Why is my website link flagged as malware on LinkedIn and listed on Spamhaus and Fortinet?

Summary

Your website link is likely flagged as malware on LinkedIn and listed by Spamhaus and Fortinet due to a confluence of potential issues. These range from technical glitches and false positives to actual security compromises and reputation problems. Key areas to investigate include potential malware or phishing content on your website, server or DNS compromises, hosting-related issues (especially on shared hosting), problems with email link or domain reputation, and possible misinterpretations by MXToolbox. Regular monitoring, proactive security measures, and communication with the flagging services (LinkedIn, Spamhaus, Fortinet) are crucial for resolution.

Key findings

  • Technical Issues: The Spamhaus/MXToolbox listing may be due to an MXToolbox bug or user error. Malware warnings on LinkedIn might be non-email related.
  • Security Threats: Your website could be compromised, hosting malware or a phishing landing page. A thorough security scan is necessary.
  • Reputation Problems: Poor domain or email link reputation can lead to flagging. Building domain authority and improving sender reputation are important.
  • Blacklisting Factors: Blacklisting can occur due to spam activity, malware distribution, or website compromise. Identify and remediate the cause.
  • False Positives Possible: The flagging may be a false positive. Submitting your site for review by LinkedIn, Spamhaus, and Fortinet is recommended.
  • Hosting Environment: Shared hosting environments can be problematic if other users on the server are engaging in malicious activities.
  • DNS Tampering: DNS records might be tampered with, redirecting users to malicious websites.

Key considerations

  • Run Security Scans: Regularly scan your website for malware, vulnerabilities, and any signs of compromise using tools like Sucuri SiteCheck or VirusTotal.
  • Monitor Reputation: Actively monitor your website's domain and email sending reputation using available online tools.
  • Contact Flagging Services: Contact LinkedIn, Spamhaus, and Fortinet for clarification and to request a review and removal if the flagging is incorrect.
  • Review Hosting: Consider upgrading to a more secure hosting environment, especially if on shared hosting.
  • Secure DNS: Ensure your DNS records are secure and haven't been tampered with.
  • Improve Sender Reputation: Implement proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and practice good email sending habits to improve sender reputation.
  • Stay Updated: Keep your CMS, plugins, and other software up-to-date to prevent vulnerabilities.
  • Address Complaints: Address any complaints related to spam or unsolicited communications promptly.
  • Google Search Console: Regularly review Google Search Console to check for any security related findings.

What email marketers say
12Marketer opinions

Your website link might be flagged as malware on LinkedIn and listed by Spamhaus and Fortinet due to several reasons. These include: a potential false positive requiring submission for review, actual malware or phishing content on your site (requiring a thorough scan), a compromised server or DNS, issues with your hosting provider (especially shared hosting), problems with email link reputation (if the link is used in email campaigns), a new domain with a low reputation, or incorrect interpretation by MXToolbox. LinkedIn's flagging could also be due to temporary glitches, aggressive spam filters, or TOS violations. Proactive monitoring, maintenance, and remediation steps are crucial.

Key opinions

  • False Positives: The flagging might be a false positive; submit your site for review and removal from lists.
  • Malware/Phishing: Your website may contain malware or phishing content; scan your site with tools like Sucuri SiteCheck or VirusTotal.
  • Compromised Server/DNS: Your server or DNS may be compromised; check for suspicious activity and potential domain hijacking.
  • Hosting Issues: If using shared hosting, another user may be affecting your reputation; contact your hosting provider.
  • Email Link Reputation: Poor email link reputation could cause flagging; improve sender reputation and clean your email list.
  • New Domain: New domains may face stricter scrutiny; build trust over time.
  • MXToolbox Error: Spamhaus listing shown on MXToolbox may be due to the tool's incorrect interpretation.
  • LinkedIn Glitches/Filters: LinkedIn flagging could be due to glitches, aggressive filters, or TOS violations; contact LinkedIn support.

Key considerations

  • Scan and Clean: Regularly scan your website for malware and vulnerabilities, and promptly clean any issues found.
  • Monitor Reputation: Actively monitor your website's reputation using online tools and address any negative feedback.
  • Contact Support: Contact LinkedIn, Spamhaus, and Fortinet support to investigate the flagging and request removal if necessary.
  • Secure Hosting: Consider switching to a more secure hosting environment if shared hosting is causing problems.
  • Domain Privacy: Public WHOIS information is preferable but not critical. Ensure domain information is accurate.
  • Check Email Authentication: Ensure your email authentication is set up correctly (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve sender reputation.
  • Content compliance: Ensure your website's content complies with relevant platform policies and terms of service.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora suggests checking if your DNS records have been tampered with or if your domain has been hijacked, as this can redirect users to malicious websites and trigger security warnings.

April 2024 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the domain is listed by Fortinet as potential phishing and suggests contacting them to resolve it, assuming it's a false positive.

November 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that public WHOIS information is preferable, however it is not a critical factor.

June 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips Blog says if you are sending out email campaigns with the link included it may be a result of poor email link reputation. They suggest improving your sender reputation by authenticating emails and maintaining a clean email list.

January 2022 - Email Marketing Tips Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from SitePoint Forums raises the possibility that if you're using shared hosting, your website might be affected by the actions of other users on the same server, leading to blacklisting. They suggest contacting your hosting provider to investigate.

July 2022 - SitePoint Forums
Marketer view

Email marketer from WebSecurityForums.org suggests that a new domain might initially have a low reputation, leading to stricter scrutiny by security systems. Building trust over time by consistently providing valuable content and adhering to best practices can help improve your domain's reputation.

November 2023 - WebSecurityForums.org
Marketer view

Email marketer from BleepingComputer Forums recommends checking your website's reputation using online tools, examining recent server logs for suspicious activity, and ensuring your CMS and plugins are up-to-date to prevent vulnerabilities.

June 2022 - BleepingComputer Forums
Marketer view

Email marketer from Webmaster World Forum notes that Spamhaus listings can occur if your website is associated with spam activity, even indirectly (e.g., compromised server, allowing comment spam). They advise checking your website for vulnerabilities and cleaning up any spam.

April 2024 - Webmaster World Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit r/webdev suggests running a thorough scan of your website using tools like Sucuri SiteCheck or VirusTotal to identify potential malware or malicious code that might be triggering the flags.

September 2021 - Reddit r/webdev
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow indicates that false positives can occur and recommends submitting your website to the flagging services (LinkedIn, Spamhaus, Fortinet) for review and removal from their lists. Also, check if your hosting provider has been blacklisted.

November 2021 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from LinkedIn Help Community suggests that LinkedIn's flagging of content may be due to a temporary glitch, aggressive spam filters, or a violation of LinkedIn's terms of service. They recommend contacting LinkedIn support for clarification.

April 2022 - LinkedIn Help Community
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the Spamhaus issue is likely due to MXToolbox incorrectly checking the Spamhaus DBL with an IP address associated with the domain name.

December 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
7Expert opinions

Your website link might be flagged as malware on LinkedIn and listed on Spamhaus and Fortinet for several reasons, including a potential MXToolbox error, non-email related malware warnings, potential website compromise hosting a phishing page, and poor domain/sender reputation. Building domain reputation over time, monitoring blacklist status, and remediating any issues found are critical. LinkedIn support may also offer clarification.

Key opinions

  • MXToolbox Error: The Spamhaus/MXToolbox issue may be due to an MXToolbox bug or user error. Ignore if it's an IP lookup in a domain name list.
  • Non-Email Malware Warnings: Malware warnings on LinkedIn may not be email-related; contact LinkedIn support.
  • Potential Website Compromise: The Fortinet listing may indicate a compromised website hosting a phishing landing page.
  • Domain Reputation Matters: Domain reputation is built over time and impacts deliverability; monitor and maintain a positive reputation.
  • Sender Reputation Affects Links: Poor sender reputation can cause links within emails to be flagged; improve sender reputation.
  • Blacklisting Reasons: Blacklisting can result from spamming, malware hosting, or website compromise; identify the cause and remediate.

Key considerations

  • Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your domain and sender reputation using online tools.
  • Check for Compromise: Thoroughly check your website for any signs of compromise, such as phishing pages.
  • Improve Sender Reputation: Improve sender reputation through proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and sending wanted mail.
  • Remediate Blacklisting: Identify the cause of blacklisting and take steps to remediate issues before requesting delisting.
  • Contact LinkedIn Support: Contact LinkedIn support for clarification regarding malware warnings and potential TOS violations.
  • Review WHOIS Information: While public WHOIS isn't critical, ensure your domain information is accurate.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that a sender's reputation impacts the deliverability of links and that a poor sender reputation could lead to links within the email being flagged. She recommends working on improving sender reputation, which includes proper email authentication and sending wanted mail.

August 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a domain's reputation is built over time and that blacklisting can occur due to various factors including spam complaints, malware distribution, and phishing activity. He advises to regularly monitor your domain's reputation using various tools to identify any issues early on.

September 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that many registrars no longer offer public WHOIS as an option, and GoDaddy made the change due to abuse suffered by customers with open Whois records.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests the Fortinet listing may indicate a website compromise where the link is hosting a phishing landing page.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains common reasons why a domain or IP address might be blacklisted, including sending unsolicited email, hosting malware, or being compromised. It advises checking blacklist status, identifying the cause of blacklisting, and taking steps to remediate the issues before requesting delisting.

February 2025 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that malware warnings may not be email-related, suggesting reaching out to LinkedIn support for clarification.

October 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks advises to ignore the Spamhaus/MXToolbox stuff, suggesting it could be an MXToolbox bug or user error, indicating an attempt to look up an IP address in a domain name list.

March 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Your website link might be flagged as malware on LinkedIn and listed by Spamhaus and Fortinet because these services have identified the domain as associated with malicious activities. Spamhaus DBL lists domains found in spam or used for malware/phishing. Fortinet categorizes sites based on content and flags those with detected malware or phishing activity. Google Search Central flags sites infected with malware or used for phishing, and VirusTotal aggregates results from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive overview of a URL's potential threats.

Key findings

  • Spamhaus DBL Listing: Spamhaus lists domains found in spam or used for malicious purposes, including spamvertised websites, malware distribution, and phishing.
  • Fortinet Categorization: Fortinet flags websites as 'malware' or 'phishing' based on detected malicious activity or content.
  • Google Search Central Flags: Google flags websites in search results if infected with malware, used for phishing, or engaging in harmful activities.
  • VirusTotal Threat Assessment: VirusTotal aggregates results from multiple sources to assess a URL's potential threats; positive results indicate a higher likelihood of malicious activity.

Key considerations

  • Check for Malware: Thoroughly scan your website for malware and malicious content.
  • Review Google Search Console: Check Google Search Console for security issues and request a review after cleaning the website.
  • Assess VirusTotal Results: Use VirusTotal to get a comprehensive overview of potential threats associated with your URL.
  • Remediate Issues: Identify and remediate any issues leading to blacklisting by Spamhaus and Fortinet.
Technical article

Documentation from Fortinet clarifies that Fortinet's web filtering categorizes websites based on content, and a 'malware' or 'phishing' categorization indicates that Fortinet has detected malicious activity or content associated with the website.

October 2023 - Fortinet
Technical article

Documentation from VirusTotal explains that their URL scanner aggregates results from multiple antivirus engines and website reputation services, providing a comprehensive overview of a URL's potential threats. A positive result from multiple sources indicates a higher likelihood of malicious activity.

July 2022 - VirusTotal
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that the Spamhaus DBL (Domain Block List) lists domain names found in spam emails or used for malicious purposes. Listing reasons include spamvertised websites, malware distribution points, and phishing sites.

September 2021 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from Google Search Central shares that a website might be flagged in search results and browsers if it's infected with malware, used for phishing, or engaging in other harmful activities. They recommend using Google Search Console to check for security issues and request a review after cleaning up the website.

July 2023 - Google Search Central