Hackers are the cybercriminals of the 21st century. We’ve all seen movies where hackers break into bank systems to steal money, or maybe they hack a country’s national security database to steal confidential information. However, some would be disappointed to find out that the crimes that hackers are committing in 2021 are a lot less exciting.
With SEO being such a big industry in 2021, hackers are opting to hack into websites in order to create spam links on WordPress sites. By hacking into a high authority website, hackers are able to get very valuable links to their own sites without having to pay or give anything in return.
Keep reading to learn more about how hackers are using other people’s websites for SEO and what to do if you’ve fallen victim to a cyber attack.
Hackers Are Breaking Into Sites for SEO
As unbelievable as it may sound, the world of SEO has gotten so competitive that hackers are targeting websites with high domain ratings in order to get SEO juice from them. A report from Buzzfeed News details the stories of many individuals who have fallen victims to these cyber attacks
The worst part is that hackers are adding the links directly into the content, making it really hard for website owners to realize that their website has been hacked. The whole point of these schemes is to make sure the spam link stays on as long as possible to be able to direct SEO juice into the hacker’s site.
How to Remove Unwanted Links From WordPress
Unwanted links can not only benefit the hacker, but they can also hurt your website. If you notice unwanted links on your site, you should remove them as quickly as possible. Follow these tips to get rid of spam links on your site.
Review the Main Pages in Editor Mode
If you spot unwanted links on your site, chances are that the hacker tried to hide some links in case you figured out what happened. Use the editor mode to review the header, footer, and body of the main pages to scan for unwanted outbound links.
Inspect Website Database
If you are familiar with your website’s database, you can use a tool like phpMyAdmin to search through your pages for unwanted links. You can also use database management tools, like SQL, to do this.
Revert to an Old Version of Your Website
If the number of unwanted links is too large, you may want to revert your website to an old version that predates the hack. If you were lucky enough to catch it early, then this might be a very quick solution to the hack.
Final Thoughts
Hackers are getting more and more creative every day. You should be proactive in protecting your website so that you don’t have to deal with the nightmare of a hacked website.
The best way to protect your site and information from hackers is by working with an experienced agency that has a track record of impeccable cyber security. Auxilium Technology is a digital marketing agency that takes pride in having the highest standards of cyber security. Call us today at 301-519-9622 to see how we can help keep your site secure.
