8 Feb 2024
If you receive a notification from your hosting provider or Google indicating that your website is sending spam, it means that your website has been infected with a file that is sending unauthorized emails to a list of addresses. This can lead to your website being blacklisted, and all email communication from your IP address might be blocked, causing significant issues, especially if you use your email for business purposes.
To address the issue and prevent further spamming, follow these steps:
1. **Check if you are on a blacklist**: You can use websites like `mxtoolbox.com` to check if your IP address is blacklisted. This will give you an indication if your email communications are affected.
2. **Identify and remove the spam file**: To find and remove the spam file, you need some background knowledge. Spam files are usually PHP scripts and are often encoded using `eval` or `base64`, making them difficult to recognize when opened in a code editor. Compare your current website files to a fresh WordPress installation to identify suspicious files. Look for files with unusual names or those added at a different time than the rest of your files.
3. **Fix the root cause**: Simply removing the spam file is not enough. You need to address the vulnerability that allowed the spam script to be uploaded to your server in the first place. Common ways spam scripts are uploaded include exploiting vulnerabilities in plugins, injections, or FTP access. Take steps to secure your WordPress website, such as updating plugins, using strong passwords, and following best security practices.
4. **Request de-listing**: Once you are confident that the spam file is removed and your website is secure, you can request de-listing from the blacklist. The de-listing process may take a few hours.
5. **Prevent future spam**: Implement security measures to prevent future spam attacks. Enhance your WordPress website security by following best practices and avoiding common security pitfalls.
Remember that maintaining the security of your WordPress website is an ongoing process. Regularly update plugins, themes, and WordPress core to patch vulnerabilities and regularly perform security checks to ensure your website remains secure and spam-free.
