Default Plugins Being Installed Automatically

  • I’m having an issue where on occasion, the default group of plugins are being automatically installed onto my WordPress site. Plugins like YITH, Google Analytics for WordPress by Monster Insights, Jetpack, Optinmonster…etc. I do not use these plugins and they disrupt the function of my site, so I purposely don’t have them.

    About 6 months ago, I noticed that they had been installed somehow, even though I had deleted them a while back. I called my hosting provider Bluehost who was adamant that they would not have been installed by their systems, but to be sure, it’s best to turn off the automatic updates setting. Which I did, and have been manually updating my plugins since.

    Yesterday, despite the automatic updates setting still being disabled, the plugins were installed again. Furthermore, several plugins I was actively using were disabled automatically. I called Bluehost again and they were again adamant that this could not have been done by them. Yet, I am the only user for my site and my security plugin shows no other logins. Today, the automatic updates setting changed to ‘On’ out of the blue.

    Essentially, I have no idea what is triggering these changes and I’m trying to find out what is going on so I can take steps to stop it from happening again.

    Thank you!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

  • Hi dmcqshadows,

    Here is a thread that would help to solve your issue. Additionally, you can use this WordPress FAQ?“My Site was hacked” for orientation in this case.

    Hope it helps!

    Thread Starter dmcqshadows

    (@dmcqshadows)

    Thanks for the response Sania!

    I actually found that first thread and read it yesterday. I’m not sure if my situation is different, as I’m pretty new to this, but the site doesn’t appear to be hacked. Scans from Wordfence and Sitelock found nothing. Bluehost is running a scan on their side but it hasn’t finished yet. I of course will keep monitoring for any signs of site compromise.

    Is there any way that a WordPress update could prompt the default plugins to re-install? Or for the default setting of auto-update to be re-selected?

    Hi and thanks for reaching out! Those plugins are installed with WordPress by default so that is likely the source of the issue. If you already switched the core files to disabled, and it’s still getting updated, we recommend disabling updates in your wp-config.php file. You can find instructions on how to do that, here:?
    ?
    https://www.wpbeginner[.]com/wp-tutorials/how-to-disable-automatic-updates-in-wordpress

    Thread Starter dmcqshadows

    (@dmcqshadows)

    Thank you!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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