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Successfully Removing 328 Websites from McAfee Blacklist – A Technical Deep Dive
Case Study

Successfully Removing 328 Websites from McAfee Blacklist – A Technical Deep Dive

Over 4,500 hacked sites remediated and 2,000+ security projects form the foundation of this case study, highlighting a comprehensive, multi-year effort to remove 328 websites from McAfee’s blacklist (September 2018 – July 2025). This documentation provides unique insights into the processes, challenges, and measurable outcomes of large-scale blacklist and website categorization resolution.

McAfee Blacklist

Problem Statement

Hundreds of WordPress-based websites, operated by 328 individual clients, were blacklisted by McAfee due to security issues and/or were flagged as “unknown link” via TrustedSource’s website categorization system. These problems led to lost traffic, reduced conversions, and reputational damage — even when sites were malware-free but uncategorized.

McAfee Unknown Link Warning

Key Issues

  • Malware: Core file/database infections, compromised plugins/themes, spam injections
  • Persistent backdoors and multi-vector reinfection risks
  • Uncategorized/incorrectly categorized sites prompting “unknown link” warnings
  • Vendor false positives (new/minimal-content domains)
  • Lack of website owner awareness regarding categorization impact

Solution Overview

  1. Forensic Site Analysis & Malware Scanning: Multi-tool diagnostic (Sucuri, VirusTotal, Wordfence, MalCare), log and vulnerability review.
  2. Comprehensive Remediation: Manual and automated file/database cleaning, plugin/theme hardening, core software updates, WAF setup.
  3. Website Categorization Management: Proactive submission to McAfee TrustedSource for every uncategorized site, documentation and user-education provided.
  4. Security Hardening: Rights management, password policies, plugin/theme vetting, continuous security monitoring, regular backups.
  5. Rapid Review Facilitation: Evidence-based reports sent to McAfee to expedite blacklist removal and correct categorization.

McAfee Site Lookup Tool

Key Results

  • 100% Success Rate: All 328 blacklisted sites restored and classified properly
  • 48–72hr average traffic restoration on post-incident sites
  • Notable SEO rebound: Early ranking improvements within weeks post-restoration
  • Industry impact: Demonstrates the critical necessity of both remediation and proactive categorization in modern web risk management

Professional Services for Remediation and Categorization:

Impact Metrics

  • 100% malware cleanup (all identified threats removed)
  • 100% blacklist removal for all 328 client websites
  • 100% categorization success (sites with “unknown link” warnings resolved)
  • 1–5 business days: average McAfee review completion per site
  • Zero reinfection rate during post-remediation monitoring
  • Traffic and SEO recovery within 1–2 weeks of issue resolution