URL Blacklisting: How to Fix and Prevent it?

In the context of WordPress support, URL blacklisting emerges not only as a virtual ‘red card’ from search engines like Google but also as a vital safeguard against digital threats. 

Contrary to common belief, blacklisting isn’t solely reserved for malicious intent. Innocent sites can fall victim due to vulnerabilities they have been exposed to in their WordPress development procedures or unpredictable cyber-attacks. Preventing blacklisting isn’t just about avoiding a digital penalty; it’s about safeguarding online reputation, user trust, and revenue streams.

This is especially concerning in the case of WordPress migration. While migrating a website to a new hosting environment or domain, there is a potential risk of your website’s URL being blacklisted if the migration process is not handled correctly. Improper migration techniques, such as failing to update the site’s URL references or leaving behind remnants of the old site, can trigger security alerts and lead to your new website’s URL being flagged and blacklisted by various security services and search engines. At Seahawk, we take special measures to ensure this does not happen.

What Is URL Backlisting?

URL blacklisting is a critical concern for website owners, as it can severely impact online visibility and reputation. This phenomenon occurs when search engines or security tools flag a website’s URL as malicious, usually due to malware infections, phishing attempts, or suspicious activities. 

To avoid URL blacklisting, website owners must prioritize subscribing to WordPress maintenance service providers who ensure taking cybersecurity measures such as regular site audits to check security, implementing robust malware detection tools, ensuring HTTPS encryption, and promptly addressing any detected vulnerabilities. Additionally, adhering to best practices in website maintenance, content quality, and user engagement can enhance trustworthiness and reduce the likelihood of being blacklisted.

Also Read: How to Fix Dangerous & Deceptive Site Ahead Warning?

Reasons Why a Site Is Blacklisted

Both website owners and users need to know why sites get blacklisted. This helps them prevent it and solve any problems if it happens. It also allows users to understand the risks of visiting flagged websites. Here are some reasons why a site might get blacklisted:

• SEO Spam: Sometimes, sneaky people add spammy content to popular websites’ pages to trick visitors into buying fake or illegal goods. Imagine someone putting fake sunglasses ads on a page about cute puppies.

Learn More: Simple Steps To Fix SEO Spam On Your WordPress Site

• Phishing: Have you ever heard of fishing? Well, phishing is kind of like that, but online. Tricky websites pretend to be real and ask for your info, like your password or credit card number. They might say you’ve won a prize or need to update your account, but they just want to steal your info.
• Malware: This one’s like a hidden enemy. Some websites have harmful software lurking around. It might look innocent, like a helpful tool or game, but it can mess up your device once you download it. Imagine downloading what you think is a fun game, but it turns out to be a sneaky virus that makes your computer act weird.

Further Reading: WordPress Security Mistakes to Avoid

Preventive Measures Against URL Blacklisting

Let’s explore some proactive steps to shield your website from the threat of URL blacklisting.

Choose a Secure Hosting Provider

A reliable and secure hosting provider is crucial for maintaining your WordPress website. A good hosting provider offers robust security measures, regular backups, and optimized server configurations for faster loading times. They should also have measures in place to prevent your website’s URL from being blacklisted due to malicious activities or security breaches.

Implement Automated Cybersecurity Service

Installing an automated cybersecurity service or plugin can help protect your WordPress website from various threats, such as malware, brute-force attacks, and other vulnerabilities. These services continuously monitor your site, detect potential threats, and take appropriate actions to mitigate them, reducing the risk of your website’s URL being blacklisted due to security issues.

Discover: Best WordPress Support Service Providers in the UK 

Regularly Update Your Third-party Apps and Software

Keeping your WordPress core, themes, plugins, and other third-party software up-to-date is essential for maintaining a secure and fast-loading website. Outdated software can introduce vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit, potentially leading to your website’s URL being blacklisted. Regular updates also often include performance improvements that can enhance your website’s speed.

Also Read: ​​How Can Third-Party Tags Impact Performance?

Reduce Login Attempts

Limiting the number of failed login attempts can help prevent brute-force attacks, where hackers try to gain unauthorized access to your website by guessing login credentials. You can configure WordPress to temporarily block IP addresses after a certain number of failed login attempts, reducing the risk of your website’s URL being blacklisted due to suspicious activities.

Use Strong Passwords

Using strong, unique passwords for your WordPress admin accounts and other sensitive areas is crucial for maintaining a secure website. Weak or easily guessable passwords can make your site vulnerable to attacks, potentially leading to your website’s URL being blacklisted. Consider using a password manager to generate and store strong passwords securely.

Read More: Is a Website Down? Here’s How to Check!

Allocate Roles and Permissions

WordPress allows you to assign different user roles and permissions, limiting access to sensitive website areas. By carefully managing user roles and permissions, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access or accidental changes that could compromise your website’s security and lead to URL blacklisting.

Use Google Web Risk API

The Google Web Risk API, a service provided by Google Cloud, verifies your website’s URLs against Google’s list of unsafe sites. This service proves particularly beneficial for websites that host a significant amount of user-generated content as the risk of unsafe URLs appearing on the site increases. Google Web Risk assists in scanning the website to pinpoint these unsafe links, enabling their removal to maintain the site’s safety.

Also Read: Best Cloud Hosting Providers In USA

How to Remove Your URL from the Blacklist

If Google or other search engines have blacklisted your website’s URL, it’s essential to restore the website to a healthy state. Here’s how you can achieve that.

Step 1: Eliminate the Infection or Content from Your Website

Two methods to remove malware from your site are handling it independently or utilizing a third-party website clean-up service.

To tackle it independently, it is advisable to create a backup of your website. If your website operates on WordPress and you still have access to it, employ a backup plugin like VaultPress or UpdraftPlus. Save your backup to a local PC and conduct a scan using antivirus software. This process helps identify issues or malware within your website files and remove them altogether.

Also Read: BlogVault Review: The Best WordPress Backup & Security Plugin

Before re-uploading the website files, it is crucial to check for any lingering malware. Open the wp-config.php file and eliminate any unfamiliar lines of code. Compare the code with the wp-config-sample.php file from the WordPress GitHub repository.

Then, re-download and reinstall WordPress on your web hosting account and upload your backup content.

Additionally, inspect for outdated plugins. If any are found, either update or remove them. Furthermore, we recommend resetting all passwords and enabling two-factor authentication to enhance security.

If you prefer to avoid handling these procedures, online services are available to clean up websites. Popular solutions like Sucuri, MalCare, Wordfence, and SiteLock offer website scanning, malware removal, and security issue resolution to help eliminate your site from a search engine URL blacklist. Additionally, they protect against future attacks, and some even offer free website restoration services if it is hacked again.

Step 2: Request a Review for Your Website

Once you’ve ensured that you’ve resolved the issues, return to Google Search Console and submit your website for reassessment.

To do this, log in to your Google Search Console account and navigate the Security Issues tab. Click on “I have fixed these issues” and then select “Request a review.” Google may ask you to detail your actions to address the problems, so provide as much information as possible.

Google typically takes a few days to complete the review process. If your website is deemed healthy and no further issues are found, Google will remove it from the URL blacklist.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, URL blacklisting poses a significant threat to website owners, especially those in the WordPress support and migration fields. It’s not just a virtual ‘red card’ from search engines; it’s a critical defence against digital threats. 

Website owners can protect their online reputation, user trust, and revenue streams by understanding the causes and implementing preventive measures, such as regular security audits, automated cybersecurity services, and prompt software updates. Moreover, prompt action, such as removing malware and requesting a review from search engines like Google, is essential for restoring a blacklisted website’s integrity and visibility in the digital landscape.