How To Remove “This Site May Harm Your Computer” Warning

You’re seeing a red warning screen. It’s big. It’s loud. It’s driving visitors away. 

The “This site may harm your computer” is a type of Google blacklist warning that appears when a visitor is trying to access your site. It’s an indicator that your site has been compromised. 

First, scan your website for malware immediately. 

You need to identify and remove the malicious code as soon as possible. In this article, I’ve put together a list of steps that worked for me. 

TL;DR: The big red warning indicates your security has been breached. Remove the malicious code or content. Then, request another review from Google. 

What does the “This site may harm your website” warning mean?

Your site now has a Google Safe Browsing blacklist. It’s a program which scans billions of web pages daily to protect users from online threats.

When Google detects suspicious activity on your site, it immediately adds your domain to its blacklist. This triggers the warning message across all Google services – search results, Chrome browser, Gmail, and Google Ads.

Google considers several types of content harmful to computers. Your site has likely been identified as containing one or more of these threats:

• Malware that is designed to damage computers or steal information
• Phishing pages that have fake login forms or pages designed to steal user credentials
• Programs that install without clear user consent
• Misleading download buttons or fake system warnings
• Social engineering content that is designed to trick users into revealing personal information
• Malicious ads or redirects injected into your site
• Hidden backdoor code that allows hackers ongoing access to your server
• Code that uses visitors’ computers to mine digital currency
• Hidden pages created by hackers to boost their search rankings

The most common cause is a security breach where hackers have gained access to your website files and inserted malicious code without your knowledge.

Google provides instructions on how to remove the warning. But, here’s a quick look:

Step 1: Check Google Search Console

Start by logging into Google Search Console and navigating to the “Security Issues” section in the left sidebar. This is where Google shows you exactly what they found on your site.

You’re looking for specific details about the threats Google detected. Search Console will show you:

• Sample infected URLs – The exact pages where Google found malicious content
• Malware type – What kind of threat was detected (malware, phishing, unwanted software)
• Detection date – When Google first identified the problem
• Affected pages count – How many pages are compromised

Click on each security issue to see more details. Google often provides sample code snippets or file names that contain the malicious content. Take screenshots of everything you see here. It will provide a roadmap of what to do next. 

Step 2: Identify the malicious code

Now that you know what Google found, you need to locate and identify all the malicious code on your site. You have three main options for this critical step.

Option A: Scan with a security plugin

This is the fastest and most reliable method for most site owners. We recommend you use a security plugin that can scan the database and the site files. This is to make sure that there are no pesky malwares hiding. 

For this tutorial, we’ll be using MalCare for this section. You can sign up for free and scan your site in minutes. 

Expert Advice: When we tested the top malware scanners for WordPress sites, MalCare came out at the top. MalCare uses advanced algorithms that can identify obfuscated malware, hidden backdoors, and suspicious code patterns that basic scanners miss. 

Once you install the MalCare plugin from your WordPress dashboard, the plugin will automatically begin a deep scan of your entire website. This includes all files, databases, themes, plugins, and core WordPress files.

The scan typically takes 2-10 minutes depending on your site size. MalCare will then provide you with a detailed report showing exactly what malicious code was found, where it’s located, and what type of threat it represents.

Option B: Manual identification

We don’t recommend this approach because it’s time-consuming, requires technical knowledge, and is prone to errors. But if you must do it manually, here’s how:

Start by examining the specific URLs Google identified in Search Console. Download those files via FTP and search for suspicious code patterns like base64 encoded strings, eval() functions, or obfuscated JavaScript.

Check recently modified files by sorting your file directory by date. Malware often has timestamps from when the attack occurred. Look for files that were modified around the time Google detected the issue.

Search your database for suspicious entries, particularly in the wp_options table for WordPress sites. Hackers often inject malicious redirects or scripts here.

This manual process can take hours or days, and you might miss hidden malware that will cause reinfection. So, for the people at the back, don’t do this method. 

Step 3: Clean your site

Once you’ve identified where the malware is hiding, it’s time to remove it completely. You have the same three options, but the stakes are higher here – incomplete removal means Google won’t lift the warning.

Option A: Clean with a security plugin

MalCare makes this step straightforward with one-click malware removal. After your scan completes, you’ll see a “Clean Site” button next to each detected threat. You’ll have to upgrade to one of their paid plans. 

Then, you can click Clean Site and MalCare will automatically remove all malicious code from your files and database. The plugin creates backups before cleaning, so you can restore if anything goes wrong.

 But, in my experience, it handles complex malware variants that would take hours to remove manually. It also removes malware from your database, which many site owners forget to check. The entire cleaning process typically takes 5-15 minutes. You’ll get a detailed report showing exactly what was removed and from which files.

Option B: Expert cleaning service

If your scan revealed multiple infection types or deeply embedded backdoors, professional cleaning is worth the investment. You can reach out to the team of your security plugin. Even MalCare has experts that can handle complex cases that automated tools might miss.

The expert service includes manual code review, custom malware removal, and security hardening to prevent reinfection. They’ll also check for compromised user accounts, malicious database entries, and hidden admin users that hackers often create.

The big flaw with expert cleaning is that it takes time. Depending on the plugin, you’ll be added to a queue and have a long wait time. The experts will also need time to find and fix the problem. 

Option C: Manual cleaning

Manual malware cleaning is risky and not recommended. You need to edit files directly and modify your database, which can break your site if done incorrectly. It’s prone to site crashes and causing more damage than there was before.

If you must clean manually, start by making a complete backup of your site. Then carefully remove each piece of malicious code you identified, making sure not to delete legitimate code.

For database cleaning, you’ll need to access phpMyAdmin or similar tools to remove malicious entries from tables like wp_options, wp_posts, and wp_users.

This process can take time and we recommend you take a backup before you start. You should be able to restore the site, if things go awry. 

Step 4: Complete the post-hack security checklist

Removing malware is only half the battle. You need to secure your site and close the vulnerabilities that allowed the hack in the first place. Work through this checklist systematically:

Step 5: Request a Google review

Once your site is completely clean and secured, it’s time to ask Google to remove the warning. This is done through Google Search Console’s review process.

Go back to Google Search Console and navigate to the Security Issues section. You’ll see a Request Review button next to each security issue that was flagged. Click this button for every issue listed.

Google will ask you to explain what you found and what steps you took to fix it. Be specific in your explanation. Mention that you scanned for malware, removed all malicious code, secured your site with updated passwords and security measures, and verified that all previously flagged URLs are now clean.

Google’s automated systems will re-scan your website to verify that the malicious content has been removed. They’ll check the specific URLs that were originally flagged, plus additional pages to ensure the entire site is clean. It can take 3-5 business days, though complex cases can take up to 2 weeks. You’ll receive an email notification when the review is complete. Once Google approves your review, the “This site may harm your computer” warning will disappear from search results and browsers within 24-48 hours.

If you fail the review, Google will send you specific details about what failed. This usually means they found remaining malicious content that you missed. You’ll need to clean those additional issues and submit another review request.

Expert Advice: Don’t request a review until you’re absolutely certain your site is 100% clean. Submitting multiple failed reviews can delay the process and make Google more scrutinous of your site.

Preventing “This site may harm your computer” warning

The warning can temporarily deter customers from visiting your site. They don’t want to feel like they’re going to a website that can harm their computer. You can lose traffic and sales because of this warning. But, most importantly, this warning is an indicator of security issues on your site. 

So, how do you barricade hackers better? This list is everything I recommend to improve your WordPress security. 

• Install a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A firewall blocks malicious traffic before it reaches your website. Services like MalCare’s firewall filter out common attack patterns, brute force attempts, and suspicious IP addresses. This is your first line of defense against future attacks.

• Keep everything updated: Outdated software is the #1 cause of website hacks. Hackers actively scan for sites running vulnerable versions and are able to inject malicious code into your site through those vulnerabilities. 
• Remove unused plugins and themes: Every inactive plugin or theme is a potential entry point because you’re likely ignoring them. Delete any plugins or themes you’re not actively using. Even deactivated plugins can be exploited if they contain security vulnerabilities.
• Use strong login security: Login security is a basic but effective way to protect your website. Change your WordPress admin username from “admin” to something unique. Use complex passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Limit the number of users with administrator access. Limit failed logins to reduce the chance of brute force attacks. 

• Regular security monitoring: Set up automated security scans to run weekly or monthly. Most security plugins offer ongoing monitoring that will alert you immediately if malware is detected. Early detection means easier cleanup.
• Secure hosting environment: Choose a hosting provider that offers server-level security features like malware scanning, firewalls, and regular security updates. Avoid cheap shared hosting that doesn’t prioritize security.
• Regular backups: Maintain clean, recent and reliable backups stored off-site. If you do get hacked again, you can quickly restore from a clean backup instead of going through the entire cleanup process.

These prevention steps take minimal time to implement but will save you from dealing with Google’s warning again.

Wrapping up

Google’s safe browsing is meant to protect your users. It’s to ensure that innocent customers and readers aren’t victims of identity theft or credit card fraud. The flip side is that website owners  may be impacted. 

The best way to protect your business and your customers is to use a good security plugin like MalCare. It automatically installs a firewall that blocks malicious behaviour. It can stop brute force attacks and reduces the risk of user enumeration. It also scans your site on a daily basis to ensure that nothing untoward is happening. All you have to do is install it and forget it. 

FAQs

How to fix “visiting this website may harm your computer”?

Follow the 6-step process outlined above: Check Google Search Console to see what Google found, scan your site for malware, clean all malicious code, complete the post-hack security checklist, implement prevention measures, and request a Google review. The key is being thorough – missed malware will cause Google to reject your review request.

Can websites harm your computer?

Yes, compromised websites can harm your computer in several ways. They can install malware that steals personal information, inject cryptocurrency mining scripts that slow down your device, redirect you to phishing sites that steal login credentials, or download unwanted software without your permission. Google’s warning exists because these threats are real and common.

Why does Google keep saying sites are unsafe?

Google’s Safe Browsing program scans billions of web pages daily and flags sites with security threats. If Google keeps marking sites as unsafe, it’s because those sites genuinely contain malicious content like malware, phishing attempts, or suspicious downloads. Google’s automated systems are highly accurate – false positives are rare. The warning protects users from real security threats.

What does “this website contains malware that may harm your computer” mean?

This warning means Google has detected malicious software on the website that could damage your computer or steal your information. The malware might include viruses, trojans, spyware, or scripts that hijack your browser. For site owners, it means your website has been compromised by hackers who injected malicious code into your files. You need to clean the malware immediately and request a Google review to remove the warning.