1. Source
A live Safe Browsing threat-list lookup. The result identifies where its evidence came from.
Free tool, no account required
Free Website Safety Checker: Threat Lookup
The Website Safety Checker is a threat-list lookup. It submits a URL to Google Safe Browsing and reports whether the address is currently listed for malware, phishing, unwanted software or potentially harmful applications.
Also known as: Safe Browsing check, malware and phishing lookup
Evidence shown with sourceNo account requiredNo invented metrics
Run a real check above
Submit a public URL, domain, or keyword. Novaverb will show only the evidence this tool can actually retrieve or measure.
Definition
What is a website safety checker?
A website safety checker is a tool that asks whether a URL appears on a list of known dangerous addresses. The Novaverb Website Safety Checker is a threat-list lookup: the submitted URL is checked against Google Safe Browsing and the current listing status is reported for malware, phishing, unwanted software and potentially harmful applications.
Scope
What does the website safety checker check?
The website safety checker checks one URL against the Safe Browsing threat lists for malware, phishing or social engineering, unwanted software and harmful applications. A match is reported with the category returned. The tool does not scan the page, files, database or server, so the answer is a listing status and nothing more.
Who it is for
Who is the website safety checker for?
The website safety checker is for site owners, agencies and support teams who need a listing status quickly. An owner who hears about a browser warning checks whether the URL is listed. An agency checks a client domain before taking it on. A team that cleaned a hacked site checks whether the listing has cleared.
Why it matters
Why use a website safety checker?
A website safety check shows a threat listing before it costs more visitors and trust. A Safe Browsing listing can trigger red browser warnings. A site can be listed because it was hacked, an ad network served malware or a third-party script was compromised, so the owner may not know until the status is looked up.
Method
How does the website safety checker work?
The website safety checker works as a single lookup. The address is normalized and the URL is submitted to the live Safe Browsing threat lists. Any match for malware, phishing, unwanted software or potentially harmful applications is reported by category. A result with no match is reported as no current listing, a present-tense state and not a permanent verdict.
- We normalize the address and submit the URL to Google Safe Browsing's live threat lists.
- We report any match for malware, phishing (social engineering), unwanted software or potentially harmful applications.
- We report a clean result as 'no current listing' - an honest present-tense state, not a permanent verdict.
Input
What do you enter into the website safety checker?
Enter the public URL or domain you want looked up into the website safety checker. A bare domain or a full page URL both work, with or without www, and an address without a scheme is treated as https. The lookup covers the URL as submitted. Hosts that are not publicly routable are refused.
Use it like this
yourdomain.comAny public address form works - we check it against Google's live threat lists. http or https, with or without www, a bare domain or a full path - we normalize it for you.https://www.yourdomain.com/pageA specific URL is fine too; we check exactly what you submit.Avoid this
Reading 'no threats' as 'safe forever'A clean result means no listing right now, not a permanent guarantee - re-check over time.Result
What does the website safety checker report contain?
The website safety checker report contains a verdict banner, the checked URL and a category panel. A flagged result lists each active threat listing by name. A clean result reads no threats found and shows the categories checked. Both end with an evidence boundary stating that the status reflects the moment of the check.
Reading it
How do you read a website safety check result?
Read a website safety check result in the present tense. Flagged as unsafe means the URL currently matches one or more Safe Browsing threat lists, which is strong evidence the page is dangerous now. No threats found means no active listing was found at check time, and a compromised site can still be unlisted.
Website safety explained
What a Safe Browsing check does - and does not - prove
Safe Browsing maintains constantly-updated lists of URLs known to host malware, phishing, unwanted software or potentially harmful applications. A match is strong evidence a page is dangerous right now. The absence of a match means the URL isn't on those lists at this moment - it is not proof the site is clean, because new threats are listed only after they're detected.
The threat categories
- Malware - pages that install malicious software on a visitor's device.
- Social engineering - phishing pages that impersonate a trusted site to steal credentials.
- Unwanted software - deceptive downloads that change browser or system behavior.
- Harmful applications - apps flagged as harmful on mobile platforms.
If your site is flagged
A listing can appear because a site was hacked, an ad network served malware, or a third-party script was compromised. Remove the malicious content, then request a review - and monitor the status so you know the moment it clears.
Source
Where does the website safety checker get its data?
The website safety checker gets its data from a live Safe Browsing threat-list lookup. Google Safe Browsing maintains the lists and defines the categories, and the tool reports that answer without adding a judgment of its own. The lists are updated continuously in both directions, so a listing can be added or lifted.
Limits
What does the website safety checker not tell you?
The website safety checker does not tell you that a site is safe. A clean result means no active listing was found at the moment of the check. A lookup is not a full malware scan, and a threat list reports known threats only, so an infection nobody has detected yet returns the same clean result.
Evidence
What does a website safety check result prove?
A website safety check result proves whether the submitted URL currently matches the Safe Browsing threat lists. A match can be concluded as a present listing in the named category. A clean result cannot be read as a certificate, because a site can be compromised and not yet listed, and a listing can be lifted after cleanup.
2. Boundary
This reflects the Safe Browsing threat-list status at the moment you check. A clean result means no active listing was found - it is not a guarantee that a site is safe, nor a full malware scan.
3. Next action
Use the finding to verify a problem, then connect a workspace when you need history, monitoring, or site-wide analysis.
Standards
Which standards does the website safety checker apply?
The website safety checker applies a single rule set: the Google Safe Browsing threat lists, which define the malware, phishing, unwanted software and potentially harmful application categories reported. No separate scoring is layered on top. The present-tense wording of the result follows from how those lists work, since they record what is known now and are updated continuously.
GoogleSafe Browsing
Safe Browsing threat lists
Checks the URL against the malware, phishing, unwanted software and potentially harmful application threat lists.
Read the specificationWe list a standard only where this tool genuinely reads or measures against it. Where a signal is outside a live check, the result says so instead of implying coverage.
Verification
How can you verify a website safety check result yourself?
Verify a website safety check result by running the lookup again for the same exact URL, then for the homepage and the affected page separately, since the check covers the URL submitted. For a site you own, review recent uploads, scripts and third-party code. Safe Browsing is the source, so its own published status is the reference.
Example
What does a typical website safety check finding look like?
A typical website safety check finding is a clean banner reading no threats found, with the checked URL beneath it and each category shown as checked. The other case is a flagged banner that names an active threat listing, phishing or social engineering for instance, which can follow a hacked site or a compromised third-party script.
Cost
Is the website safety checker free?
The website safety checker is free and no account is required for the lookup. An account is needed when a single lookup is not the goal: a workspace keeps the result as saved evidence and watches the Safe Browsing status of a connected site alongside SSL, security headers and uptime.
In a workspace
What does a Novaverb workspace add to the website safety checker?
A Novaverb workspace adds continuity to the website safety checker. Site Trust is the product that carries the job forward, described as a bounded scorecard for captured site trust signals, headers and supported external probes. A connected site keeps its evidence, is watched over time, and a flagged finding becomes a task that is rechecked.
When to go further
When is a free website safety check not enough?
A free website safety check is not enough when the status has to be watched and not sampled. One lookup covers one URL at one moment. After a security incident, during a cleanup that awaits review, or on a site with many sections, recurring checks and a crawl of the whole site answer what a single lookup cannot.
Next step
What should you do after running the website safety checker?
After running the website safety checker, a flagged result calls for action in order. Identify and remove the malware, phishing pages or unwanted software. Clean any injected code and secure the compromised entry point. Request a review so the listing can be reassessed. After a clean result, keep software patched and run the lookup again periodically.
Related tools
Which free tools pair with the website safety checker?
The website safety checker pairs with free tools that read the site itself, which a threat-list lookup does not. The Website Security Checker reads the TLS certificate, security response headers and selected TCP ports. The WordPress Security Configuration Checker looks for exposed logs and sensitive paths on a WordPress origin. The Website Monitor runs a live availability check.
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Questions
What do people ask about the website safety checker?
The website safety checker FAQ answers whether a clean result means a website is safe, how malware and phishing flags differ and why a site shows as flagged for unwanted software. Further questions cover how to fix a flagged site, whether the lookup is a full malware scan of a server and how current the result is.
What does the Website Safety Checker check?
It checks whether a URL is currently flagged on Google Safe Browsing threat lists for malware, phishing, unwanted software or potentially harmful applications, reporting the listing status at the moment you run the check.
Does a clean result mean my website is safe?
No. A clean result means no active Safe Browsing listing was found at check time. It is not a guarantee of safety nor a full malware scan, and status can change if a threat later appears.
What is the difference between malware and phishing flags?
A malware flag means the site is listed as distributing harmful software. A phishing flag means it is listed as deceptively collecting credentials or data. Both are Safe Browsing threat categories that can trigger browser warnings.
Why does my site show as flagged for unwanted software?
Safe Browsing lists unwanted software when a site distributes deceptive or harmful programs, such as bundled installers that change settings. Review recent uploads, scripts and third-party code, then request review once the issue is removed.
How do I fix a site flagged by Safe Browsing?
Identify and remove the malware, phishing pages or unwanted software, clean any injected code, secure the compromised entry point, then request a review through the appropriate console so the listing can be reassessed and lifted.
Is this a full malware scan of my server?
No. It reports Safe Browsing threat-list status at check time, not a deep scan of your files, database or server. A clean result does not rule out infections that have not been listed.
Why does website safety status matter for SEO?
A Safe Browsing listing can trigger red browser warnings and suppress your site in results, sharply cutting traffic and trust. Monitoring listing status helps you catch and resolve threats before they damage visibility.
Can a safe site later become flagged?
Yes. The check reflects status only at that moment. If your site is later compromised and added to a threat list, a previously clean result no longer holds. Re-check regularly, especially after security incidents.
What should I do if my site is clean but I still worry?
A clean listing is reassuring but limited. Keep software patched, restrict access, monitor for injected code, and re-run the check periodically, since Safe Browsing status can change the moment a new threat is detected.
How current is the Safe Browsing result?
The result reflects threat-list status at the time you run the check. Listings are added and removed as threats appear and are resolved, so treat each result as a point-in-time reading rather than permanent.