What is WordPress .htaccess Malware?

Is your WordPress site suddenly redirecting users to sketchy URLs? Or maybe your site is now crawling at a snail’s pace? Is it throwing up bizarre pop-ups?

Sure, these could be issues caused by various types of malware. But what if you’ve checked all the usual suspects—plugins, themes, even your database—and you’re still stumped?

Here’s a curveball: it could be WordPress .htaccess malware.

Scan your site now to identify any malware, even in hidden core files.

The WordPress .htaccess malware often goes unnoticed because the .htaccess file is hidden by default, and not on everyone’s radar when troubleshooting. This malware changes your site’s configuration. It adds redirects, saps SEO juice, hijacks user sessions, and even drops malware on your visitors’ systems. You’ve essentially lost control of your site completely. 

But don’t worry—you’re in the right place. In this guide, we will help you understand what WordPress .htaccess malware is, how to spot it, and most importantly, how to boot it out of your site for good.

TL;DR: WordPress .htaccess malware manipulates your site’s hidden .htaccess file and causes several issues. Detect and remove this malware to safeguard your site and its visitors. Scan your site with MalCare to uncover and eliminate hidden threats, and protect against future ones.

What is WordPress .htaccess malware?

WordPress .htaccess malware is a malicious script that gets silently added to your site’s .htaccess file. The .htaccess file handles critical site configurations and can be a powerful tool for good. But, in the hands of hackers, it becomes a weapon.

Once the file is compromised, this malware can make unauthorized changes to your site’s behavior. It can reroute your traffic to malicious websites, display spammy content out of nowhere, or even execute harmful commands. For instance, it might pull malware from malicious servers and silently install it on your visitors’ computers.

What sets .htaccess malware apart from other types of malware is its reach: it seizes control of the server configuration file. Compounding the problem is the fact that most WordPress users aren’t even aware the .htaccess file exists. It’s hidden by default, making it a strategic target for hiding malicious code too. Many users focus on visible files, leaving the .htaccess file under the radar, thereby extending the time malware can operate undetected.

Step 1: Check for WordPress .htaccess malware

Identifying WordPress .htaccess malware is the first step to restoring your site’s health. Here are two effective methods to do so:

Deep scan your site with a plugin

One of the easiest and most efficient ways to check for WordPress .htaccess malware is by using a security plugin like MalCare. MalCare not only scans your site completely but also focuses on the .htaccess file to uncover hidden threats. Moreover, this deep malware scanning is a free feature on MalCare.

1. Install MalCare: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New. Search for MalCare, install it, and activate it.
2. Run a deep scan: Access the MalCare dashboard and connect your site to it. Once connected, a scan will be initiated automatically from the dashboard itself. The plugin goes deep into your site’s files and database, including the .htaccess file, to check for any signs of malware.

Note: An online scanner is useless in identifying WordPress .htaccess malware. It is just a good first-level diagnostic. It can’t go deep into your site’s files and database and scan a hidden core file like .htaccess. This is why we recommend MalCare for a deep scan of your site’s files and database.

Manually

If you prefer a hands-on approach, you can manually inspect your .htaccess file. Here’s how:

1. Access the .htaccess file: Use an FTP client like FileZilla or your web hosting control panel’s File Manager to access your site’s files.
   
   Using an FTP client: Get your site’s FTP credentials from your hosting provider. Use them to connect to your site using FileZilla or any other FTP client of your choice. Navigate to the root directory, often named public_html or www, and locate the .htaccess file.
   
   Using the File Manager: If your hosting provider uses cPanel or has its own file manager, you can use it to access the .htaccess file. To do so, log in to your hosting account, go to File Manager, and find the .htaccess file in the root directory.
   
2. Check for malicious code: Open the .htaccess file using a file editor and look for any suspicious or unfamiliar code. Examples of malicious code include unauthorized redirects, encoded strings, or abnormal rules. Here are some examples:

Unexpected redirects:

Encoded strings:

Note: Hackers often create several copies of malicious .htaccess files on a site. So the actual culprit could very well be hidden in another folder within the root directory. You must check all your folders to detect such suspicious files. However, this process could be painstaking and time-consuming. Online scanners aren’t much help either, as we mentioned earlier. This is why we recommend a dedicated WordPress security solution like MalCare to remove all kinds of malware, including .htaccess ones, easily and efficiently.

Step 2: Remove WordPress .htaccess malware

Now that you’ve identified WordPress .htaccess malware on your site, here are two ways to get it out of your site:

Using a plugin

If you used MalCare to scan your site, you’re already on the right track. Now, let’s walk through removing any identified WordPress .htaccess malware using MalCare.

1. Review detected threats: After the scan, MalCare will present a detailed report summarizing all identified threats, including malicious .htaccess files.
2. Initiate malware removal: MalCare makes the malware removal process straightforward and efficient. You will find the option to start the cleanup process right on the results page. Click on it and let MalCare work its magic.
3. Post-cleanup verification: It’s a good idea to verify that everything is in order after MalCare completes its cleanup. Visit your site to check if it redirects like before. You can also check your .htaccess file using an FTP client or your hosting control panel to ensure no malicious code remains. For extra assurance, run another MalCare scan to confirm that your site is entirely malware-free.

Note: While malware scanning is a free feature on MalCare, you will need to upgrade to remove malware.

Manually

You can take the manual route to remove WordPress .htaccess malware if you do not want to install a plugin. However, we do not recommend this method since it requires editing system files. Nevertheless, here’s how you can tackle it:

1. Check the .htaccess file and remove malicious code

Use an FTP client like FileZilla or your hosting control panel to connect to your site and access its files. Once connected, search for the .htaccess file in your root directory. Include other directories in your search as they also could contain .htaccess files.

Open each .htaccess file and look for strange or unauthorized code snippets. Remove any suspicious lines you find. You can find more detailed examples of suspicious code later in this article.

2. Delete the .htaccess file

If inspecting and cleaning individual lines of code seems too complicated, you can delete the entire .htaccess file to recreate it afterward. The process stays the same regardless of whether you use an FTP client or your hosting’s file manager. All you need to do is right-click the .htaccess file and select Delete. Repeat the process for any .htaccess files in subdirectories.

Although the WordPress .htaccess malware is named so, it is not limited to .htaccess files only. For example, there may be malware backdoors hidden in other files. In such cases, deleting all the infected .htaccess files on your site may not completely remove the malware. So you must check every file manually to ensure no malware traces are left behind. 

Note: Be cautious when doing this as deleting the .htaccess file can impact your site and its visitors. For example, if your permalinks are set to “post name,” deleting the .htaccess file will cause URL issues, leading to 404 errors for site visitors. Any custom rules or configurations will also be lost. Move to the next step immediately after deleting .htaccess files to avoid any issues.

3. Recreate the .htaccess file

After deleting the infected .htaccess file, you must create a new, clean one to restore site functionality. There are three ways to do this:

1. Using clean code: Visit WordPress Developer Resources for a standard template of .htaccess code. Create a new .htaccess file on your local machine with this clean code and upload it to your WordPress root directory using either FTP or your hosting’s file manager.
2. Restore from clean backups: If you’ve been diligent with backups, consider restoring a clean version of the .htaccess file from a backup. Backup plugins like BlogVault can be valuable here.
3. Regenerate via WordPress dashboard: Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard and click Save Changes. You can re-select any previously configured permalink formats here. This action will automatically generate a new .htaccess file with basic WordPress rules.

Note: You can get your site back in working order by recreating the .htaccess file. However, any custom rules or configurations previously in the .htaccess file will be lost. You’ll have to manually add these modifications back into the new .htaccess file.

Manual removal of .htaccess malware requires a detailed understanding of how your site uses the .htaccess file. It’s a risky and complicated endeavor. Also, manual malware removal does not guarantee that all instances of malware on your site will be removed. This is why we highly recommend using a robust security plugin like MalCare for a safer and more reliable cleanup.

Step 3: Post-cleanup checklist

Recovering from a .htaccess malware attack isn’t just about cleaning up the immediate mess; you must also ensure that your site is secure and running smoothly.

Note: It’s often recommended that you reinstall all plugins and themes to ensure they haven’t been compromised by WordPress .htaccess malware. However, MalCare’s thorough scanning capabilities make this step unnecessary, saving you time and effort.

chmod 644 .htaccess

define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);

Options -Indexes

Step 4: Prevent WordPress .htaccess malware reinfection

After dealing with WordPress .htaccess malware, it’s crucial to fortify your site against future attacks. Here are some vital steps to do so:

Install MalCare: A robust security plugin is your first line of defense against malware. MalCare offers comprehensive protection, including deep scanning, malware removal, and real-time monitoring to keep your site safe from new threats.

Add a firewall: A firewall can block malicious traffic before it even reaches your site. MalCare’s Atomic Security filters out potentially harmful connections, providing an additional layer of protection. What’s more, your site gets protected by Atomic Security as soon as you install MalCare on it. No separate downloads required!

Limit login attempts: Brute force attacks are a common way hackers try to gain access to your site. Use MalCare to limit the number of login attempts to prevent unauthorized access. It doesn’t require any setup; just install the plugin and you are set.

Add login security: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and add CAPTCHA to your site to enhance its login security. This adds an extra step to the login process, making it significantly harder for attackers to gain access.

Set up a backup solution: Regular backups are your safety net. MalCare’s reliable backup solution ensures you always have a clean version of your site to restore if things go south.

Harden your site: Implement additional security measures to make your WordPress site tougher to crack. This includes disabling file editing, disabling XML-RPC, etc.

Regularly audit your site’s users and their permissions: Conduct regular audits of your site’s user accounts and their permissions. Remove any outdated or unused accounts and ensure that current users have only the permissions they need. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access through forgotten or compromised accounts.

Impact of WordPress .htaccess malware on your site

The presence of WordPress .htaccess malware on your site can have far-reaching consequences, like:

Types of WordPress .htaccess malware

.htaccess redirects to malicious sites

As the name suggests, this type redirects your site visitors to malicious websites. These malicious sites may or may not look like your site, but they are certain to be full of spam and malware content. This is what a sample .htaccess code for this malware looks like:

This code redirects all your visitors to a malicious site specified by the value at ‘http://badsite.com’.

.htaccess attaches malware to site

In this type of malware, hackers redirect all error codes on your site to malicious objects. So when your visitors receive an error code on your site, they are also served malware with it. This is what a sample .htaccess code for this malware looks like:

For example, if a visitor receives an HTTP 404 error, the malware present in the index.php file is also loaded on their systems.

.htaccess browser fingerprinting and IP logging without user consent

In this type of malware, hackers use the .htaccess file to obtain sensitive data like the browsers you use, the pages you visit, the keystrokes you enter, the IP address you connect from, etc. This is what a sample .htaccess code for this malware looks like:

Now, if a visitor clicks on the seemingly innocent lol.jpg image, the script present in evil.php will run and capture all the data.

.htaccess creates backdoors and allows malware

In this type of malware, hackers use the .htaccess file to keep backdoors open and use them to drop additional malware on your site. However, they redirect site visitors to an exact copy of your site instead of to other malicious sites. Since the hacker’s site looks the same as yours, no one suspects anything and it’s business as usual. But the hackers know this and use the website to perform malicious activities. This is what a sample .htaccess code for this malware looks like:

This code redirects your site visitors to the exact copy of your site located at the given IP address. Once your visitors access that site, the GetHacked.php script is executed and malware from the FilesMatch statement is served to visitors.

.htaccess deny access to website files

In this type of malware, hackers abuse .htaccess files to deny access to your website files. For example, hackers add hundreds, or sometimes thousands of .htaccess files throughout your website’s file structure. This can disrupt your website’s functionality and render its wp-admin panel useless. It also blocks you from performing maintenance and updates or takes down the entire website. This is what a sample .htaccess code for this malware looks like:

Final thoughts

Protecting your WordPress site from .htaccess malware will secure you and your visitors, ensure smooth performance, maintain user trust, and safeguard your SEO rankings. This hidden menace can wreak havoc, often going unnoticed until the damage is done. By understanding its impact, knowing how to detect it, and taking steps to remove and prevent it, you can keep your site secure and your visitors safe.

For a hassle-free solution, use MalCare. It offers deep scanning and cleaning capabilities to detect and remove even the most elusive threats, including WordPress .htaccess malware. Moreover, its Atomic Security firewall protects you from malicious connections, bots, and brute force attacks. With MalCare, you gain not only an effective cleanup tool but also proactive protection to prevent future infections.

FAQs

Can .htaccess be hacked?

Yes, the .htaccess file can be hacked, and it’s a common target for hackers aiming to compromise WordPress sites. Given its role in configuring various aspects of your site’s server behavior, the .htaccess file is a powerful tool—and in the wrong hands, it can do a lot of damage.

How to protect a .htaccess file?

The .htaccess file can be protected by:

1. Using a security plugin like MalCare on your WordPress site
2. Using strong passwords on your site
3. Setting correct file permissions
4. Disabling file editing
5. Hiding the .htaccess file, if it is not already hidden

Can I delete the .htaccess file?

Yes, you can delete the .htaccess file. But it is not recommended unless you have a specific reason and know what you’re doing. The .htaccess file plays a crucial role in configuring various elements of your WordPress site, and deleting it can lead to several unintended consequences.

What is the .htaccess file used for?

The .htaccess (short for “hypertext access”) file is a powerful configuration file used by the Apache web server, which is commonly used to run WordPress sites. This file allows for a variety of server-side configurations that can be applied without altering the server’s global settings. For example, you can use it to set URL redirects, block IP addresses, create custom error pages, set password protection on your site, and much more.