The Ultimate Guide to Removing .htaccess Malware from WordPress

Is your website behaving erratically? If your visitors are being sent to strange spam sites or you find yourself locked out of your own dashboard, you are likely dealing with wordpress htaccess malware. The .htaccess file is a powerful configuration tool for Apache servers, but when compromised, it becomes a dangerous weapon for hackers.

In this guide, we will analyze real malware code, answer if can htaccess file cause malware directly, and show you exactly how to remove .htaccess malware and stop it from returning.

What is .htaccess Malware?

A common question among site owners is: are htaccess files used for malware? The answer is yes, but usually as a symptom rather than the virus itself. Hackers modify this file to hide their tracks, execute a htaccess malware redirect, or prevent security scanners from accessing their backdoors.

If you find your htaccess file hacked redirected to malware site, it means an attacker has gained write access to your server and is intercepting your traffic.

Analyzing Real .htaccess Malware Samples

To fix the issue, you need to recognize the malicious code patterns. Below are three distinct samples of htaccess file malware often found in infected WordPress installations.

Sample 1: The Broad File Denial

This snippet attempts to lock down the site to prevent you or your security plugins from accessing suspicious file types.

<FilesMatch '.(py|exe|php|PHP|Php|PHp|pHp|pHP|pHP7|PHP7|phP|PhP|php5|suspected)$'>
Order allow,deny
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

Sample 2: The Backdoor Whitelist

This is a specific signature of wordpress malware creating .htaccess input.php and index.php files. The code denies access to most files but explicitly allows access to specific hack files like class-t.api.php, doc.php, or hh.php.

<FilesMatch ".(py|exe|phtml|php|PhP|php5|suspected)$">
Order Allow,Deny
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
<FilesMatch "(^class-t.api.php|^index.php|^doc.php|^hh.php|^wp-blog.php)$">
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</FilesMatch>

Sample 3: The Redirect and Block

This is a classic example of htaccess rewriterule malware. It combines a massive file block with a rewrite rule that often hijacks mobile or search engine traffic.

<FilesMatch ".*\.(py|exe|phtml|php|PHP|Php|PHp|pHp|pHP|phP|PhP|php5|php6|php7|php8|pHtml|suspected|sh|bash|cgi|asp|pl|jsp|tar|gzip|rar|zip|swf|log|env|ini|bak|swp|txt|sql|dll|jar|bat)$">
Order Allow,Deny
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

How to Check and Remove the Infection

If you suspect an infection, follow these steps immediately.

1. Perform a Scan: Run a htaccess malware scan using a reputable security plugin or server-side scanner.
2. Manual Inspection: Log in via FTP or cPanel to check htaccess malware manually. Look for the code blocks listed above.
3. Restore Default Code: To remove .htaccess malware, delete the malicious code and replace it with the standard WordPress .htaccess rules.

Why Does the Malware Keep Coming Back?

A major frustration for admins is when malware keep creating .htaccess index files immediately after deletion. If this happens, the .htaccess file is just the tip of the iceberg.

This usually indicates you have a “dropper” script hiding in your core files. This script regenerates the wordpress htaccess redirect malware every time the site loads. To fix this, you must look beyond the .htaccess file and find the rogue PHP files (often named similarly to core files like input.php or wp-blog.php) that are writing the code.

Frequently Asked Questions About .htaccess Malware

How do I know if my .htaccess file is infected?

The most common signs are unexpected behavior. If your htaccess file hacked redirected to malware site (sending visitors to scams or spam), or if you cannot access your WordPress dashboard, you likely have an infection. You should manually check htaccess malware via FTP or use a security plugin to perform a htaccess malware scan immediately.

Can .htaccess files cause malware infections?

Many users ask: can htaccess file cause malware? The answer is technical. The .htaccess file itself is a configuration file, not a script, so it cannot “run” like a virus. However, are htaccess files used for malware? Absolutely. Hackers use them as a tool to control traffic, hide backdoors, and execute htaccess redirect malware attacks.

Why does the malware keep creating .htaccess index files after I delete them?

If you remove the malicious code but the malware keep creating .htaccess index modifications, you haven’t found the source. There is likely a hidden PHP script (often disguised as wordpress malware creating .htaccess input.php and index.php files) running on your server. This script regenerates the dirty .htaccess file every time the site is loaded. You must find and delete this “dropper” file to stop the reinfection.

What does htaccess rewriterule malware actually do?

Htaccess rewriterule malware uses Apache’s rewrite engine to hijack your site’s traffic. It detects if a visitor comes from a search engine (like Google) or a mobile device and transparently redirects them to a malicious URL. This is often why site owners don’t see the issue themselves, but their visitors do. This specific type of wordpress htaccess redirect malware is designed to steal your SEO traffic.

Conclusion

Dealing with htaccess wordpress malware requires patience and a systematic approach. By identifying the htaccess redirect malware patterns and cleaning your core files, you can restore your site’s health. Remember, simply cleaning the .htaccess is rarely enough; you must secure the entry point to prevent future attacks.