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Google Ads suspends a macOS terminal multiplexer developer for malicious software despite clean security checks
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Illustration only Photo by Uladzislau Petrushkevich on Unsplash
Google suspended a developer's Google Ads account for "Malicious software" and "Compromised Site" after they spent $500 to advertise a native macOS terminal multiplexer, despite independent security checks finding no issues.
Automated ad platform security reviews can flag legitimate system utilities like terminal multiplexers as malicious due to their subprocess-management behavior. Developers selling native system tools face unexplained account suspensions and repeated appeal rejections without specific feedback. This leaves legitimate software vendors without clear recourse when automated systems misclassify their products.
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Google Ads suspended an account advertising a native macOS terminal multiplexer written in Rust, citing malicious software and a compromised site.
The developer verified the application and website through Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal, and Google Search Console, finding no security issues.
Repeated appeals were rejected without explanation, leading the developer to suspect a false positive related to the app's subprocess-management behavior.
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