{"id":6659,"date":"2020-04-26T15:00:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-26T13:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=6659"},"modified":"2020-09-04T00:42:03","modified_gmt":"2020-09-03T22:42:03","slug":"scan-wordpress-for-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/scan-wordpress-for-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Scan a WordPress Site for Malware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]WordPress is the world\u2019s most popular content management system (CMS) that powers millions of blogs, shops, or other types of websites. <strong>WordPress enables simple site creation, requiring little to no coding knowledge<\/strong>. However, it is just as easy for hackers to explore your site\u2019s vulnerabilities and infect it with malware. <strong>The malware comes from a plethora of sources<\/strong>. It c<strong>an be a part of your theme, plugins, and software<\/strong>, so be extremely careful where you\u2019re downloading them. Malware <strong>can also be inserted via comments on your blog posts<\/strong>. Malware can contain fake forms for acquiring sensitive information, redirects to other sites a hacker wants to promote, and code injections that can alter your website or take over it. Furthermore, if the Google Search Console determines that your site\u2019s content has been hacked or appears harmful to visitors, search results with your pages will have a warning label or page, deterring visitors from accessing your site.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To prevent this, you need to regularly scan WordPress for malware. In this article, we\u2019ll show you our selection of reliable and credible plugins you can use to scan your WordPress site for malware. Namely, we\u2019ll take a look at:[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#wordfence\">Wordfence<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#sucuri\">Sucuri<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#ithemes-security\">iThemes Security<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#anti-malware\">Anti-Malware<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;70px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">Scanning Your WordPress Site<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Although you can scan the site manually, reviewing thousands of files can be daunting and time-consuming. This is where WordPress plugins and other third-party software can help you out. Some plugins are free, while others might require monthly fees. This <strong>depends on the number of features they offer, as well as the quality of scanning<\/strong>. Some WordPress plugins offer only scanning for the site or its specific parts, while others can also include malware removal and additional security features.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]At the same time, WordPress malware scans and security plugins often <strong>require quite a lot of resources<\/strong>. That\u2019s why you should <strong>choose your scanning plugin carefully, considering your website\u2019s specific needs and possibilities<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t plan to use the scanner continuously, consider deactivating it after the scan. We included four popular and feature-rich plugins into our selection.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"wordfence\"><\/a>Wordfence<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wordfence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wordfence Security \u2013 Firewall &amp; Malware Scan<\/a> is the most popular WordPress scanning plugin. It <strong>scans your entire site for malware, injected code, bad URLs or backdoors by comparing the code to the WordPress.org repository<\/strong>. The plugin checks your posts, pages and comments for any suspicious entries. Wordfence will also warn you about any security vulnerabilities and suggest updates.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Apart from being a scanning plugin, its security features are exceptional. Wordfence <strong>blocks any malicious requests or traffic and has two-factor authentication and login attempt restriction, which can prevent brute force attacks<\/strong>. Premium features include a real-time firewall, country blocking, and scheduled scans blacklisting malicious IPs. The <strong>paid version also comes with a support service and regular checks<\/strong> whether your site has been blacklisted for having malicious content.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Install the plugin by navigating to <em>Plugins &gt; Add New<\/em>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Widgets-vs-Plugins.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Add new plugin\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Widgets-vs-Plugins.jpg 710w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Widgets-vs-Plugins-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Widgets-vs-Plugins-620x330.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Then type in a keyword and click on the<em> Install Now button<\/em> once you\u2019ve found the plugin.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Security-Firewall-Malware-Scan.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Wordfence Security Firewall &amp; Malware Scan\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Security-Firewall-Malware-Scan.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Security-Firewall-Malware-Scan-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Security-Firewall-Malware-Scan-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>When the installation is complete, you can scan your site<\/strong>. To do that, you need to navigate to your <em>WordPress dashboard<\/em>, find the <em>Wordfence<\/em> menu and click on <em>Scan.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Scann.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Wordfence Scann\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Scann.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Scann-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Wordfence-Scann-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]In the central part of your screen press the <em>Start a new scan button<\/em>. As the scan goes on <strong>you can see the progress and results<\/strong> as the padlock icons change to check marks and warning signs.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Start-new-scan.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Start new scan\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Start-new-scan.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Start-new-scan-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Start-new-scan-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>The results will be displayed in the same window where you ran the scan<\/strong>. And you can handle them as you see fit\u2014edit or ignore them.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Results-found.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Results found\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Results-found.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Results-found-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Results-found-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;82px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"sucuri\"><\/a>Sucuri<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Sucuri is a globally recognized name in the website security industry. Most of their services are paid, but they offer a free plugin called <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/sucuri-scanner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sucuri Security \u2013 Auditing, Malware Scanner<\/a>, and Security Hardening.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The plugin <strong>scans the content of your site for malware, errors, outdated software, blacklists, and defacements<\/strong>. It also <strong>searches for malicious activities and checks your URLs and iframes<\/strong>. However, since it is a remote scan, it can\u2019t inspect your server files completely. This means it may not catch phishing attempts, malicious usernames, and code injections invisible within a browser and backdoors.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To install the plugin, navigate to<em> Plugins &gt; Add New<\/em>, type a keyword in the search box and click on <em>Install Now<\/em>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Sucuri\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Sucuri\u2019s security features<strong> include activity auditing, monitoring for file integrity and blacklists, and security hardening<\/strong>. Their paid plans also come with malware removal and the Sucuri firewall. The <strong>firewall is highly effective in blocking backdoors, spam, DDOS attacks, preventing access and blacklisting malicious IPs<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Dashboard.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Sucuri Dashboard\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Dashboard.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Dashboard-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Dashboard-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;60px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Plugin-Dashboard.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Sucuri Plugin Dashboard\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Plugin-Dashboard.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Plugin-Dashboard-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sucuri-Plugin-Dashboard-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>To start a scan<\/strong>, simply go to the <a href=\"https:\/\/sitecheck.sucuri.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sucuri SiteCheck<\/a> site. Insert your website URL and press the <em>Scan Website<\/em> button.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Press-the-Scan-Website-button.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Press the Scan Website button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Press-the-Scan-Website-button.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Press-the-Scan-Website-button-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Press-the-Scan-Website-button-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Before the scan, Sucuri will remind you about the limitations of its free scanner.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<em><strong>Sucuri SiteCheck is a free website security scanner.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<em><strong>Remote scanners have limited access and results are not guaranteed. For a full scan, contact our team.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you opt for Sucuri,<strong> we suggest combining this tool with a plugin that can scan the files on your server<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;81px&#8221;][vc_separator color=&#8221;custom&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#f0f0f0&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;top-picks-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_separator color=&#8221;custom&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#f0f0f0&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;84px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"ithemes-security\"><\/a>iThemes Security<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/better-wp-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iThemes Security<\/a> (formerly Better WP Security) is a very popular security plugin that can also serve as a scanner. The free version <strong>includes 30 levels of protection, including backups, safeguard against brute force attacks, one-click site check, malware scan, SSL, file change detection<\/strong>, etc. With the premium version, you get two-factor authentication, scheduled malware scans, user logging, user security checks, reCAPTCHA, and numerous other features.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Find the plugin by navigating to <em>Plugins &gt; Add new<\/em>, typing the keywords and clicking on the <em>Install Now<\/em> button.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/iThemes-Security.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"iThemes Security\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/iThemes-Security.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/iThemes-Security-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/iThemes-Security-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]While in the admin dashboard, go to <em>Security<\/em> and click on <em>Settings<\/em>. Scroll down and find the section <em>Malware Scan<\/em>. Select the <em>Sucuri SiteCheck<\/em> to open a scanner, or scan the homepage only by choosing the <em>Scan Homepage for Malware<\/em> option. <strong>For best results, pair this scanner with some other scanning plugin<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Security-Settings.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Security Settings\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Security-Settings.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Security-Settings-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Security-Settings-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;60px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Malware-Scan.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Malware Scan\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Malware-Scan.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Malware-Scan-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Malware-Scan-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;82px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"anti-malware\"><\/a>Anti-Malware<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/gotmls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall<\/a> is another WordPress scanning plugin that is very popular with users. It <strong>scans all your website files and folders for malicious code, backdrops, and injections<\/strong>. It marks suspicious code as <em>potential threats<\/em>, leaving it up to you to evaluate and remove them. This plugin requires regular definition updates, which continuously improve the scanning process.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]It also offers a firewall that prevents plugin vulnerabilities from being exploited &#8211; for example, <strong>it blocks Slider Revolution vulnerability exploits<\/strong>. The paid version includes protection against brute force attacks, checking the integrity of your WordPress core files, automatic removal, and automatic updates.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To install this plugin, navigate to <em>Plugins &gt; Add New<\/em>, type the keywords and click on the <em>Install Now<\/em> button.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Anti-Malware.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Anti Malware\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Anti-Malware.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Anti-Malware-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Anti-Malware-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To scan, navigate to <em>Anti-Malware &gt; Scan Settings<\/em> in the admin dashboard and click on the <em>Run Complete Scan<\/em> button. The <strong>scanning process can be monitored and the results will appear in a separate tab<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Scane-Settings-Anti-Malware.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Scane Settings Anti Malware\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Scane-Settings-Anti-Malware.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Scane-Settings-Anti-Malware-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Scane-Settings-Anti-Malware-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;60px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Run-complete-scan.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Run complete scan\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Run-complete-scan.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Run-complete-scan-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Run-complete-scan-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;79px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">Additional Steps<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Once you create the list of malicious files, there are a couple of things you need to do before cleaning up the malware. It is strongly recommended that you <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-manually-backup-wordpress-website\/\">backup your WordPress website<\/a>. Although this means you may be backing up an infected site, it will still serve as a precautionary measure in case of mishaps during the cleanup process. Additionally, <strong>we suggest changing all your WordPress passwords<\/strong>. In case of a security breach, changing passwords will deny further access to hackers.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]After these preparatory steps, you can clean your site. This process can get quite complicated, so consider hiring professional help. You can hire a security expert or buy the premium version of a security plugin, with features such as malware removal. <strong>Additional benefits of premium security plugins are increased security measures<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Alternatively, you can also try removing the malicious code yourself.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Solid security is one of the most important considerations for your website &#8211; so invest in it wisely. If you scan WordPress for malware regularly using high-quality software, malicious code can be traced quickly. In this selection, we\u2019ve covered the strengths and weaknesses of the most popular scanning plugins. Choose the right fit based on your site\u2019s structure and needs. And choose carefully, because the best scanning plugin will give you much-needed peace of mind.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this tutorial, we&#8217;ll show you how to scan WordPress for malware. We&#8217;ve put together a list of trustworthy plugins to safeguard your site.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11229,"featured_media":6757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[15,34,4,13],"class_list":["post-6659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-plugins","tag-security","tag-tips","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11229"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6659"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6659\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6757"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}