Site security and violations

Yandex applies restrictions when its algorithms judge that a site breaks the search rules or uses fraudulent promotion. This is categorically different from ranking poorly: restrictions are imposed, they can cover the entire site, and search results may show a warning to users about the site.

Scope: whole site or one section

A restriction can apply to the whole domain — and when the violation is on the parent domain, every subdomain is covered too — or to specific sections only, such as pages on one topic. The distinction matters when planning recovery: a section-level restriction means the rest of the site continues to rank normally while you fix the affected part.

Where to look

Website optimisation → Security and violations lists everything detected, with a description and remediation guidance. An empty page means no restrictions exist — there is no hidden state to worry about. The same finding also surfaces in the Site diagnostics errors list, and as a notification if that topic is enabled.

The nine violation types

• SEO texts — text written for the robot rather than the reader.
• Unexpected redirects — the user ends up somewhere they did not choose to go.
• Mimicry — copying the appearance of a known resource, or posing as an official one that does not exist.
• Cloaking — showing different content to users and to robots.
• Unwanted software — dangerous or unwanted programs, or links to them.
• Social engineering and deception — false information used to obtain money or personal data.
• Fraudulent activity — inaccurate or distorted claims about a product, service or terms.
• Useless content — content with no value that does not address the user’s need.
• Imitation of user actions — artificially inflating traffic or behavioural signals, including buying that service from someone else.

Getting a restriction lifted

1. Fix the violation on the site or the affected sections.
2. Write a detailed description of what was changed in the text box provided, attaching evidence if useful. This is read; a one-line “fixed it” is a wasted submission.
3. Mark the violation as fixed and submit for review.

Status then moves through Submitted for review, Under review — which can take up to 30 days — and ends at either Restriction lifted veya Restriction not lifted. A failed review costs another 30 days before you can resubmit, with the button disabled in the meantime.

Why partial fixes are expensive

Because of the two 30-day windows, an incomplete fix does not merely delay recovery, it roughly doubles it. The cheap decision — submit now, deal with the rest later — is the one that costs a quarter.