing about DropBox and now have to upload the theme file to it so Site Support can restore my theme...
And yes - this is a mini rant - I feel frustrated and exasperated at the same time....I woke up dancing this morning - but I sense it will become another long day...
MINI RANT OVER....!
UPDATE: And now you lovely passengers, please make sure you fasten your seatbelts as we are now preparing to land...
Site Support finally took the load off of my shoulders and have restored my site back to it's former glory - Phew!!
Recent Comments
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Hi, I just need some clarity. So if I understand correctly you got hacked due to the vulnerabilities of the plugins which hackers exploited to hack your site, is that correct? Or have I misunderstood? So I just want to clarify whether you are saying that the plugins themselves can get infected with malware or whether you mean that there can be vulnerabilities/weaknesses inside of plugins that can be exploited by hackers to hack your website?
Perhaps you need to read my profile info here too lol. I got hacked also due to plugin vulnerabilities back in 2014 and my websites got used for terrorist propaganda lol. Took me more than 4 years to build up the courage to get back in the game haha.
You may also want to watch my WA review YouTube video perhaps as I explain more about this in my video and why I decided to join WA. Oops, better website security was one of those reasons lol.
I may have some advice there for you in regards to plugins and what not to do and my solution. Not sure if my solution will also be your solution, but the tips offered may be helpful.
I am very sorry this happened to you. I know what it feels like having a flourishing business that gets completely destroyed within minutes.
Wishing you the very best of success!
Kind regards
Schalk
It doesn't make sense to me why terrorists would use your site. Why would they not just use their own? What was the content of your site based on, if you don't mind my asking?
No, very simple. They were not targeting my website only and my websites specifically. At the exact time they even hacked Air France too. It was random hackings. They replaced the index files of your websites with their propaganda page to get their message out to the world.
So whenever someone would visit any of my websites the terrorist organisations propaganda message will come up.
So thats it. The content of my sites had nothing to do with the hacking. It was just fitness related sites and online marketing/make money online type of sites.
If they can manage to get their message out via thousands of hacked websites, then of course it is quite an effective strategy to advance their agenda.
Flourishing business? More like a very pretty website with lots of valuable infomation about clearing eczema naturally...There's nothing like it on the web...So it's valuable..
And the mind boggles...talk about heading for a ditch...I wonder where mine's been re-directed to? I haven't tried finding out...The weird message is still showing on a white computer screen, but Site Support have said they can access my site...
Not sure how the hacker's got hold of my site - but they sure did cause me some trouble...still working on it!
Luckily you have some ICT professionals that can help you out. I went out solo at the time and had no idea how to even approach this and did not had the money to pay ICT professionals to see what can be done. It was a complete mess so would have taken a lot of man hours to fix that mess.
I am possibly to blame for what has happened in a way as the mistake I made was to buy cool WP plugins from platforms like Warrior Plus, JVZoo etc. but never considered that a lot of the guys that sell on there is just in it to make a quick buck and then do not continue to support their plugins.
So I used these plugins all over my numerous websites I had back then and then it started breaking all over my websites as I did not have the ability to update the plugins anymore due to it not being supported anymore.
My cousin is a computer programmer and he told me I am to blame due to not updating those particular plugins at the time, but I could not and was still trying to figure out what I was going to do when I got hacked. He reckons that they got in via the plugins weaknesses due to not being updated.
However, them managing to hack Air France made me wonder if this would even have helped my cause even if my plugins could be updated.
As a rule now I do not buy 3rd party plugins unless I am certain that it will be supported for many years to come.
Very nice to know...I am now fully wary of plugins to do with Wordpress...however, I have just popped over to Site Sell and they have recommendations for the best plugins to use...
I haven't given up quite yet, but as I don't know code and don't want to learn it, I'll have to go middle road and find the best way to go round this...Fortunately, their monthly price is very low due to pandemic at the moment.
I will find out the best recommended WP plugins to use...
What I do is to use a premium theme that comes with all features and built in plugins I will ever need. That is my solution. Then never ever any compatibility issues etc. or possibility of it not being updated and supported.
Only 3rd party plugins I use are things like All In One SEO plugin etc.
I now just use Avada for everything. People have different preferences, but that is my personal choice and all-round solution.
So sorry you had problems Stella. I would think its more likely the plugins. If they aren't updated regularly they can cause problems.
I always check before and after installing plugins to ensure there is no conflict. I learnt that the hard way.
Hope today is a better day.
At least on WA site support does its best to solve problems, unlike another site I have a website on that takes 2 weeks to respond to anything. There, 6 months on a security issue still hasn't been resolved. That site will be moving here to WA.
Yes, Site support is really great...That's why I'm not too bothered.
Only thing is I don't know how to upload a theme zip file to dropbox now...Looked all over the site for help and can't find an answer...The dropbox site that is...
Hi Stella,
Would you like a positive re-frame?
Life is just testing us.
And if we pass the test by persevering and not giving up, the reward could be $10,000 or $50,000 or $100,000+ a year or more.
I'm waiting on MemberPress Support which doesn't work on the weekends so my Course building is halted for the moment.
You'll get through this and do great!
To Your Success!
Mel
uh-oh, Mel! Time to shoot for following one million now! The gauntlet has been thrown! 🤣🤣🤣
Jeff
£1 million it is - WA has taught me so much - so between Solo Build It and WA I have no choice but to leave a legacy to the fourth generation of Stellas...
Sorry to hear about that.
A few days ago I noticed my traffic continued to drop.
After some investigation I found that a html code from mailchimp I insert in my header a week earlier is slowing down my site.
I removed the code and submitted to Google Search to validate the fix.
Now I have to wait.
Yes, running a website needs patience and that's how we learn.
I hope you fix your website asap and back to normal.
Fred
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Hello Stella. I think you should check out my last two blogs this week.
I had a similar problem although it was only one page for me. It was going to a page written in Chinese.
Site support couldn't help but I fixed it on my own.
One thing I'd suggest you start with, check wordpress back office to see if your pages are still there.
Candy Benn
Site support have found my site pages and want to restore them...but I've now been told to upload my theme via FTP - the learning curve just gets steeper and steeper.
I've used FTP but as far back as 2018 and have forgotten how to use it...I've got to follow a video Site Support have recommended...
I'd love to try and help you to figure it out.
Ok. Well that's something I haven't come across yet.
Don't worry, I'll just follow the WA video, it should refresh my memory...thanks for the offer though!
That's alright!