First Step • Verification-Based Assessment
Recovery Review
If you suspect compromise, the first objective is clarity. A Recovery Review is a structured assessment designed to identify likely access paths, persistence indicators, and risk scope before any irreversible cleanup decisions are made.
When a Recovery Review Is Recommended
- Google shows a malware warning or “This site may be hacked” notice
- Spam URLs or porn pages appear in indexing
- Visitors report redirects, popups, or strange pages
- Unknown admin users appear in WordPress
- Reinfection happens after cleanup attempts
- Rankings drop suddenly after suspected compromise
- Hosting logs show repeated login attempts or suspicious probes
What This Review Is Not
A Recovery Review is not rushed malware deletion. It is not “run a scanner and hope.” It is a verification-first assessment intended to reduce reinfection risk by clarifying what actually happened and what must be secured next.
If a site is actively serving malicious content, emergency stabilization may be recommended first. Otherwise, the goal is accurate scope and a clean plan.
What ProVAE Reviews
Access & Authentication
- Admin user integrity and role changes
- Login exposure and brute-force patterns
- Credential risk indicators
Files & Integrity
- High-risk writable directories
- Unexpected PHP/JS artifacts
- Timestamp and change pattern review
Database & Persistence
- Injected options or suspicious entries
- Hidden persistence patterns
- Spam/redirect mechanisms that survive file cleanup
Outcome of the Review
You receive a clear, prioritized summary of what is most likely true, what is unknown, and what should happen next. The objective is to move from uncertainty to an evidence-backed recovery plan.
What You Should Prepare
You do not need to provide everything. The items below accelerate accuracy. If you do not have an item, proceed anyway.
Recommended Inputs
- Domain(s) affected and primary contact email
- Approximate date/time the issue was first noticed
- Examples of suspicious URLs (if indexed or redirected)
- Google Search Console warning screenshots (if applicable)
- Hosting access log excerpts around the event window
- List of recent changes (plugins/themes/credentials)
Do Not Do This First
- Do not mass-delete files without preserving evidence
- Do not restore backups until entry points are understood
- Do not install multiple “security cleaners” in panic
- Do not assume a clean-looking homepage means a clean site
Request a Recovery Review
Send the affected domain name, a short description of the issue, and when the problem was first noticed. Example URLs or screenshots are helpful but not required.
Contact ProVAE
Email Recovery Review Request:
Include the domain name, symptoms observed, and approximate timeline.