SiteLock gives us peace of mind
SiteLock gives us peace of mind by watching our sites 24/7 so we can focus on the business.
MALWARE REMOVAL
Surgical removal. Confirmed clean. No broken sites.
Automated removal that targets only the malicious code. When automation isn't enough, our expert team steps in.
Surgical removal — only the infected code, nothing else
Goes inside your server via FTP/SFTP to find and remove only the infected code not the files around it. Your themes, plugins, and content come through untouched.
Deep database cleaning — the layer most tools miss
Scans your database tables for injected redirect code, spam links, and phishing payloads that file-only scanners never reach. Removed automatically, without manual SQL edits.
Clean confirmed — visible in your Site Health score
After removal completes, your Site Health score updates in real time. When it turns green, you know your site is clean not just that the scan stopped running.
I can see in seconds
I can see in seconds if any of our websites need attention—no more guessing
Their team explains everything clearly
Their team explains everything clearly and helps us act quickly when something changes.
Already hacked?
SiteLock plans cover new infections detected after setup. If your site is actively infected, SiteLock 911 is designed for that — a one-time emergency cleanup service with same-day response, priority access to SiteLock’s expert team, and guaranteed results.
Expert help when malware needs more than a scan
Automated removal handles the vast majority of infections without any input from you. But some attacks are more complex — a persistent backdoor, an unfamiliar payload, or an infection that keeps coming back. When that happens, SiteLock’s security experts are available around the clock to step in directly: reviewing scan results, guiding you through the clean-up, and making sure the re-entry point is gone — not just the visible infection.
Malware Removal in-depth
| File-level malware detection and removal | |
|---|---|
| Scan every file on your server — not just what a browser can see | SMART File Scan connects to your server via FTP/SFTP and scans from the inside out, covering files that plugin-based tools and external scanners never reach. Backdoors, injected scripts, and hidden payloads have nowhere to stay undetected. |
| Remove infections without touching anything else on your site | When SMART finds malicious code inside a legitimate file, it removes only the code matching its malware signatures — not the file itself. Your themes, plugins, content, and custom code come through intact. If the entire file is malicious, SMART deletes it cleanly. |
| Catch infections that plugin-based security tools can’t reach | Plugins protect the application layer. They cannot scan server files directly. SMART runs at the server level, so infections buried in directories that plugins never access are found and removed. |
| Know exactly what was found, fixed, and what still needs attention | Every scan breaks results into malicious, suspicious, and items escalated for expert review — so you always know what was checked, what changed, and whether anything still requires action. |
| Trigger a fresh scan whenever something feels off | On-demand scanning lets you run a check after a plugin update, a content change, or anything unexpected — without waiting for the next scheduled pass. |
| Database malware detection and removal | |
|---|---|
| Find malware hiding in your database — not just your files | SMART Database Scan covers your CMS database tables for injected redirect code, spam links, and phishing payloads — the attack surface that file-only scanners miss entirely. Threats are removed automatically, without manual SQL edits. |
| Get accurate results on WordPress without extra configuration | Database scanning includes WordPress-specific detection patterns, so CMS-level attack signatures are identified accurately rather than missed by generic rules. For WordPress and Joomla, database credentials are detected automatically. |
| Undo a database cleanup if anything looks wrong | If an automated fix ever causes an unexpected issue, you can restore the database to its pre-scan state in one click — so automated removal never feels like a step you can’t take back. |
| Backdoor removal and re-infection prevention | |
|---|---|
| Stop the same attackers from getting back in after cleanup | Hackers plant backdoor files after an infection specifically so they can regain access once visible malware is removed. Manual cleanup almost never finds them. SMART identifies and removes backdoors in the same pass as the malware — not as a separate step. |
| Deny backdoor access even if the file survived cleanup | Detects backdoor files and blocks attacker access to them at scan level, so even if a backdoor was previously installed, attempts to use it are denied. |
| Know immediately if anything tries to come back | Scans keep running after malware is removed. Threats are detected near real-time and your Site Health score reflects current status — not yesterday’s last scan. A new infection attempt triggers an immediate alert, not a days-later discovery. |
| Post-cleanup confidence | |
|---|---|
| See confirmation your site is clean — not just silence | After removal completes, your Site Health score updates in real time to confirm the clean state. Green means clean — it’s a clear indicator that cleanup is done and protection is active, not an absence of alerts that could mean anything. |
| Close the security gap attackers used before they try again | When SMART identifies a vulnerability in a plugin, theme, or CMS core file, SMART Patch notifies you immediately and can apply a virtual fix — closing the entry point before the next attack attempt reaches your server. |
| Get your site off Google’s blacklist after cleanup | Submitting to Google for a re-index and working with your hosting provider to have the site de-listed are part of SiteLock’s Expert Services offering — available once a clean scan can be confirmed as evidence. |
| See malware removal status alongside all your other security checks | Every scan result updates your Site Health score and Prioritized Security Action Queue, so malware removal sits in one ranked list with your other security tasks — not a separate tool to check separately. |
| Expert services | |
|---|---|
| Get a real person when automated removal isn’t enough | Call, ticket, and email access to SiteLock Security Experts at any hour. When a persistent infection, an unfamiliar payload, or a recurring attack needs more than a scan, a real person steps in directly. |
| Get your site cleaned in hours, not days | Once server access is granted, SMART File Scan begins within minutes. Most sites are fully cleaned within 4–6 hours — including nights, weekends, and public holidays. |
| Manage everything from one dashboard, not separate tools | Malware scans, database scans, Site Health score, and expert access all sit inside the same SiteLock dashboard — one login, one view, no switching between tools to understand what’s happening on your site. |
FAQ
Will malware removal break my site?
No. When SMART detects malicious code inside a legitimate file, it removes only the offending code matching its malware signatures — not the file itself. Your themes, plugins, custom code, and content stay completely intact. If you’d prefer to review before any changes are committed, scan results are available before cleanup runs
Does SiteLock help with Google’s blacklist after cleanup?
Yes. Submitting to Google for a re-index and working with your hosting provider to have the site de-listed are part of SiteLock’s Expert Services offering. This is available once a clean scan can be confirmed as evidence. Check your plan or contact support to confirm Expert Services coverage.
Why did my site get re-infected after I cleaned it manually?
Manual cleanup almost always misses backdoors — hidden files that attackers install specifically so they can regain access after the visible malware is removed. SMART finds and removes backdoors in the same pass as the malware. Post-cleanup monitoring then keeps scanning, so a new access attempt triggers an alert immediately rather than going unnoticed for days
How long does cleanup take?
Once server access is granted, SMART File Scan begins within minutes. Most sites are fully cleaned within 4–6 hours. For complex infections, SiteLock’s security team is available around the clock and can reduce that window further with the immediate remediation option.
What’s the difference between WAF and malware scanning?
The WAF is a prevention layer — it sits in front of your site and blocks attacks before they reach your server. Malware removal is a detection and remediation layer — it finds and removes malicious code that has already been injected. Both matter. The WAF closes the door; SMART File Scan and SMART Database Scan handle anything that gets through. SiteLock 2.0 runs both, together, in the same platform.
Reduce your website security risks
Clean now. Stay clean. See the proof
Most malware removal tools tell you when you’re infected. SiteLock actually removes it — surgically, so nothing working on your site gets touched in the process. Your Site Health score updates when cleanup is complete, so you have real confirmation rather than an absence of alerts. And if an infection is complex enough to need a human, SiteLock’s security experts are available around the clock — not on a ticket queue that reopens Monday.
