Sucuri

SC Malware on WordPress Restores Deleted Backdoors in Seconds via Eight Persistence Points

Researchers at Sucuri have analyzed the SC malware targeting WordPress sites, which rapidly restores any removed backdoor components through a minimum of eight interconnected persistence mechanisms. The infection hides across PHP configuration settings, hidden loaders, theme files, and plugins, with some elements executing before standard WordPress plugins load. Copies of the malicious code are also stored in the database and System V shared memory on supported servers, allowing full reinfection from surviving sources after file cleanup. The backdoor evades plugin listings, gathers site and administrator session data, deploys additional PHP code, and disables security plugins while injecting JavaScript for payment data theft in online stores. Command-and-control occurs through public Ethereum RPC gateways and smart contracts with multiple fallback channels. Sucuri warns that PHP caching of the loader directive can crash request handling if the referenced file is deleted without prior preparation, and recommends a sequenced cleanup process.