That “ManageWP” Google Search Could Get Your Agency Hacked

A fake Google ad for ManageWP can steal your password and your 2FA code in real time. Here’s how this phishing campaign works—and how agencies can stop it.

A sophisticated phishing campaign targeting GoDaddy ManageWP users is exploiting a common habit: searching “managewp” on Google and clicking the top result. According to Guardio Labs, attackers are purchasing Google Sponsored ads that impersonate the legitimate ManageWP login page and leveraging adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) phishing infrastructure to capture credentials and two-factor authentication (2FA) codes in real time.

Unlike traditional phishing pages that simply collect passwords, this AiTM setup acts as a live proxy between the victim and the legitimate ManageWP service. Users unknowingly authenticate through the attacker-controlled interface, allowing threat actors to relay login sessions instantly while siphoning credentials and OTP-based MFA codes through external command-and-control channels.

The risk is especially severe for agencies and developers because ManageWP functions as a centralized administration console for large WordPress fleets. A single compromised account can potentially expose hundreds of connected websites, making this far more than a “single account takeover” incident. With the ManageWP Worker plugin active on more than one million WordPress sites, attackers recognize the platform as a high-value operational target.

This campaign also demonstrates why legacy OTP-style MFA is no longer sufficient against modern AiTM phishing frameworks. SMS codes and authenticator-app codes can still be intercepted and replayed during live sessions. Organizations managing sensitive administrative environments should prioritize phishing-resistant MFA such as FIDO2/WebAuthn security keys or passkeys.

To reduce risk, agencies should eliminate “search-to-login” behavior, use bookmarked login portals, implement conditional access policies, monitor for unusual administrative actions, and separate high-privilege admin identities from everyday workflows. Ultimately, the lesson is clear: convenience-driven login habits now represent a major attack surface in modern SaaS administration.

Practical cybersecurity insights for agencies, developers, and security-conscious teams.

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DISCLAIMER: AI-generated content. For informational purposes only; not legal advice.

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