Branded domains can sometimes trigger "Dangerous Site" or "Malicious Warning" flags in browsers. These warnings appear because independent security vendors or blocklists have flagged the domain. These vendors monitor web traffic, user reports, automated detections, and patterns that might indicate spam or suspicious activity. They also look at internet-wide signals such as traffic patterns and user reports to flag domains.
Even safe, legitimate domains can be flagged based on these automated third-party patterns or reports. It's an unfortunate side effect of the many bad actors who use link tactics to distribute dangerous content.
How to resolve and avoid "Dangerous Site" warnings
It's frustrating to have your links blocked when they are safe, and there are steps you can take to appeal to the systems that are blocking them.
Appeals to vendors and browsers are processed independently and can take anywhere from several hours to a few days to resolve. Unfortunately, Rebrandly cannot expedite these reviews because the listings are managed by third parties.
Step 1: Appeal directly from your browser warning page
Click Details on the browser's warning page. Look for a link to submit an appeal to the system blocking the link; it's usually a link to Submit an appeal or Let us know.
Explain that your domain and destination URLs are legitimate, and include supporting evidence such as destination samples, evidence of legitimate use, or logs from campaigns.
Step 2: Identify who flagged your domain
Look up your domain's reputation score with an online threat intelligence aggregator or reputation checker (like VirusTotal or Talos Intelligence). Using a multi-vendor reputation checker (e.g., a threat-intelligence aggregator) can provide a full list of vendors or services that need to be addressed.
Review the security vendors or blocklists that flagged your domain. Make note of their details for direct appeals.
Step 3: Appeal to each security vendor
Visit each flagged vendor’s website from the results of your reputation checker.
Follow their process for appealing a blocked domain. Include accurate information about your domain, and include supportive materials such as destination samples, evidence of legitimate use, or logs from campaigns.
Step 4: Review and improve your domain’s content
Check the pages on your site to verify all content is safe and complies with web and security standards. Check to be sure your own site hasn't been infected with malware or suspicious scripts.
Consider whether recent campaigns or sharing patterns could have triggered the warnings. Avoid spam-like behaviors, like high volumes of unsolicited .
Monitor your domain’s reputation regularly using reputation checker tools. Also, ensure all the destination URLs you share are safe, consistent, and non-spammy. Regularly review recent campaigns or sharing activities to identify any that may have triggered spam reports.
By following these steps and maintaining vigilant monitoring, you can resolve the "Dangerous Site" flags on your branded links and prevent similar issues from recurring in the future.