In short. Hostinger's Under Attack mode challenges every visitor, so search engine crawlers receive errors while they cannot execute the browser verification.
Definition: Yes. As of 15 September 2026, Hostinger documents Under Attack mode as a CDN security level that presents a browser verification page to every visitor. Hostinger also states that search engine crawlers do not execute that verification and receive errors while the mode is active.
Key facts
- Hostinger describes Under Attack mode as an advanced security level that enables a browser challenge page for website visitors in its mode documentation.
- The crawler documentation says the mode challenges every visitor, including crawlers, and that crawlers receive errors while it is active.
- Hostinger says the mode temporarily blocks search engine bots and may leave a site unindexed during the period it is enabled, according to its Under Attack mode guide.
- Under normal CDN settings, Hostinger says verified Googlebot and Bingbot requests are identified separately and are not shown the browser verification page in its browser verification guide.
- Hostinger's crawler guide says a successful live URL test confirms that a crawler reaches the website through Hostinger CDN.
What does Under Attack mode do?
Hostinger calls Under Attack mode an advanced security level in its Content Delivery Network guide. While it is enabled, anyone attempting to access the website receives a page with the message “Checking your browser before accessing. Just a moment…” The mode is intended to help fight distributed denial of service attacks.
The documented control is in the CDN security settings:
Hostinger dashboard → Websites → Dashboard → Performance → CDN
Manage → Security → I’m under attack
The mode guide says that Under Attack mode is unavailable on Agency Hosting plans. It also recommends disabling the mode as soon as the threat is resolved.
Why does the mode affect crawlers?
Hostinger's crawler documentation says the mode makes Hostinger CDN challenge every visitor with a browser verification page. Search engine crawlers do not execute the verification, so the page returns errors to them while the mode remains active. Hostinger describes this as one of four common causes of crawler errors through the CDN, alongside country blocking, explicit bot blocking and crawl rate limits.
The same documentation describes a separate normal path for verified crawlers. Hostinger says it checks official IP address lists published by search engines and performs reverse DNS checks. Verified crawlers such as Googlebot and Bingbot are not shown the browser verification page under normal settings. Under Attack mode therefore changes the access condition for crawler requests during the attack response.
What should a site owner check after the attack?
Hostinger recommends changing the Security tab to Medium or Low once the attack has stopped. Its browser verification guide also says to select Under Attack mode only during an active attack. The mode guide connects prompt deactivation with continued indexing.
After changing the setting, test the affected URL in Google Search Console with URL Inspection and Test live URL. Hostinger's crawler guide also lists Bing Webmaster Tools URL Inspection as a live test. A successful live test confirms that the crawler reaches the site through Hostinger CDN.
If a crawler still receives an error, the crawler guide identifies two response details for diagnosis. Explicitly blocked bots receive a 403 response, while bursts of requests to uncached pages such as large XML sitemaps can reach a rate limit and return 429. When checking whether a 429 came through Hostinger CDN, inspect the response headers for:
x-hcdn-request-id
Hostinger says persistent cases should go to support after Under Attack mode is disabled, blocking rules are reviewed and the live URL test continues to fail.
Related terms
FAQ
Does enabling Hostinger CDN alone challenge Googlebot?
Hostinger's browser verification guide says verified crawlers such as Googlebot and Bingbot are identified separately and bypass the browser verification page under normal settings. The documented all-visitor challenge is associated with Under Attack mode.
What happens while Under Attack mode stays enabled?
Hostinger's Under Attack mode guide says anyone who attempts to access the website receives the browser-check page. Its crawler guide says search engine crawlers do not execute that check and receive errors while the mode is active.
How can you confirm that crawler access has returned?
Run a live URL test in Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools after changing the CDN setting. Hostinger's crawler guide says a successful live test confirms that the crawler reaches the website through its CDN.
Sources
- Hostinger, "Hostinger CDN: Search engine crawlers and SEO", updated 15 September 2026
- Hostinger, "Hostinger CDN: The Under Attack mode", updated 15 September 2026
- Hostinger, "Hostinger CDN: The browser verification page", updated 15 September 2026
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