Website Blacklisted by Google: How to Fix Security Warnings and Restore Your Business Reputation

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Website Blacklisted by Google: How to Fix Security Warnings and Restore Your Business Reputation. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When Google flags your website as compromised or unsafe, visitors see prominent security warnings that can destroy customer trust and halt business operations almost immediately. For Australian small businesses, this often means lost leads, damaged reputation, and a sudden drop in search visibility. This guide explains how to identify why your site was blacklisted, remove malicious code, and request a review to restore your standing with search engines.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Confirm the warning using Google Safe Browsing and your own browser.
2. Scan your website files and database for malware or unauthorised changes.
3. Remove malicious code and update all software, plugins, and passwords.
4. Request a security review through Google Search Console.
5. Monitor your site and maintain regular security practices.

Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Confirm the blacklisting

1. Open Google Safe Browsing in your web browser.
2. Enter your website domain and check the safety report.
3. Visit your website in an incognito or private browsing window to see if a red warning page appears.
4. Note the exact warning message, as this helps identify whether the issue is malware, phishing, or unwanted software.

Step 2: Access Google Search Console

1. Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
2. Select your website property from the dashboard.
3. Click Security & Manual Actions in the left-hand menu.
4. Select Security Issues to view details about detected threats.
5. Review the list of affected URLs and the type of issue Google has identified.

Step 3: Scan and clean your website

1. Log in to your hosting control panel or connect via SFTP.
2. Download a full backup of your website files and database before making changes.
3. Use a reputable website scanner to identify infected files, modified core files, or suspicious scripts.
4. Check for unfamiliar user accounts in your content management system, especially administrator accounts.
5. Delete or quarantine malicious files and restore clean versions from a known good backup if available.
6. Update your CMS, themes, plugins, and extensions to the latest versions.
7. Change all passwords, including hosting, FTP, database, and CMS administrator accounts.

Step 4: Request a review from Google

1. Return to Google Search Console and open the Security Issues report.
2. Confirm that all listed security issues have been resolved.
3. Click Request a review.
4. Provide a clear explanation of the steps you took to clean the site and prevent future infections.
5. Submit the request and wait for Google to re-crawl your website.

Review times vary, but you will receive a notification in Google Search Console once Google has completed its assessment. If approved, security warnings will be removed from search results and browser warnings.

Troubleshooting

Warnings persist after cleanup

• Ensure you have removed all malicious code, not just the most obvious files.
• Check for hidden backdoors in wp-config.php, .htaccess, or theme function files.
• Verify that your local computer is not infected, as compromised credentials can lead to repeated reinfection.
• Resubmit a review request only after you are certain the site is completely clean.

Site suspended by your host

• Some hosting providers suspend accounts when malware is detected to protect other customers.
• Contact your hosting provider to understand the reason for suspension and request reactivation after cleanup.
• If you are a 220 Internet Services customer, Open a Ticket for assistance with hosting-related suspensions.

Email deliverability affected

• If your domain is also flagged by mail providers, check Google Postmaster Tools and your email service provider's reputation dashboard.
• Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured.
• Request delisting from any email blacklists that have flagged your domain.

Prevention

• Keep all website software, plugins, and themes updated.
• Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where available.
• Schedule regular malware scans and maintain offsite backups.
• Limit administrator accounts and review user access regularly.
• Monitor Google Search Console for security alerts and performance issues.

Still Having Issues?