My website keeps getting hacked even after I changed passwords
I run a small e-commerce store on WooCommerce. I've been hacked 3 times in 4 months. I change my passwords every time, update WordPress, but they keep getting in. Last time they injected some code into my product pages that redirected customers to a spam site. Google even flagged my site. I'm about to give up. What am I missing?
1 Answer(s)
Changing passwords isn't enough because you're treating the symptom, not the disease. Here's what's actually happening and how to fix it permanently:
The most likely entry points:
1. Vulnerable plugin or theme. This is the #1 cause. Outdated WooCommerce extensions, nulled themes, or poorly coded plugins are open doors. Audit every plugin—delete anything you don't absolutely need.
2. Weak file permissions. Your wp-content/uploads folder should be 755, files should be 644. Wrong permissions let hackers upload files.
3. No firewall. Install Wordfence or Sucuri. Configure it to block brute force attacks and scan for malware daily.
4. No two-factor authentication. Enable 2FA on your WordPress admin. This alone stops 99% of brute force attacks.
5. Your hosting might be the problem. If you're on cheap shared hosting, upgrade. Managed WooCommerce hosts like Kinsta or WP Engine have built-in security.
6. Hire a security pro ($200-500) to do a one-time cleanup and harden your site. It's worth every penny.
This is fixable, but you need to go beyond password changes.