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Google Flags Entire Internet as Malware

Oops.

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 31, 2009 12:25 PM CST

(Newser) – Anyone searching on Google for a short stretch early this morning got a rude awakening. Every result on the search giant turned up the warning, "This site may harm your computer,” ZDNet reports, and firewalls on personal PCs blocked them accordingly. Google blames the glitch—from 6:30am PST to 7:25—on human error; a stray “/” in its list of malware sites caused every possible URL to be flagged. All is back to normal now.

Google workers staff a booth in San Francisco, Sept. 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt arrives in the East Room of the White House, Jan. 28, 2009, to listen to President Barack Obama speak about the economy. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Google logos are shown inside Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Oct. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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Google Flags Entire Internet as Malware

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Google • Internet • Firefox • search engine • malware • computer glitch

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Google Wants You! - to Help Stop Malicious Web Sites

Internet surfers can report sites online

Google Warning Virus Victims

Search-hijacking malware hits 2M computers

All Googlers Get 10% Raise

Move likely to cost firm more than $1B

China to Google: Stop Sending Users to Hong Kong

Google will give users a choice in hopes to appease Beijing

Microsoft Behind Court War on Us: Google

Google antitrust complaints linked to rival

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Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

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