[Nottingham] A Google Webmaster Scam?

[Andy Smith]

Hi Martin,

On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 02:36:02AM +0000, Martin wrote:
> After upgrading to the latest Wordpress 3.5, Google have dropped this
> bombshell and have insisted that I join the "Webmasters Tools" site to
> remove their blacklisting from the NLUG site...
> 
> So... Is this for real?!

Speaking as a hoster, every single time Google have sent me one of
these regarding a site on my network it has been accurate, i.e. the
site has been serving malware. On multiple occasions this has not
been obvious to me upon a casual inspection.

Usually it has been hostile Javascript inserted into pages through
exploits in forum/blog/cms software or even on a few occasions just
the admin leaving administrative write permission enabled (so anyone
could upload pages containing raw HTML/JS).

So my advice would be to check the source of your pages carefully.

> Unfortunately, from this example, it looks like Google already have the
> power to rule the internet...

I assume that if you do indeed find your site was serving content
that you did not authorise then you will concede that Google are
using their power in this instance for good? :)

Cheers,
Andy

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