Google Ads Compromised Site Fixed: How We Restored 83 Disapproved Ads

A website can look completely normal and still be flagged by Google Ads as a Compromised Site.

That is exactly what happened in a recent AARSWEBS case.

Our client operated a cleaning-services business in the UK.

Their website loaded normally.

Their pages were accessible.

Nothing immediately appeared obviously hacked.

Yet their Google Ads account showed:

83 ads disapproved for Compromised Site.

Our team began a detailed investigation, communicated with Google, identified a suspicious link and continued checking the wider website before requesting another review.

Eventually, the Compromised Site issue was cleared and the advertisements became eligible again.

Here is what happened.

What Does Compromised Site Mean in Google Ads?

Google defines a compromised site as a website or destination whose code has been manipulated to behave in ways that benefit a third party without the knowledge of the website owner.

Examples provided by Google include malicious scripts, redirects, malware, credit-card skimmers and exploited content-management systems. Google Support

The important phrase is:

Without the website owner’s knowledge.

You don’t necessarily need to knowingly upload malware for a website to become compromised.

A vulnerable plugin, injected JavaScript, hacked administrator account or external script can create a problem behind the scenes.

This Was an Ad Disapproval — Not an Account Suspension

One of the most important distinctions in this case is that the client’s account itself was not suspended.

Instead:

83 individual ads were disapproved.

The ads were not eligible to serve because Google considered the destination compromised.

That is different from an account-level Google Ads suspension.

Understanding what enforcement action has actually occurred should always be one of the first steps in an investigation.

We Started With an Audit

When our team receives a Google Ads policy case, we do not like to make one random website change and immediately press Appeal.

We investigate first.

Our internal compliance process has continued evolving as we’ve handled more cases.

What previously involved more than 160 potential checks has now grown to a framework containing more than 200 areas we may examine.

That doesn’t mean every website has 200 problems.

It means different cases require different checks.

What Did We Investigate?

For this Compromised Site case, our work included reviewing areas such as:

• Malware
• Website source code
• Suspicious links
• Plugins
• Server-related information
• Google Search Console
• robots.txt
• Website speed
• Lead forms
• Technical website errors
• Additional compliance areas

Some of these were general website-health checks rather than confirmed causes of the Compromised Site policy issue.

That distinction is important.

We don’t want advertisers to assume that a slow website or broken form automatically produces a Compromised Site disapproval.

Communication With Google Helped

Alongside our own audit, we communicated with Google regarding the affected advertisements.

In this particular case, Google support provided useful information.

The response indicated that ads leading to the website had been disabled because of suspected malicious content.

Google also pointed to a link that needed investigation.

That gave our team something much more specific to work with.

The Suspicious Link Was Removed

Once we identified the problematic link, it was removed.

However, we did not assume that our job was finished.

A security problem can have more than one symptom.

If a website has genuinely been compromised, the better question isn’t only:

“Which link should I delete?”

It is also:

“How did that link get onto the website?”

Otherwise, the same vulnerability could allow the problem to return.

We Continued Reviewing the Website

Our team continued investigating other areas.

We checked lead-generation functionality.

We reviewed Search Console.

We worked through technical issues.

We reviewed robots.txt.

Again, these additional checks were not necessarily the direct reason for the policy disapproval.

They formed part of our wider effort to make sure the website was functioning properly before another Google review.

Why Search Console Matters

Google specifically recommends checking the Security Issues report inside Search Console when dealing with a Compromised Site problem. Google Support

Search Console may identify issues such as:

• Hacked content
• Malware
• Harmful downloads
• Injected pages
• Security vulnerabilities

Advertisers should also consider enabling Search Console notifications so they can learn about future security problems quickly.

Check Google Safe Browsing Too

Google also recommends checking the affected destination through its Safe Browsing status tools. Google Support

If a website is listed as unsafe there, the advertiser may need to resolve the security problem and complete the appropriate Search Console review process as well.

CMS, Themes and Plugins Matter

WordPress and other content-management systems are common targets for attackers.

An outdated plugin.

An abandoned theme.

An old CMS version.

A compromised administrator account.

Any of these can become an entry point.

Google specifically recommends keeping the CMS, themes and plugins updated. Google Support

The Result: Google Ads Approved Again

After the necessary corrections and review process, the previous Compromised Site problem was cleared.

The affected advertisements became eligible again.

In our accompanying video, we show the account after the policy issue had been resolved.

For us and the client, this was a successful project.

But it is important to say:

A previous successful case does not guarantee another account will receive the same result.

Google independently determines every policy review.

How Should You Fix Google Ads Compromised Site?

If you see this policy in your account, I recommend starting with the following workflow:

First, identify the affected advertisements.

Filter your Google Ads account by:

Policy Details → Compromised Site

Then identify the final URLs being used.

Second, look for a compromised domain.

Google Ads may sometimes identify the suspicious domain.

If it does, investigate where that domain is being loaded from.

Third, check Search Console.

Open the Security Issues report.

Fourth, perform a security investigation.

Review your CMS, plugins, themes, administrator accounts, source code, third-party scripts and redirects.

Fifth, clean the website.

Remove malicious content and fix the vulnerability that allowed it to appear.

Sixth, request another review.

Google says that after cleaning a destination, advertisers should allow up to 72 hours for the website to be recrawled and re-evaluated. Google Support

Made Changes to Comply vs Dispute Decision

Google currently provides two relevant appeal approaches.

If you genuinely corrected the landing page, you can choose:

Made changes to comply with policy

If you believe Google’s decision was incorrect, you can choose:

Dispute decision

Use the option that accurately describes the situation. Google Support

Need Google Ads Compromised Site Help?

AARSWEBS works with advertisers facing Google Ads policy issues including:

• Compromised Site
• Malicious Software
• Google Ads disapprovals
• Account suspensions
• Circumventing Systems
• Misrepresentation
• Google Merchant Center restrictions

Our process can involve automated scanning, AI-assisted analysis and manual investigation.

No agency can guarantee approval because Google makes the final decision.

What we can do is help investigate the issue, identify genuine problems and prepare the website and account for the appropriate review process.

Final Thoughts

This case began with:

83 ads disapproved.

The client believed the website looked clean.

Google detected suspected malicious content.

Our team investigated the website, communicated with Google, identified a suspicious link, removed it and continued reviewing the site.

Eventually, the ads became eligible again.

The most important lesson is:

Don’t judge the security of your website only by what it looks like in your browser.

A Compromised Site problem can exist underneath the visible website.

Investigate the code.

Check Search Console.

Review plugins.

Check external scripts.

Look for redirects.

And resolve the underlying problem before requesting another Google review.

— Ali Raza
AARSWEBS