You wake up, check your sales, and see zero. Confused, you Google your own business name. Instead of your beautiful homepage, you see a terrifying red warning: "This site may be hacked."
Your heart drops. Traffic stops. Customers flee. It feels like your digital store has been condemned by the health inspector.
But this isn't the end. Websites get hacked every day. This is a Security Triage situation. We need to stop the bleeding, remove the infection, and get Google to remove that warning label ASAP.
The "Hack" Reality Check
Step 1: The Diagnosis (What Happened?)
Hackers don't usually break in to steal your logo. They break in to use your server resources. The most common hacks we see in 2026 are:
- The Japanese Keyword Hack: Hackers create thousands of spam pages on your site selling fake brand-name goods, usually in Japanese text.
- The Redirect Hack: Users click your link on Google, but instead of your site, they are redirected to a gambling or pharmacy site.
- Malware Injection: Hidden code that tries to infect your visitors' computers.
✅ How to Confirm You Are Infected
Do not visit your site directly (you might get a virus). Instead, use a free external scanner like Sucuri SiteCheck or check the "Security Issues" tab in your Google Search Console.
Step 2: The Cleanup (Triage Mode)
You have two choices here: restore from a clean backup (easy) or manually remove the malware (hard).
Option A: The Time Machine (Best Option)
If you have daily backups (and you should), simply restore your website to a version from before the warning appeared. This wipes out the hack instantly. Then, change all your passwords immediately.
Option B: Manual Removal (The Hard Way)
If you don't have a backup, you need to hunt the virus. Install a security plugin like Wordfence or MalCare. Run a "High Sensitivity" scan. It will identify the infected files. You can usually click "Repair" or delete the bad files.
Step 3: The "Japanese Keyword" Cleanup
Even after you fix the files, the hackers might have left thousands of spam pages (like /buy-cheap-rolex-jp) in Google's index. These don't disappear on their own.
You need to ensure these pages now return a 404 (Not Found) or 410 (Gone) error. Eventually, Google will re-crawl them, see they are dead, and remove them from search results. This process takes time.
Step 4: Request a Review (The "All Clear")
Once you are 100% sure the site is clean, you need to tell Google.
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Click on "Security & Manual Actions" > "Security Issues."
- You should see a list of the detected hacks.
- Click the button that says "Request Review."
- Write a short note: "I have removed the malware/spam pages and updated all passwords. The site is now secure."
Google usually processes these reviews within 72 hours. If you are clean, the red warning will disappear.
Summary: Secure Your Doors
Getting hacked is a wake-up call. Once you recover, you must harden your defenses. Use strong passwords, install a firewall plugin, and ensure your CMS is always updated. Don't leave your digital front door unlocked again.
Can't Find the Malware?
Hackers are sneaky. If you keep getting reinfected, the malware is likely hiding in your database or a backdoor file. Our Security Team can perform a deep-clean, remove the backdoor, and get your site off the blacklist.
Emergency Malware Removal
