This kind of policing can be found in many other spaces of the internet. A URL blacklist is a great example of that. A URL blacklist, basically, is a list of websites that are deemed insecure or dangerous by a search engine, antivirus program provider or another authoritative body. When a site joins a URL blacklist, it comes with some steep consequences for the website owner. Just like PCI DSS, this is a way for search engines, antivirus service providers, etc. to maintain some level of accountability and ensure that websites are held to a security standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a website owner, are interested in creating a website, or if you\u2019ve found your site on a URL blacklist (yikes), then you\u2019ll want to know more about this topic. In this article, we\u2019ll answer your questions like \u201cwhat is a URL blacklist?\u201d what it means for your website, how you end up on one in the first place, and what you can do to fix the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is a URL Blacklist? Blacklist vs Blocklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In general, a blacklist could include everything from specific websites and IP addresses to entire domains. So, a URL blacklist is a list of specific URLs\/websites that are categorized as unsafe. It also should be noted that Google is moving away from language<\/a> like \u201cblacklists\u201d and \u201cwhitelists.\u201d In some cases, these terms are being replaced by words like \u201cblocklists\u201d and \u201callowlists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But regardless of what they call it, this may leave you wondering how or why you may suddenly find your site on such a list. When placed on a URL blacklist, your URL is essentially removed from the indexes of search engines, antivirus services, etc. One of the most commonly known URL blacklists is the \u201cGoogle blacklist,\u201d which is better known as the Google Safe Browsing<\/a> list. If your website lands on this list, you are in for a world of trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your website will be blocked on not just one but two or more web browsers. The obvious one is Google Chrome, but your website will also get blocked from Mozilla <\/a>Firefox (due to Google\u2019s partnership with the browser) and Apple\u2019s Safari browser<\/a> as well. These are among the most used browsers in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what does it look like to website visitors if your site winds up on the naughty list? Users will see these warnings if your site is on the Google Safe Browsing list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to users being blocked from your website via the aforementioned web browsers, you\u2019ll also not be able to run Google Ads, which will hurt your ability to drive traffic. To make matters worse, even if a user is running a different web browser and uses a Google search, there will be a warning message next to your website name that reads something along the lines of \u201cthis site may harm your computer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And finally, the cherry on top: your website will be flagged if the link is sent to a Gmail address or if a user tries to click through to your website from a Gmail address. A nightmare, indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, Google is a far-reaching, massive enterprise. So, it makes sense that many web security programs adopt the Google Safe Browsing list as their own URL blacklist. But Google isn\u2019t the only one to venture into the area of URL blacklists and website ban lists. In addition to Google Safe Browsing, there are other authorities that have their own blacklists that you should be aware of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re so glad you asked! Search engines and antivirus program providers have made it their duty to ensure users that browse while using their applications are safe. It\u2019s obvious why a company whose purpose is to provide web security would prioritize that. As for search engines, they want to deliver the best user experience possible, and leading users to unsecure websites doesn\u2019t exactly scream \u201cgreat experience.\u201d The criteria for being placed on a URL blacklist were created under this line of thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, a website will land on the URL blacklist if the organization blacklisting the site believes it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay, we\u2019re going to assume you\u2019re not a hacker running a phishing scheme through your website and that you\u2019re a genuine site owner who\u2019s looking to get off a blacklist. This means you fall into the second or third category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although, it should be noted that some blacklists, namely those of antivirus providers, will blacklist a URL if there are enough users who report the website as spam. So, if you do wind up on a URL blacklist, it\u2019s worth taking a hard look at your website to ensure there isn\u2019t anything that would come off as immediately suspicious, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, be sure to take a look at any click-tracking services you may use in emails. Even legitimate businesses can find themselves on the Google URL blacklist<\/a> through using services that are affiliated with redirects to phishing sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, back to the two main reasons you can find yourself on a URL blacklist\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most common ways a website gets put on a URL blacklist is because the site has been hacked. And many times, the website owner doesn\u2019t even know it. This could be due to many reasons, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few things that a hacker could be doing with your website\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another reason you could end up on a URL blacklist is due to deploying some sort of deceptive tactic. Whether it was done unintentionally, or you knew it was deceptive doesn\u2019t matter. What does<\/em> matter is that you\u2019re going to lose traffic \u2014 potentially the majority of your traffic depending on what URL blacklist you end up on \u2014 unless you fix the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the deceptive tactics that could get you flagged and blacklisted include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you think your website is being affected by a URL blacklist, here is what you do\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many tools you can use to see if your website is on a URL blacklist. Google Safe Browsing<\/a> allows you to easily check on your status with them. There are also free tools like VirusTotal<\/a> that scan for many of the blacklists mentioned in this article. Get a glimpse of their reporting style below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you discover where you\u2019re blacklisted and why, it\u2019s time to roll up your sleeves and fix the issue. If the issue is malware, there are plenty of ways to remove malware. One of the most efficient and effective ways is to utilize an automated malware scanner & removal tool. A tool like CodeGuard<\/a>, for example, includes an automated malware scanner and remediation tool (plus it\u2019s an automated website backup tool).<\/p>\n\n\n\n As far as ensuring the hack doesn\u2019t happen again, there are also automation tools that can help with this. I encourage you to read some of the related articles below, which cover how to purge your website of malware and prevent future hacks from happening:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you resolve the problem, you must now contact the service provider who blacklisted your website and request its removal from the list. For example, if you end up on the Google Safe Browsing list, this is what you do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The process isn\u2019t too much different for any other service provider that can blacklist your site. Take Norton Safe Web<\/a> for example. You basically follow the same steps \u2014 create an account, verify your website, and submit a \u201csite dispute.\u201d There are also automated tools<\/a> that monitor blacklists and attempt to remove your site from them automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We hope that we answered the question \u201cwhat is a URL blacklist?\u201d and why they exist. Our goal was also to provide you with some helpful tips on how to avoid the issue in the first place, and how to get off a blacklist if you find your site on one. As you can see, URL blacklists can cause a lot of problems for businesses but landing on one is a potentially reversible process \u2014 so long as you know the steps to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, with all of this in mind, remember to keep your website secure, honest, and to provide as much information about your website as possible to your visitors. Good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A URL blacklist is a big issue for site owners & businesses. We\u2019ll explore what a URL blacklist is (including Google\u2019s blacklist), what its purpose is, and how to get…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":1959,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[169],"class_list":["post-1954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyber-security","tag-url-blacklist","post-with-tags"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Does Being Blacklisted Mean for The Website?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Google](\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/url-blacklist-safe-browsing-warning-chrome.png\")
![\"Google](\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/url-blacklist-safe-browsing-warning-firefox.png\")
Google Isn\u2019t the Only Company That Has a URL Blacklist\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Does a URL Get Blacklisted?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your Website Has Been Hacked<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is Happening When My Website is Hacked?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Deceptive Tactics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Get Your Website Off a URL Blacklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Find Out If You\u2019re Blacklisted & Where<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/safe-browsing-site-status-checker.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/url-blacklist-checker-virustotal.png\")
Fix the Problem to Ensure It Doesn\u2019t Happen Again<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Submit Your Site for Blacklist Removal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is a URL Blacklist \u2014 A Final Word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n