Google Malware Scanners Do Not Use Google Cache

Mar 6, 2009 - 8:45 am 0 by

Google has been very proactive about cleaning their index of pages that contain malware. In fact, they have stepped up the email notifications to webmasters with these issues. So I have been seeing thread after thread in a multitude of forums on malware related topics.

A Google Webmaster Help thread has one person asking if he should check the Google Cache to see if Google indexed the cleaned up version of his site. In response to that, Googler, Oliver Fisher said Google doesn't use the Google Cache to look for malware. He said:

Google's automated malware scanners don't use the cached version of the pages. They make real fetches while evaluating the pages.

When the scanners reviewed the tpod site yesterday (at ~4am PT), they found lots of fake Yahoo counters, including on the pages you've listed. If you've cleaned up the site now, you should file for another malware review via Webmaster Tools.

It does make sense that Google would bypass an older copy of the site and go directly to the pages to see if they are infected, in almost real time.

Oliver, I believe, specializes on the Google Malware team and has written topics at the Google Webmaster Blog on Malware related issues. Oliver rarely posts in the help area, so it is nice to see posts when he does them.

Forum discussion at Google Webmaster Help.

 

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