What is malware

What is malware?

Malware (malicious software) is an umbrella term for programs that have been developed to carry out harmful actions on a computer or website. This includes viruses, Trojans, spyware and other malicious programs. It can paralyze your website, steal your data or harm your visitors.  

How does malware get onto your website?

Malware can get onto your website in different ways:  

• Software vulnerabilities: outdated or insecure software (for example, content management systems such as WordPress) can provide attackers with opportunities to inject malware.  

• Phishing attacks: Through fraudulent emails or fake links, criminals can try to capture your login credentials to load malware onto your website.  

• Weak passwords: Simple or frequently used passwords make it easy for attackers to infiltrate your system and install malware.  

• Infected files: When uploading infected plugins, themes or files, malware can enter your website unnoticed.  

How can you protect yourself against this?

To protect your website from malware, you should take the following steps:  

• Keep your software up to date: Make sure you regularly update all components of your website, especially the content management system (CMS) and installed plugins.  

• Use strong passwords: Use strong, unique passwords and change them regularly to protect your account.  

• Install security plugins: There are many security plugins that can protect your website from threats and monitor vulnerabilities.  

• Make regular backups: Make sure that you make regular backups of your website. This way, you can quickly restore the old state in the event of an infection.  

• Check external content carefully: Pay attention to which files, plugins or content you upload to your website from external sources. They could contain malware.  

By taking these precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of malware on your website and ensure the security of your data and visitors.  

Hoststar supports you in combating malware

All customer websites on our servers are regularly scanned for malware. If malicious software is detected, the affected website will be temporarily blocked and you will automatically receive an email with all the important information about the block and the malware found. This email will also explain what steps you can take to remove the malware. The blocking is done to protect your website, our servers and visitors in order to prevent the malware from spreading further.  

Removing the malware

As the operator of your website, you are responsible for keeping your site up to date and free of malware.