If you own or manage a website, you are responsible for that website’s security. Compromised websites can infect visitors with badware, and are commonly blacklisted by search engines, web browsers, and security vendors.

Many legitimate websites are the targets of malicious hacking attacks, during which code linking directly to badware is inserted onto an otherwise innocent, but poorly secured, website. Another common way that legitimate sites are compromised is through third-party content such as the ads provided by an advertising network, which can be used as vectors for the distribution of badware.

We offer several resources to help you learn how to remove badware from compromised websites and secure your sites against future attacks.

• Our Security Tips page is a great place to start. Learn about common attack techniques and how to detect them on your site.
• Our online discussion group is available for you to ask questions if you need additional help, or to discuss website security maintenance with other website owners.
• If your site has been flagged by Google, check Google’s diagnostics page for your site for more information about the badware that Google detected on your site.

If your site was flagged by Google and you’re sure that the site is now clean, you can file a Request for Review with StopBadware. You can follow the progress of your review by searching for your site in our Clearinghouse. You can also submit a review request directly to Google by logging in to Google Webmaster Tools as a verified site owner.