This case study revisits the Redesign and security of a carpentry workshop's WordPress website based in Luxembourg, whose site had been infested with malware to the point of no longer displaying.
📋 Summary
The client and their context: a Luxembourg carpentry workshop victim of malware
The customer is a Luxembourg carpentry company (artirado.com). Its website showcases its activities, with numerous photos of completed projects.
Due to a security breach and the failure to apply updates, the site became infected with malware. The FTP space was filled with corrupted files, and the site could no longer be viewed in a browser.
The need: to clean, secure, and put the site back online
- Understanding the attack and identify the exploited vulnerabilities;
- start again on a stable and healthy environment ;
- take advantage of the intervention to modernize the presentation of activities;
- to maintain a fast website despite a large number of photos.
What we have achieved
We first conducted a security inspection lasting several hours. This allowed us to identify the various vulnerabilities exploited, and even to trace the attack back to its origin.
Rather than attempting a file-by-file cleanup, we opted for a comprehensive WordPress site security associated with complete overhaul. The site has been rebuilt on a new environment, without reusing the compromised files.
The redesign brought a touch of modernity and freshness to the presentation of the company's activities. Given the large number of photos, we converted the images to WebP format and optimized the file size of all the resources.
✅ Included features
Technologies and technical choices
| Brick | Choice | Role in the project |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Manual inspection | Identify the vulnerabilities and the origin of the attack |
| CMS | WordPress | Site rebuilt on a sound foundation |
| Security | Global security | Close the exploited vulnerabilities |
| Performance | WebP Images | Streamlining a photo-heavy website |
Result
The site is back online on artirado.com, in a healthy and safe environment. The presentation of activities has been modernized and the numerous photos are presented in an optimized format.
💡 The lesson to be learned
This attack was made possible by a vulnerability and unapplied updates. Regularly checking for updates remains the best prevention.
FAQ — Hacked WordPress Site and Redesign
How much does it cost to secure a hacked WordPress site?
The cost depends on the extent of the infection, the size of the site, and whether or not a complete overhaul is necessary. After an initial assessment, we will provide you with a customized quote.
Should an infected website be cleaned or rebuilt?
When files are massively corrupted, as in this case, rebuilding on a clean environment is safer than a partial cleanup that risks leaving an entry point.
How to prevent a WordPress site from being hacked?
By regularly applying updates to WordPress, the theme, and plugins, and by monitoring the site. The lack of updates was one of the causes of the attack on this project.
Has your WordPress site been hacked or is it no longer up to date?
Anthony Menard — Iotaweb, Ploumagoar (22) · 06 34 15 00 51 · Free, no-obligation quote
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