# Compromised Site or Malware Suspension: How to Fix It

> Ads disapproved for a compromised site, or suspended for malware? The difference, signs your site was hacked, how to clean it and get ads running again.

Web page: https://www.certanza.app/guides/hacked-site-suspension

# Compromised site or malware

Google treats a hacked website and deliberate malware very differently. A compromised site gets your ads disapproved and at least 7 days' warning before any suspension. Spreading malware is an egregious violation, suspended without warning. Most shop owners are in the first group, often without knowing they've been hacked. Here's how to tell, clean up and get running again.

Suspension guide · updated 30 October 2026 · 7 minute read

## The short version

- Compromised site: your site was hacked. Ads are disapproved, with at least 7 days' warning before a suspension.
- Malicious software: deliberately spreading malware. Google suspends without warning.
- Search Console's Security issues report and Google's Safe Browsing site status tell you what Google has found.
- Clean the site, update everything, then ask Google to review. Google says to allow up to 72 hours for its recrawl.

## Key numbers

- **7 days**: minimum warning before a compromised-site suspension, Google says
- **0 days**: warning for distributing malware, an egregious violation
- **72 hours**: to allow for Google's recrawl after you clean the site
- **2**: free Google tools to check: Search Console and Safe Browsing

## Compromised site or malware: which is it?

|  | Compromised site | Malicious software |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it means | Your site was hacked: someone added code without your knowledge | Deliberately distributing software that harms devices or steals access |
| Examples | Card skimmers, injected pop-ups, unwanted redirects, hidden spam, an exploited out-of-date platform | Viruses, ransomware, spyware, forced redirects to infected sites |
| What Google does | Disapproves ads, and warns at least 7 days before suspending the account | Suspends on detection, without warning |
| Getting back | Clean the site, then appeal the ads or request a review | Google says accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances |

Both come from Google's [Google Ads compromised sites policy](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/15938376) and Merchant Center's [abuse of the network policy](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150118). If you didn't knowingly add anything harmful, you're almost certainly dealing with a compromised site.


## Signs your site has been hacked

### Pages you didn't create

Spam pages about pills, casinos or loans, sometimes in other languages, showing up in Google under your domain.

### Redirects only some people see

Visitors on phones, or arriving from Google, get sent to another site while you see your shop normally.

### Hidden links or text

Spam links hidden in your pages' code where visitors can't see them.

### New pop-ups or scripts

Pop-ups, payment forms or scripts you didn't add, especially on the checkout.

### Google's warnings

A red 'deceptive site' or 'dangerous site' warning in browsers, or a Security issues message in Search Console.

### Unknown admin users

Admin accounts on your site or hosting that nobody on your team created.


## How to clean up and get ads running again

1. **Find out what Google found.** In Google Ads, filter your ads by Policy details: Compromised site and read which domains are named. In Search Console, open Security issues. Check your domain in Google's Safe Browsing site status checker.
2. **Clean the site.** Remove the injected code and anything that loads from the domains Google named. Use Google's Help for hacked websites, or ask your developer or host. On WordPress, a security plugin scan is a good start.
3. **Close the way in.** Update your platform, theme and plugins, delete ones you don't use, remove unknown admin users and change every password. Google says running an exploited, out-of-date platform counts as compromised in itself.
4. **Ask Google to review.** If Search Console listed security issues, request a review there so the Safe Browsing warning is removed. In Google Ads, appeal the ads and choose 'Made changes to comply with policy'. Google says to allow up to 72 hours for its recrawl.

> **What a free scan checks.** Certanza's scan looks for hidden spam links, hidden third-party frames, scrambled code, scripted or automatic redirects to other sites and code that treats Google's crawler differently. It reads the pages a visitor sees, so it can't replace a full server security scan.


## Common questions

### Will my Google Ads account be suspended for a hacked site?

Not straight away. Google says compromised-site violations get ads disapproved and a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension. Deliberately distributing malware is different: that's suspended without warning.

### How do I know if my site has been hacked?

Check Search Console's Security issues report and Google's Safe Browsing site status. Also look for pages you didn't create, redirects on phones, unknown admin users and new pop-ups or scripts.

### How long until my ads run again after I clean the site?

Google says to allow up to 72 hours for its recrawl. Request a review in Search Console if it listed security issues, and appeal the disapproved ads.

### Can Certanza tell me if my site is hacked?

It checks the public pages for common signs: hidden spam links, hidden frames, scrambled code and redirects. It can't see your server or files, so if it or Google finds something, have your developer or host do a full clean-up.

## Sources

- [Google Ads: Compromised sites](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/15938376)
- [Google Merchant Center: Abuse of the network](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150118)
- [Google Ads: Abusing the ad network](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6020954)

Check your own website for these problems with a free scan: https://www.certanza.app/

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Certanza is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Google. Reports are not legal advice and can't guarantee approval.
Site guide for AI assistants: https://www.certanza.app/llms.txt