Understanding the “System Files Were Modified” Warning After Moving a Site

After moving a site to another host, Evolution CMS can warn that system files were modified. That message is alarming, but it does not always mean the site was hacked. It often means the integrity check sees files, paths, or timestamps that no longer match what it expects.

The correct response is to verify the important files methodically instead of either panicking or ignoring the warning.

Start with the core entry files

• index.php
• .htaccess
• manager/index.php
• manager/includes/config.inc.php

If those look clean and match the intended version, the warning may be caused by a path change, deployment difference, or manager integrity check after the migration.

Still, treat the message with respect. A migration is also a common moment to discover unexpected edits in legacy files. So the right move is verification, not guesswork.