My server may have malware or was hacked — can you scan/clean it, and keep my data?

If you suspect a malicious plugin or mod has compromised your server, the priority is to stop the bleeding, remove the bad files, and get back to a clean state — without losing your world. Some pirated or sketchy plugins carry backdoors, so this is worth taking seriously.

Clean-up steps

Work through these in order. The goal is to isolate the compromise before restoring known-good data.

1. Stop the server from the Console tab so nothing malicious keeps running.
2. Remove recently added, untrusted plugins/mods. Delete anything you installed from an unofficial source. Going forward, only download from official sources — SpigotMC, Modrinth, and CurseForge.
3. Change your passwords — your HumbleServers panel password and any in-game admin passwords.
4. Restore a clean backup from before the compromise (see below).

Warning: Pirated or "cracked premium" plugins are the most common source of backdoors. If a plugin is normally paid but you got it free from a random link, treat it as suspect.

Restoring clean data

Every server is backed up automatically twice a day. Open your server → Backups to browse a backup from before the compromise and restore it — into a new folder, over the current files, or the whole server. You can also download your world and files through the Files manager or SFTP as an extra copy.

Open a support ticket and we can help review the server. Your world data can usually be kept while we remove the bad files.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my world if it is cleaned? Usually not. The malicious files are typically plugins/mods and configs — your world/ data can normally be preserved while the bad files are removed.

How do I avoid this happening again? Only install from SpigotMC, Modrinth, or CurseForge, keep your panel password strong and private, and review the Sub-users page so no sub-user has more access than they need.

Can you scan the server for me? We do not run a magic antivirus, but staff can review suspicious files with you via ticket and help you get back to a clean, trusted setup.