Total WordPress Security – Malware Removal, WAF, Hardening

Google flagging your site? wp-admin flooded with login attempts? I remove malware, close backdoors, install a Web Application Firewall and harden every layer—without breaking legitimate functionality.

Threats I Eliminate Daily

• Japanese keyword hack & spam pages
• Crypto-mining scripts in footer.php
• Fake SEO plugin backdoors (wp-cache.php)
• wp-login.php brute-force & XML-RPC amplification
• SQL injection via outdated Contact Form 7
• File upload bypass in premium theme
• Pharma doorways in /wp-content/uploads
• Re-infection via cron or rogue scheduled action

Hardening Checklist (All Layers)

1. Server: move wp-config one level up, 0400 permissions
2. .htaccess / Nginx: disable PHP execution in uploads, disable directory listing
3. Database: change table prefix, create read-only user for frontend
4. WP Core: disable file editor, force SSL for admin, secure keys/salts
5. Login: 2FA TOTP, reCAPTCHA v3, IP whitelist for /wp-admin
6. Plugins: auto-update security plugins, remove unused extensions
7. Headers: X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, CSP
8. Monitoring: file integrity scan, outbound link alert, uptime check

Malware Scan & Removal Process

• Offline clone – scan with ClamAV + AI heuristic
• Compare core, plugin, theme hashes against official repo
• Decode base64 / hex injections in index.php & wp-load.php
• Remove rogue admin users & backdoor dropper files
• Clean database: wp_posts, wp_options (recently_edited)
• Submit review request to Google Safe Browsing & Norton

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

I install and tune:

• Cloudflare Pro WAF – OWASP Core Rule Set
• Wordfence or SecuPress premium (endpoint level)
• Custom ModSecurity rules for Italian hosting
• Rate-limiting: 10 requests/min for wp-login, xmlrpc.php
• Geo-blocking only on request (EU GDPR compliant)

Backup & Incident Response

• Daily encrypted backup off-site (AWS S3 or Wasabi)
• One-click restore tested weekly
• Incident log with timeline & IOC (Indicators of Compromise)
• Post-mortem report + new security policy

Security Audit Checklist

• WordPress, plugins, themes updated?
• Any abandoned plugin (last update > 2 years)?
• Default "admin" username still present?
• File permissions: folders 755, files 644?
• wp-config.php outside public_html?
• Database remote access closed?
• SSL certificate valid & auto-renew?
• XML-RPC and REST API endpoints limited?

Quick FAQ

Can you clean a site without cPanel?

Yes. I use SSH/WP-CLI and sFTP. No panel required.

Do you secure VPS / dedicated servers?

Yes. I configure fail2ban, ModSecurity, and kernel sysctl hardening.

Will hardening slow down my site?

Rules are optimized. TTFB increases < 20 ms; pages still score 90+ on Core Web Vitals.

Need Emergency Clean-Up?

Send me the flagged URL or a screenshot. I’ll confirm malware presence and start removal within 30 minutes.