How to Know if Your Website Content Changed Overnight

Overnight changes are a common sign of unauthorized edits or compromised plugins. You log in, and something feels off. Maybe a new link appears or a headline is different. If you do not know who changed it, you should treat it seriously.

This guide explains how to confirm changes, identify the source, and prevent it from happening again.

Signs your site changed overnight

• New text or links in headers or footers.
• Images replaced or removed.
• Unknown scripts in the page source.
• Redirects or popups you did not add.

Check your recent activity log

Most CMS platforms log admin activity. Look for:

• Unknown logins.
• Changes made outside your normal schedule.
• New admin users you did not create.

Compare to a baseline

If you have a backup or baseline snapshot, compare it to the current page. This shows exactly what changed and helps you decide whether it was legitimate.

What to do if changes are unauthorized

1. Restore the affected page or site from a clean backup.
2. Change admin passwords and remove unknown users.
3. Update plugins and core software.
4. Run a malware scan through your host.

How to prevent overnight changes

• Enable two-factor authentication.
• Limit admin access to trusted staff.
• Monitor integrity changes daily or weekly.