{"id":955,"date":"2022-05-06T14:56:51","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T14:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.hostinger.io\/support\/2022\/05\/06\/6197555-how-to-use-the-malware-scanner-at-hostinger\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T09:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T09:21:54","slug":"6197555-how-to-use-the-malware-scanner-at-hostinger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/6197555-how-to-use-the-malware-scanner-at-hostinger\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use the Malware Scanner at Hostinger"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 id=\"h_d8f3daae27\">What is malware?<\/h2><p class=\"no-margin\">Malware, short for malicious software, is a type of software designed to harm applications, computers, or networks. It often alters system files or creates new ones, which can result in the following issues on your website:<\/p><ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Slowing down or making your website unresponsive due to excessive use of server resources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Redirecting your website (or specific pages) to other, often illegal, sites.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Causing various website errors.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Stealing sensitive information from your site, such as passwords or user data.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"no-margin\">Malware is typically used for illegal purposes. To learn more, check out this video:<\/p><div class=\"intercom-h2b-video\">\n<p><iframe title=\"What is malware? Types and prevention (Simple guide)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/70TRH13Jng0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"no-margin\">To provide more security insights for your website, our web and cloud hosting plans include a Malware Scanner&mdash;an automated tool integrated into the control panel that scans your site for harmful or compromised files.<\/p><h2 id=\"h_0ddab77c3d\">How to analyze a website for malware<\/h2><p class=\"no-margin\">The Malware Scanner runs automatically, keeping you informed about your website&rsquo;s security status and allowing you to take action if needed. To get started, navigate to <b><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"https:\/\/hpanel.hostinger.com\/websites\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Websites<\/a> &rarr; Dashboard<\/b>, find <b>Malware Scanner<\/b> in the left sidebar, and click on it.<\/p><ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">If no malware is detected, this section will display the time since the last scan:<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><div class=\"intercom-container intercom-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2022\/05\/6a104875-f43e-4d3e-81ba-01f0e429c8d2.jpg\" alt=\"Hostinger Malware Scanner shows website safe, no malware found in last 30 days\" width=\"550\" data-media-id=\"3873\"><\/div><ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">If the Malware Scanner detects suspicious files, it will show the number of cases found and a summary of the following information:<\/p>\n<div class=\"intercom-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2022\/05\/87bee44f-e124-463c-8413-2ce32a0b7117.jpg\" alt=\"Malware Scanner dashboard showing discovered malware, actions taken, timeline, and Show details button\" data-media-id=\"3874\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><ol>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><b>Discovered malware<\/b> &ndash; The total number of harmful or compromised files found during the last scan.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><b>Actions taken <\/b>&ndash; If an <a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"#h_b97f7b3837\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">assisted cleanup<\/a> was performed, this section shows how many files were either removed or cleaned.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><b>Malware timeline <\/b>&ndash; A record of all malware detections from the past 30 days.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><b>Show details <\/b>&ndash; This expands a section displaying a list of compromised and malicious files and their locations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><h3 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Important limitations of the Malware Scanner<\/strong><\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The Malware Scanner scans and cleans website <strong>files<\/strong> only. Keep the following in mind before and after running a scan:<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>The database is not scanned or cleaned.<\/strong> A clean scan result does not rule out a database-level infection. Malware injected into database tables (such as <code class=\"bg-text-200\/5 border border-0.5 border-border-300 text-danger-000 whitespace-pre-wrap rounded-[0.4rem] px-1 py-px text-[0.9rem]\">wp_options<\/code>, <code class=\"bg-text-200\/5 border border-0.5 border-border-300 text-danger-000 whitespace-pre-wrap rounded-[0.4rem] px-1 py-px text-[0.9rem]\">wp_posts<\/code>, or <code class=\"bg-text-200\/5 border border-0.5 border-border-300 text-danger-000 whitespace-pre-wrap rounded-[0.4rem] px-1 py-px text-[0.9rem]\">wp_users<\/code>) will not be detected. Symptoms include persistent redirects, phishing pages, or spam that return even after files are cleaned.<\/p><ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">To inspect the database manually, use phpMyAdmin (<strong>hPanel &rarr; Databases &rarr; phpMyAdmin<\/strong>) or a security plugin such as Wordfence or MalCare.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">To include database cleanup, request the <strong>Site Cleanup service<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>One infected site can affect all sites on the account<\/strong> On Web Hosting and Cloud Hosting plans, all websites under the same account share the same file system. If one site is infected, malware can spread to all others on the account. Always scan every website on the account &mdash; not just the one showing symptoms.<\/p><div class=\"intercom-interblocks-callout\" style=\"background-color: #e3e7fa80;border-color: #334bfa33\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> Agency Hosting plans use isolated environments per client site, which significantly reduces the risk of cross-site contamination.<\/div><h2 id=\"h_79e595a71a\">What to do if malware is detected<\/h2><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">If your website is infected, follow these steps to clean and secure your site:<\/p><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">Step 1 &mdash; Update vulnerabilities (WordPress sites)<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">If your website is built on WordPress, update all located vulnerabilities immediately. This includes:<\/p><ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1.5 [li_&amp;]:gap-1.5 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-2 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Updating WordPress core to the latest version<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Updating all plugins to their latest versions<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Updating your theme to the latest version<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Outdated software is a common entry point for malware, so keeping everything up to date is crucial for security.<\/p><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">Step 2 &mdash; Change all passwords<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Change the following passwords immediately to prevent unauthorized access:<\/p><ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1.5 [li_&amp;]:gap-1.5 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-2 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>SSH\/FTP passwords<\/strong> &ndash; Update your file transfer protocol credentials<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Admin login passwords<\/strong> &ndash; Change your WordPress admin password (or CMS admin password)<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Database passwords<\/strong> &ndash; Consider updating your database credentials as well<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Use strong, unique passwords for each account to maximize security.<\/p><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">Step 3 &mdash; Clean up the malware<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">You have several options for removing the malware:<\/p><h4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\">Manual cleanup<\/h4><ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1.5 [li_&amp;]:gap-1.5 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-2 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">For WordPress websites, follow this guide: <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"\/support\/1583339-how-to-fix-a-wordpress-site-with-malware\/\">How to fix a WordPress site with malware<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">For other website types, check your CMS official documentation or help forums; for further assistance, you can consider a freelance service such as <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"\/support\/5375833-fiverr-services-at-hostinger\/\">Fiverr<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><p><strong>Database cleanup<\/strong><\/p><p>If the infection is in your database &mdash; for example, injected content in tables like wp_options, wp_posts, or wp_users &mdash; download your database backup by following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/5981435-how-to-download-backups-at-hostinger\/\">How to Download Backups at Hostinger<\/a>. Once downloaded, scan the .sql file using antivirus software or a security tool that supports SQL files on your local device, remove any suspicious entries, and re-import the cleaned file through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/1583545-how-to-access-phpmyadmin-at-hostinger\/\">phpMyAdmin<\/a>.<\/p><h4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\">Restore from backup<\/h4><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"\/support\/4283700-how-to-restore-backups-at-hostinger\/\">Restore your website<\/a> &ndash; choose a backup date previous to the malware infection, then apply security <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"#h_a9abb8f341\">measures<\/a> to prevent reinfection.<\/p><h4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\">Site cleanup service (WordPress only)<\/h4><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">If your website is built on WordPress and the domain is <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"\/support\/1863967-how-to-point-a-domain-to-hostinger\/\">pointed to Hostinger<\/a>, we can assist with professional cleanup for <strong>$95<\/strong>.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">This service includes:<\/p><ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1.5 [li_&amp;]:gap-1.5 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-2 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Removal of all detected malware files<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">MySQL injection cleanup<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Stopping any malicious scripts running on your website<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Comprehensive site security review<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">To request the service, click the <strong>Request site cleanup<\/strong> button in the Malware Scanner section:<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2022\/05\/ac878cd5-0342-43ed-8255-a4a5f88f6119.jpg\" alt=\"Hostinger Malware Scanner page with the Request site cleanup button highlighted\" data-media-id=\"3876\"><\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Review the information about the cleanup process, click <strong>Continue<\/strong>, and proceed with the payment. You&rsquo;ll receive an email notification once the cleanup is complete.<\/p><div class=\"intercom-interblocks-callout\" style=\"background-color: #feedaf80;border-color: #fbc91633\"><strong>NOTE:<\/strong> The site cleanup service costs $95 and is only available for WordPress websites with domains pointed to Hostinger.<\/div><div><\/div><div>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"20\" id=\"h-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p id=\"p-rc_2368d8b2d802a66c-180\" data-path-to-node=\"21\"><span data-path-to-node=\"21,1\"><span class=\"citation-462\">While the automated Hostinger Malware Scanner (powered by Monarx) proactively cleans files on your hosting plan, it does not scan or clean your website&rsquo;s database. <\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"21,4\"><span class=\"citation-461\">If your site is affected by <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"21,4\" data-index-in-node=\"28\"><span class=\"citation-461\">MySQL injections<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-461\">, these can be resolved by using our professional <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"21,4\" data-index-in-node=\"94\"><span class=\"citation-461\">Site cleanup service<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-461\">, which includes a comprehensive database cleanup and security review. <\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"21,7\"><span class=\"citation-460\">Following these steps ensures your website remains fast, safe, and reliable for your visitors<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><h3 id=\"h_a9abb8f341\">How to protect against malware<\/h3><p class=\"no-margin\">After removing the malware, it&rsquo;s important to take steps to prevent future infections. We recommend the following:<\/p><ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Keep your website&rsquo;s theme and plugins updated to the latest versions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Use the latest PHP version available.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Only use licensed themes, plugins, or extensions, and uninstall any unlicensed ones.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Change the admin user passwords to strong, unique ones.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\">Update your antivirus software on your local device and run regular scans.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><div class=\"intercom-interblocks-callout\" style=\"background-color: #e3e7fa80;border-color: #334bfa33\">\n<p class=\"no-margin\">These security practices are recommended at all times, not just after an infection &#128274;<\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"no-margin\"><b>Additional resources<\/b><\/p><ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"\/support\/1583390-what-to-do-if-your-account-or-site-has-been-hacked\/#h_596b371c84\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to protect your account and websites<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/website-security-audit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to do a website security audit<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/how-to-secure-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to improve WordPress security<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wordpress-malware-removal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to remove WordPress malware<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"no-margin\"><a class=\"intercom-content-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wordpress-malware-scanner-plugins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress malware scanner plugins and how to use them<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/1583287-what-security-measures-does-hostinger-use\/\">What security measures does Hostinger use?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Detecting and cleaning up malware on your websites<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":581,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"include_on_kodee":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[273],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-website-security"],"hreflangs":[{"locale":"en-US","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/6197555-how-to-use-the-malware-scanner-at-hostinger\/","default":1},{"locale":"es-ES","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/es\/support\/6197555-como-utilizar-el-escaner-de-malware-en-hostinger\/","default":0},{"locale":"fr-FR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/fr\/support\/6197555-comment-utiliser-le-scanner-de-logiciels-malveillants-chez-hostinger\/","default":0},{"locale":"id-ID","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/id\/support\/6197555-cara-menggunakan-pemindai-malware-di-hostinger\/","default":0},{"locale":"pt-BR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/br\/support\/6197555-como-usar-o-scanner-de-malware-da-hostinger\/","default":0}],"include_on_kodee":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/581"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=955"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14464,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955\/revisions\/14464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/support\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}