If you haven’t already done so, your first step will be to address the underlying problem that caused the warning. This usually means fixing malware or phishing pages on your site.
To start that process, activate and connect the free Jetpack Security license we provide for every site hosted at Pressable. You can also contact our 24/7 support team.
Once the threat (such as malware or phishing) has been removed, you need to let Google know, so they can re-evaluate your site and remove the warning.
Understanding the “Dangerous site ahead” Warning
This warning is displayed by web browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) to protect users from potentially harmful websites. These warnings are typically triggered when a site is flagged for:
- Malware: Hosting or distributing malicious software.
- Phishing: Attempting to steal users’ personal information (usernames, passwords, credit card details).
- Social Engineering: Deceptive tactics to trick users into harmful actions.
- Unwanted Software: Promoting or hosting software that bundles other unwanted programs.
Important Note: This article assumes that the underlying security issue has already been identified and resolved with the assistance of Jetpack Security and/or the Pressable support team. Do not proceed with the next steps until you are confident your site is clean.
Steps to Request a Review and Remove the Warning
The process for requesting a review varies slightly depending on which authority flagged your site. Here are the most common cases:
1. Google Safe Browsing:
Google Safe Browsing is a prominent service that identifies unsafe websites across the internet. If your site was flagged by Google, you’ll need to request a review through Google Search Console.
Prerequisites:
You must have your website verified in Google Search Console. If you haven’t done this already, please follow Google’s instructions on how to add and verify your website in Search Console.
- Steps to Request a Review:
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Select your website/domain.
- In the left-hand navigation menu, click on Security & Manual Actions and then Security issues.
- You should see details about the security issues that were detected. If the issues have been cleaned, mark them as “I have fixed these issues”.
- Click on Request a review.
- In the review request, provide as much detail as possible about the steps you took to clean your site, including mentioning that Pressable and/or Jetpack Security assisted with the cleanup. Be clear and concise.
- Click Submit review request.
- Review Time: Google will review your request, which can typically take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. You’ll be notified of the outcome in Google Search Console.
2. Other Browsers and Security Providers:
While Google Safe Browsing is widely used, other browsers and security software may have their own flagging systems.
- Check Specific Browser Warnings: If you notice the warning primarily in a specific browser (e.g., Firefox), it might be using a different blacklist. Read the full warning/error carefully, often the source is listed towards the bottom.
- Contact Security Software Providers: If the warning seems to be triggered by specific antivirus or internet security software, you may need to contact the provider directly to understand their review process.
- Look for Reporting Mechanisms: Some browsers or security tools may provide a link or instructions within the warning message itself on how to report a false positive or request a review.
If you’re unsure who to contact, share a screenshot of the full warning with the Pressable support team. While our support team can’t handle the communications with third-party security vendors for you, we’re always happy to help locate the right contact info and help you understand likely next steps.
General Best Practices
- Monitor Your Site Regularly: After the warning is removed, continue to monitor your website closely using Jetpack Security and other security best practices to prevent future issues.
- Keep Software Updated: As a managed WordPress host, Pressable ensures your site’s WordPress core files are always up-to-date. But it’s your responsibility to keep themes and plugins up to date, and to patch any known vulnerabilities.
- Educate Yourself: Understand common web security threats and how to protect your website. Services like Patchstack provide free access to their database of known vulnerabilities, which can be useful when evaluating potential new plugins or themes.
False Positives
Occasionally security services can get it wrong, flagging a site that doesn’t present any legitimate security concerns. If your Jetpack scan is not showing any threats, and the issues mentioned in the warning notice don’t seem to correlate to any actual behavior on your site, please contact our support team. We’ll take another look, help clean up anything we do find, or confirm that the case does appear to be a false positive.
Summary
Once a site has been flagged as dangerous by Google Safe Browsing or similar security vendors, your next steps to get the warning removed are:
- Clean up the underlying problem that got the site flagged.
- Contact the security vendor to request a re-scan of your site.
- Maintain ongoing security best practices to prevent a recurrence or similar issue in the future.
If you have any further questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the Pressable support team.