Huge Malware False Positive Locks Hundreds of Legitimate Blogs on Google’s Platform
In a shocking turn of events, hundreds of innocent Blogger websites have been wrongly flagged as hosting malware and subsequently locked out of their dashboards. The issue, which began on August 4, has left many web admins scrambling to restore access to their blogs, with some even facing the prospect of permanent deletion.
According to reports flooding Google’s official forum, the problem appears to be a result of a malfunctioning automated system designed to detect and prevent malware from spreading through its platform. The issue is so widespread that a Blogger Product Expert has acknowledged that “false positives do occur from time to time, but not on this scale.” If you’re one of the affected users, you’ll see a large red padlock in your dashboard with a clear warning: “Note: this blog has been locked.”
When a blogger tries to access their locked site, they’re greeted with a stern message stating that their blog was removed for violating Blogger’s Community Guidelines. The automated system even warns that their blog can be permanently deleted within the next three months if no appeal is submitted. This leaves many users feeling frustrated and worried about the future of their online presence.
The situation has been exacerbated by reports of blogs being restored only to be deleted again later on. Not all Blogger users are affected, however, and some who have submitted appeals are already seeing their sites come back online. The exact number of affected sites is unclear, but third-party trackers suggest that close to 200,000 sites are hosted on the platform.
Google has acknowledged the issue and confirmed that it’s working on a fix to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. In a statement to BleepingComputer, the tech giant said: “We are aware of a bug that incorrectly flagged some Blogger-hosted sites as malware for less than a day. We are working on a fix to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust security measures and testing in today’s digital landscape. As the cybersecurity industry continues to evolve, it’s essential for organizations and individuals alike to stay vigilant and test their defenses before attackers do.
If you’re hosting your blog on Google’s platform and haven’t been affected by this issue, take this as an opportunity to review your site’s security settings and ensure that you have a solid backup plan in place. Remember: testing every layer of your online presence is crucial in today’s threat landscape – it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Source: Bleeping Computer — 2026-08-05