Google ads: Malicious software / Compromised site
hi there
I’m reaching out regarding an ongoing issue with Google Ads and our BeTheme-powered site (morstonhall.com).
Google Ads continues to reject campaigns with the reason “Malicious software / Compromised site”, even though:
• We’ve enforced HTTPS with permanent 301 redirects (non-www → https).
• Blocked HTTP access to admin/login and enforced secure logins.
• Rotated the database user password and updated wp-config.
• Added modern security headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options, Referrer-Policy, etc.).
• Removed plugins that were interfering with permalink/REST API routing (Hide My WP / WP Ghost).
• Verified clean results across multiple independent scans:
• VirusTotal – 0/97 vendors flagged.
• Sucuri SiteCheck – no malware, no blacklist.
• Qualys SSL Labs – A+ SSL rating.
• SecurityHeaders – Grade A.
All landing pages tested return 200 OK, and there are no signs of malware or compromise on the site. Despite this, Google’s Ads crawler still flags the site as “Compromised,” preventing us from running campaigns.
We want to rule out any theme-related factor. Could you please confirm:
1. Whether BeTheme has any known compatibility issues with Google Ads crawler or Googlebot?
2. Whether there are hidden scripts, demo assets, or theme features that could be misinterpreted as unsafe?
3. Any recommended steps from your side to ensure Google Ads recognises BeTheme-based sites as clean.
This is blocking ad campaigns, so any guidance or deeper checks from your team would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Maciej
Comments
Hi,
To the first two of your questions, I can answer: no. We understand that compatibility with Google features is crucial, and we strive to maintain compliance with their guidelines at all times.
3) Please do a test by temporarily switching to another theme, like Twenty Twenty-Five, to see if the problem persists. It will help to determine if the theme is the root cause or if it lies somewhere else.
Best regards
Hi there, I now deleted all extra themes (they were not used) and re submitted the adds.
hi there, this did not help
I did not mean to remove them, but rather to temporarily switch to another theme, such as Twenty Twenty-Five, to see if the same issue occurs there.
Best regards
I dont need them anyway. this website only works on one theme
what are the next steps please?
I cannot be switching to other themes, sorry. the website must stay live as is
what are the next steps? this is really urgent, thanks