Malware is short for malicious software, a program or file that is designed to specifically damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus, worm, or a Trojan horse. Bing disables links to potentially dangerous sites in our search results, and notifies you that the site may download malicious software that can harm your computer.
Phishing (pronounced like fishing) is a way to trick computer users into revealing personal or financial information through an email message, website, or phone call. A common phishing scam starts with an email message that looks like an official notice from a trusted source, such as a bank, credit card company, or reputable online merchant. In the email message, recipients are directed to a fraudulent website where they are asked to provide personal information, such as an account number or password. This information is then usually used for identity theft. Learn more about recognizing phishing email messages, links, or phone calls.
Why was the site flagged as harmful?
A site is flagged as harmful when Bing detects harmful content on one of the pages within the site during our normal indexing process. This includes, but is not limited to, attack code that is capable of downloading malicious software on your machine. Bing recommends that you avoid visiting these pages. For more information on avoiding dangerous downloads, visit the Microsoft Safety & Security Center.
Why just a warning message? Why was the site not removed from the index?
The pages that are flagged as harmful are often legitimate sites that are abused by a malicious third party without the knowledge of the site's owner. Because Bing strives to give you both relevant and safe results, we decided to include the web page as part of the relevant result set, but also alert you with the warning message.
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