WordPress Gave Me Malware and All I Got Was This Blog Post
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of logging into your WordPress site and discovering a mysterious new theme folder called custom-file-3-1748306987, complete with a suspicious file named styIe.php. That’s right, not style.php, but styIe.php with a capital “i”. Because apparently, even malware has a sense of humour.
Welcome to the wild world of WordPress maintenance, where plug-ins sometimes refuse to update, themes get infected, and your Instagram feed decides to ghost you out of nowhere.
Recently, I was helping clean up a WordPress site that had fallen victim to one of these delightful digital gremlins. The site had been flagged for malicious code, leading to a frantic treasure hunt through theme folders, permission settings, and a series of "Are you sure you want to delete this suspicious file?" prompts. At one point, I was literally inspecting code that looked like it had been written by a cat walking across a keyboard, but make it evil.
And don't even get me started on plugins. Some updated. Some didn't. One needed a license key that had been lost in the sands of time (or maybe someone's inbox from 2019). One plugin error broke a form. Another plugin broke Instagram. And the contact form? Let's just say it was more like a contact suggestion.
Now, don’t get me wrong, WordPress is a powerful beast. It’s open-source, flexible, and can be customised to the moon and back. But with great power comes great… headaches. Especially for small businesses who want a good-looking website that works, without waking up to an email that says, “We’ve disabled your files due to malware. You have 3 days.”
This is why I often recommend Squarespace to small businesses. Is it perfect? No. Does it let you fiddle under the hood like WordPress does? Not really. But that’s sort of the point.
With Squarespace, you don’t need to worry about updating plugins, patching security holes, or backing up your site every time you sneeze. There’s no shady styIe.php hiding in the attic, and you won’t suddenly lose your contact form because some third-party plugin decided to have a meltdown.
It’s simple. It’s tidy. It’s the Marie Kondo of website platforms — everything in its place, and nothing sparking malware.
Plus, let’s be honest, most small business websites don’t need 37 plugins, four different caching systems, and a custom-coded mega menu. They need a clean layout, a solid contact form, fast loading speeds, and someone to tell them when their Instagram feed has gone rogue.
Now, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys WordPress wrangling — who sees “PHP error” and thinks, ooh, a puzzle! — then by all means, saddle up. But if you’re a busy small business owner who’d rather spend your time doing literally anything else (like, I don’t know, running your business), Squarespace might just be your new best friend.
And yes, I hear you — “But Squarespace can be limited!” Look, so is the microwave, but it still makes dinner happen most nights. For most small businesses, Squarespace is more than enough to get the job done beautifully, securely, and without the digital drama.
That said, if you’re already running WordPress and feel like you're stuck with it, don't worry. You don’t need to jump ship just to stay safe. I’m happy to help you keep your WordPress site healthy, secure, and functional. With the right care and attention, it can absolutely work for your business, minus the drama.
And if you ever want to chat about which platform suits you best, I’m always up for a coffee (or a good ol' fashioned rant about styIe.php). Just don’t bring any malware.
