What is the Japanese keyword hack?

The Japanese keyword hack is a type of malware infection that targets WordPress websites. The hackers inject spammy Japanese words into your website pages, which are then indexed by Google. This causes your website to start ranking for Japanese keywords, even though you have no legitimate content in Japanese.

How to fix the Japanese keyword hack

There are a few steps you can take to fix the Japanese keyword hack:

1. Remove newly created accounts from Search Console. Hackers often create new accounts in your Google Search Console account in order to submit the hacked pages for indexing. You can remove these accounts by following these steps:
   • Go to your Google Search Console account.
   • Click on the Settings tab.
   • Click on the Users & permissions tab.
   • Click on the Remove user button next to any user you don’t recognize.
2. Check your .htaccess file. The hackers may have added malicious code to your .htaccess file. This code can redirect visitors to malicious websites or prevent Google from indexing your pages. You can check your .htaccess file for malicious code by following these steps:
   • Log in to your web hosting account.
   • Find the .htaccess file.
   • Open the .htaccess file in a text editor.
   • Search for any suspicious code.
   • If you find any suspicious code, delete it.
3. Remove all malicious files and scripts. The hackers may have also uploaded malicious files or scripts to your website. You can remove these files and scripts by following these steps:
   • Use a security plugin like Wordfence or Malcare to scan your website for malware.
   • Once you have identified the malicious files, delete them from your website.
4. Check recently modified files. The hackers may have modified some of your website’s files. You can check for recently modified files by following these steps:
   • Log in to your web hosting account.
   • Find the list of recently modified files.
   • If you see any files that you don’t recognize, delete them.
5. Check your sitemap. The hackers may have added their malicious pages to your sitemap. You can check your sitemap for malicious pages by following these steps:
   • Go to your website’s XML sitemap.
   • Look for any pages that you don’t recognize.
   • If you see any malicious pages, remove them from your sitemap.
6. Run a malware scan. There are a number of free and paid malware scanning tools available. You can run a malware scan to check for any remaining malicious files or scripts.

How to prevent the Japanese keyword hack from happening again

Once you have fixed the Japanese keyword hack, you can take steps to prevent it from happening again:

• Keep your WordPress software up to date.
• Install a security plugin like Wordfence or Malcare.
• Use strong passwords for your website accounts.
• Be careful about what plugins and themes you install on your website.
• Back up your website regularly.

By following these steps, you can help to keep your website safe from the Japanese keyword hack and other malware infections.

I hope this article was helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.