How Google can get it wrong: an expert on malware gives advice

Frustrated with ongoing Google’s false accusations over our websites, I joined the Stop Badware community today (Badware Busters), and got some sensible advice from a Dr Anirban Banerjee of www.stopthehacker.com.
   He had checked what Google was on about, and noted that it was still making the same accusations it did on Saturday—when we know that we had already removed the hack that day.
   I told him this, and he replied:

One policy that a customer followed since Google was just not letting them off the blacklist inspite of cleaning the server, DB, etc.. was to “suspend/remove” all ad code pointing to the mother pipe (your main server in your case) – get the request for reviews pushed in asap, get the sites off the blacklist (since Google did not see any openx ads, nothing to analyze, hence the sites were let off within 5 hours) – then put the ads back again.
   They used a simple grep command to strip out the ad code, and then restored the pages and code from a relatively fresh backup once the blockages were lifted.
   I know this is kind of hack-ish – but sometimes inspite of all the meticulous cleaning that people do – automated system will flag sites.

   In other words, Google can cock up. This time, it did. So you basically need to fool Google, get your site off the blacklist, and put things back to normal afterwards.
   Or: there may be a drunk driver swerving left and right at the wheel of the Google truck, so it’s your job to make sure that you build a nice road in front for them, rather than insist that they clean up their act and stay on the road.
   Mind you, the last time Google claimed to analyse something in two days, it took six months—here’s hoping we’re back online before then. It’s getting embarrassing telling clients what had happened, especially as most drink the Google Kool-Aid and believe the firm can do no wrong. Peel back only one layer, and you can see plenty that goes wrong.
   It’s not fair, but what can you do against the Google juggernaut when so many people rely on it, especially Chrome users who are getting the false red flags more than anyone else?


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