How to Remove Spam Link Injection in WordPress [3 Easy Steps]

Is your WordPress website experiencing unusual redirects, strange links in your content, or a sudden drop in traffic? There is a high chance that your website is affected by a spam link injection attack. This type of cyberattack is a common WordPress attack that targets thousands of WordPress sites daily.

In fact, according to recent statistics, over 90,000 attacks occur on WordPress sites every minute. Hackers use these attacks to insert malicious links into your site, leading to harmful websites. Not only does this harm your site’s reputation, but it also negatively impacts your SEO rankings and user trust.

But don’t worry! In this article, we’ll explain how to identify and remove spam link injections in WordPress. We’ll also provide preventive measures to help you protect your site from future attacks.

What is a WordPress Spam Link Injection Attack?

A spam link injection attack happens when hackers exploit vulnerabilities in your WordPress site to insert unauthorized links into your website content. These links typically direct your visitors to phishing sites, spammy ads, or other malicious websites.

The goal of these attacks is often to improve the SEO rankings of the hacker’s sites by creating backlinks from your website. However, they can also serve more harmful purposes, such as spreading malware or tricking your users into sharing personal information.

Example of WordPress Spam Link Injection Attack

For example, if you’ve published a blog post about healthy eating. After a spam link injection, your post might contain hidden links to websites selling fake or potentially dangerous diet pills or other unrelated content. These links are often embedded within your text, making them difficult to spot without thorough inspection.

This type of attack damages your site’s credibility and risks your users’ safety, which can lead to a loss of trust and potential penalties from search engines like Google.

Warning Signs of Spam Link Injection in WordPress

In most cases, you will be the last one to notice the spam link injection attack on your WordPress site because hackers make sure that the malware stays undetectable for a long time.

That’s why the following are some of the warning signs for you to catch a WordPress spam link injection attack on time.

1. Unusual Traffic Patterns

One of the first signs that a spam link injection might compromise your WordPress site is unusual traffic patterns. You’ll notice a sudden spike in traffic, especially from unfamiliar or suspicious sources.

On the other hand, you might experience a sudden drop in legitimate traffic as search engines penalize your site for hosting spammy content. Monitoring your website’s traffic using tools like Google Analytics can help you spot these irregularities early.

2. Security Alert from Google Search Console

In Google Search Console, if you have noticed an unusual security alert, it could be the sign of a WordPress spam link attack. This type of attack often appears as a “URL Injection” warning in the Google Search Console, which includes a list of spam URL examples.

When you try to open one of these URLs, you might find that, although the page seems to be part of your site, it redirects to a spammy website before fully loading. This is a clear indication that your site has been compromised, and immediate action is required to remove the injected links and secure your website.

3. Unexpected Links in Content

Another red flag is the appearance of unexpected links in your website content. These links may lead to unrelated websites or even malicious pages. Often, these links are hidden within the text or disguised as normal links, making them hard to detect.

So, regularly reviewing your content and removing all the newly added links in your website content can help you avoid this.

4. Web Hosting Account Suspension

Hacking is one of the most common reasons for web hosting providers to suspend your account. Most reputable web hosting companies typically notify you first via email with the specific details of the suspension.

Actually, when a website is hacked, it poses a serious risk not only to your site but also to the hosting server. Because of this, website hosting service providers are vigilant and often conduct regular scans to detect and address any security breaches right away.

5. Redirects to Suspicious Websites

If your website starts redirecting visitors to suspicious websites without your knowledge, it’s a clear indication of a spam link injection attack. Hackers may insert code into your site that automatically redirects users to spammy or harmful sites.

This not only frustrates your users but can also result in search engines blacklisting your site, further damaging your online presence.

How Do You Check for Spam Link Injection in WordPress?

During scans, certain security plugins for WordPress can generate false positives. You need to double-check to find out that your site has truly been affected by a WordPress spam link injection attack. The following are methods to verify it:

1. Google Security Warnings

If your site has been hacked, Google may flag it with a warning. Upon searching your website’s link, you might encounter a Google blacklist warning, indicating that your site has been compromised.

However, if the situation isn’t as severe, you may see a “This site may be hacked” message directly in the search results, signaling that Google has detected potential security issues on your site.

2. Analyze Google Analytics for Suspicious Keywords

Your website traffic should come from relevant, targeted keywords. If you notice an influx of visitors searching for terms like “Export database” or ” Buy designer bags cheap online,” it’s a strong indication that your site has been compromised.

These spammy keywords suggest that your site has been targeted by a spam link injection attack, and immediate action is required to clean up the mess.

3. Search Your Site on Google

A quick and convenient way to check for spam link injection is to search for your website on Google. Normally, you’d expect to see your site’s meta description in the search results. However, if your site has been compromised, you might notice strange or unrelated content in the meta description.

This could include irrelevant pages that you didn’t create, or you may encounter something known as a “pharma hack” or “Japanese keyword hack,” where the results display unusual keywords.

4. Browse Your Site in Incognito Mode

Hackers often insert malware that hides itself from logged-in admin users, making it difficult to detect. To bypass this, open an incognito window or use a different device to access your website while logged out. If you notice pop-ups, spam links, or any suspicious content that shouldn’t be there, it’s a clear sign that your site has been hacked. Additionally, you may stumble upon web pages that you never created, further confirming the presence of a spam link injection.

Though discovering a hack can be alarming, there’s no need to panic. With the right tools and methods, you can remove spam link injections effectively.

How to Remove Spam Link Injection in WordPress

If you’ve identified a spam link injection on your WordPress site, you need to act quickly. Follow these three easy steps to remove the malicious links and secure your site:

Step #1: Install and Run a Security Plugin

The first step in removing spam link injections is to install and run a security plugin. Plugins like Wordfence, Sucuri, or MalCare. They are designed to scan your site for malware, including spam links.

Once installed, run a full site scan to identify the infected files. These plugins will provide a detailed report of the malicious code, allowing you to remove it with a few clicks.

Step #2: Manually Remove Malicious Code

While security plugins are powerful, they may not catch every instance of spam link injection. It’s important to manually inspect your site’s files, especially those that have been flagged by the security plugin.

Use an FTP client like FileZilla or your web host’s file manager to access your site’s files. Look for unfamiliar code, particularly in your theme files, and remove it. Be careful not to delete any essential code, as this could break your site.

Step #3: Harden Your WordPress Site

After removing the spam link injection, you should harden your WordPress site to prevent future attacks. Start by updating all your plugins, themes, and WordPress core to the latest versions. Change your passwords and consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) and limit login attempts to avoid WordPress brute force attack.

Additionally, review your site’s security settings and implement the preventive measures mentioned earlier, such as installing a security plugin and limiting user access.

Final Remarks on Spam Link Injection in WordPress

Spam link injection in WordPress is a serious threat to the security and reputation of your website. By taking proactive measures to prevent these attacks and following the steps outlined in this article, you can protect your website from harm.

Regular maintenance, including updates and security scans, is essential to keeping your site safe. Remember, the best defense is a good offense, so stay vigilant and keep your WordPress site secure.

Lastly, we recommend locking down your website using the Password Protected plugin until you fix the spam link injection in WordPress to prevent users from visiting your website. 

Frequently Asked Questions