Case studies ·
The Test Box That Became Production: A Case Study in Forgotten Default Accounts
How a test appliance with a forgotten default admin account drifted into production, and the go-live checks that stop it.
Blog
Practical notes for small businesses in the Tri-Cities and Western North Carolina, written by Avery Parker. Most posts cover what to do when a WordPress site is hacked: what to save, what not to click, and when to stop DIY. The case studies look at how ordinary IT shortcuts turn into security problems. RSS feed
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WordPress incident response ·
Spam links keep coming back after I delete them
Deleted spam posts or links that return usually mean something is still planted. What reinfection looks like and when to stop DIY cleanup.
WordPress incident response ·
First 24 hours after a WordPress hack: what to save and what not to click
Just found a hacked WordPress site? What to save, what not to click, and when to stop DIY, with a free first-24-hours checklist.
Recent posts
The Test Box That Became Production: A Case Study in Forgotten Default Accounts
How a test appliance with a forgotten default admin account drifted into production, and the go-live checks that stop it.
Chrome says "this site may be hacked": cleanup before Search Console review
Why the public pages have to be clean before you request a Search Console review, and why an early review usually fails.
Spam links keep coming back after I delete them
Deleted spam posts or links that return usually mean something is still planted. What reinfection looks like and when to stop DIY cleanup.
WordPress shows casino titles in Google but looks fine when I'm logged in
Why Google can show casino or loan titles while your logged-in WordPress looks normal, and what not to wipe before cleanup.
First 24 hours after a WordPress hack: what to save and what not to click
Just found a hacked WordPress site? What to save, what not to click, and when to stop DIY, with a free first-24-hours checklist.
WordPress hacked? Do not wipe the site yet
Wiping the account or restoring last night's backup often destroys evidence and puts the injector back. Calm first-hour steps instead.
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WordPress incident response
Hacked site, spam in Google, a Chrome warning, or an admin you did not create. Start with the first-day steps, then decide on cleanup.
- Chrome says "this site may be hacked": cleanup before Search Console review
- Spam links keep coming back after I delete them
- WordPress shows casino titles in Google but looks fine when I'm logged in
- First 24 hours after a WordPress hack: what to save and what not to click
- WordPress hacked? Do not wipe the site yet
Quick symptom guides
- Hacked WordPress site
- WordPress showing gambling or casino links
- WordPress has links I didn't add
- WordPress redirecting to another site
- Google says this WordPress site may be hacked
- WordPress admin user I didn't create
- Hacked WooCommerce: the store stays up
- Nulled WordPress theme: that is how they got in
All packages and pricing: WordPress incident response. Free: first-24-hours compromise checklist.
Case studies
Longer write-ups of how a security gap forms in a small shop and the checks that close it.
Dealing with a hacked site or a security problem right now?
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