If you run a small business website, you might think hackers wouldn’t bother with you. You’re not handling sensitive data or running a massive online store. But the truth is, small business sites are prime targets for cyber attacks. Why? Because they’re often easier to break into, and hackers can use them for all sorts of shady activities, from spreading malware to launching attacks on other websites.

In this post, we’ll break down questions I often get asked, why hackers target small business websites, the risks you might not even realise exist, and, most importantly, how to protect your site from being hijacked. Whether you’re a tech pro or a total beginner, these tips will help keep your business safe online.

Is it true that hackers can use my site for pornography?

Yes, unfortunately, hackers can hijack your website and use it to host or link to explicit content, including pornography. Here’s how they do it and why:

1. Injecting Hidden Pages

Hackers can create hidden pages on your website that aren’t visible to regular visitors but are indexed by search engines. These pages might contain pornographic content or links to dodgy websites. This is often done for:

2. Redirecting Your Visitors

If a hacker takes over your website, they can make it so that when someone visits, they get automatically redirected to a porn site. This can happen in a few ways:

3. Pop-ups and Malvertising

Hackers can inject dodgy ads that display pop-ups leading to adult content. If your site gets a decent amount of traffic, they might use it to distribute malware-ridden ads disguised as “harmless” adult content.

4. Hiding It from You

The worst part? You might not even know it’s happening. Hackers often set up these attacks so that only certain users see the dodgy content—like people coming from search engines, mobile devices, or specific countries. Meanwhile, when you visit your own site, everything looks normal.

Long story short: Yes, hackers can use your site for pornography, but you can take steps to protect yourself. If anything looks suspicious, act fast!

Why do hackers hack small business sites that do not have any personal data or don’t sell any products?

You’d think hackers would focus only on big businesses with loads of personal data, but small business sites are actually prime targets. Here’s why:

1. Easy Targets

Small businesses often don’t invest in strong security, making them an easy win for hackers. They use automated tools to scan the internet for vulnerable sites, and when they find one, they strike.

2. Botnets & Spam

Hackers love hijacking websites to use as part of a botnet (a network of infected computers) to send spam or launch attacks on other websites. Your website might not store anything valuable, but it can still be turned into a tool for other cyber crimes.

3. SEO Poisoning

They can inject dodgy links into your site to boost their own shady websites in search rankings. It’s a sneaky way to manipulate SEO and push traffic to scam sites.

4. Defacement & Clout

Some hackers do it just for fun, to make a statement or to prove they can. They might replace your homepage with a weird message or just break things for the sake of it.

5. Gateway to Bigger Targets

If your website is connected to suppliers, customers, or other businesses, hackers can use it as a stepping stone to attack larger, more valuable targets.

So even if your site doesn’t seem like an obvious target, hackers can still find a way to use it for their own gain. Keeping things secure—strong passwords, regular updates, and a decent firewall—can save you a lot of headaches.

What can a hacker do once they have control of your website?

If hackers take control of your website, they can use it as part of a botnet to attack other websites. Here’s how that works:

1. Turning Your Site into a Bot

Hackers can infect your website with malware that lets them control it remotely. They don’t need to take over your whole server—just getting access to a vulnerable part of your site is enough. Once they’ve done that, they can make your website send malicious traffic or spam without you even noticing.

2. Launching DDoS Attacks

One of the biggest threats is DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. Here’s how it works:

• The hacker infects thousands of small websites (including yours).
• At the same time, all these infected sites start sending huge amounts of traffic to a target website.
• The target site gets overwhelmed and crashes.

Hackers use this to take down competitors, blackmail businesses, or just cause chaos.

3. Sending Spam & Phishing Emails

If hackers control your website, they can use its server to send out spam emails or phishing attacks. Since emails coming from a real business website look more legitimate, they’re more likely to trick people into clicking malicious links.

4. Hiding Malware on Your Site

Your website might also be used to secretly host malware. Hackers can place malicious files on your server and use your domain to distribute them. Visitors to your site—or even people clicking on a seemingly normal link elsewhere—could end up downloading a virus without realising it.

5. Brute Force Attacks on Other Sites

Hackers can use your site as part of a network to repeatedly try logging into other websites (using lists of stolen passwords). This is called a brute force attack, and it’s much harder to stop when the traffic comes from many different infected sites instead of a single hacker’s computer.

So, even if you don’t store sensitive data or sell anything, hackers can still use your site as a tool to attack others. That’s why keeping your website secure is so important!

What Can We Do?

Now that we know why hackers target small business websites and the damage they can cause, let’s talk about how to stop them. If you run a WordPress site, here are some simple but effective steps to keep it secure:

1. Keep Everything Updated

Outdated plugins, themes, and WordPress versions are the number one way hackers get in. Always update them as soon as new versions are available—many updates include security fixes that patch vulnerabilities.

2. Use Strong Passwords & Limit Login Attempts

• Use unique, complex passwords for your WordPress admin, database, and hosting account.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra security.
• Install a plugin like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded to block hackers from brute-forcing their way in.

3. Install a Security Plugin

Security plugins help protect your site by detecting malware, blocking suspicious activity, and preventing attacks. Some good options include:

• Wordfence – Adds a firewall and scans for malware.
• Sucuri Security – Offers security monitoring and protection.
• Malcare – Helps harden WordPress against common threats.

4. Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A firewall filters out malicious traffic before it even reaches your site. Services like Cloudflare or Sucuri Firewall add an extra layer of defence against attacks.

5. Secure Your Login Page

The default WordPress login page (yourwebsite.com/wp-admin) is a common target for hackers. You can:

• Change the login URL with a plugin like HMWP Ghost.
• Disable XML-RPC if you don’t use it (it’s often exploited in brute force attacks).

6. Regularly Back Up Your Site

If the worst happens, a recent backup can save you. Use plugins like All in one WP Migration or Malcare to automatically back up your site. Store backups in a secure location, not just on your web server.

7. Scan for Malware & Fix Vulnerabilities

Regular scans help you catch security issues early. You can:

• Use Google Search Console to check if Google has flagged your site as hacked.
• Scan your site with Sucuri’s free site check tool or Wordfence.
• Monitor your files for unexpected changes.

8. Secure Your Hosting Environment

A good host can make all the difference. Look for a hosting provider that offers:

• Automatic backups and malware scanning.
• Secure servers with up-to-date PHP and database versions.
• Firewalls and DDoS protection.

9. Remove Unused Plugins & Themes

Even if a plugin or theme isn’t active, it can still be a security risk if it’s outdated or vulnerable. If you’re not using it, delete it.

10. Monitor Traffic & Activity

Strange traffic spikes or unexpected admin logins can be signs of an attack. Use:

• Google Analytics to monitor traffic patterns.
• WP Activity Log to track what’s happening inside your WordPress dashboard.