Posted by & filed under Codastar News.

Malware infection is usually associated with scripts disrupting personal computers. However, there is a rapidly growing strain of malware designed specifically to infect websites.

Basically, a malicious piece of coding is added to your website page’s code without you even noticing.

The website may function as normal on the outside. However, anyone visiting your website will be downloading the malicious script onto their computer without realising. The Malware will now have spread from the website to the user PC and all their personal data is then at risk.

Malware is short for ‘malicious software’ and can refer to a range of different disruptions to codes, scripts and other content that can stop your website from running properly, lead to loss of privacy, exploitation and other kinds of abusive online behaviour.


malware-warning

While the threat of website malware is real and it can be very damaging, there’s plenty that can be done to prevent it and even stop it in its tracks!

Preventing malware issues:

Make sure you have a complex FTP password, change it regularly and keep it somewhere safe and secure.

Keep all of your software, such as WordPress, forums, e-commerce platforms and other CMS as up to date as possible with the latest updates installed and working properly.

Be wary when you’re using public computers or a computer you share with others when you’re uploading anything to your website. Malware can come from places you often deem as safe and there are even types of viruses designed to record your keystrokes, passwords and other important, personal information. Public computers are notorious for being infected with malware and viruses. It can lead to someone getting hold of your FTP or admin login details for your website. The website would then be infected with malicious scripts, designed to spread on other people’s computers.

Keep the computer you use to manage your website clean of viruses and Malware and run regular checks to make sure there’s nothing going unnoticed.

Solutions when you have malware problems already:

Accept that the clean up process can be difficult and rather time consuming depending on the different kinds of malware your computer and software has been exposed to.

Change all of your FTP log-in details and any other important passwords straight away.

Run various malware and virus checks on the computers you use to administrate your website as soon as you notice an issue.

Your website will quite likely be ‘blocked’  in Google searches, meaning when people try and click on your website they see a large warning page telling them it might be harmful. Although there are ways to bypass this warning screen, the majority of people will be put off and not visit your website. Luckily, Google has a set of procedures which must be carried out in order to remove this warning and we’ve helped clients to get rid of these kinds of warnings within hours.

Get in touch with us today if you’d like to protect your website from future malware issues, are experiencing problems and think your computer may have been hacked or if you notice any kinds of warnings in Google and we can implement quick and simple solutions for your needs.

Image via David Erickson’s Flickr.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *