diff --git a/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py b/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
index fa5660f8..64e45371 100644
--- a/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
+++ b/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import hashlib
+import os
 import re
 import time
-
 import urllib3
-from inscriptis import get_text
 
+from inscriptis import get_text
 from changedetectionio import content_fetcher, html_tools
 
 urllib3.disable_warnings(urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning)
@@ -24,8 +24,14 @@ class perform_site_check():
         stripped_text_from_html = ""
 
         watch = self.datastore.data['watching'][uuid]
-        # Unset any existing notification error
 
+        # Protect against file:// access
+        if re.search(r'^file', watch['url'], re.IGNORECASE) and not os.getenv('ALLOW_FILE_URI', False):
+            raise Exception(
+                "file:// type access is denied for security reasons."
+            )
+
+        # Unset any existing notification error
         update_obj = {'last_notification_error': False, 'last_error': False}
 
         extra_headers = self.datastore.get_val(uuid, 'headers')
diff --git a/changedetectionio/tests/test_security.py b/changedetectionio/tests/test_security.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b912da04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changedetectionio/tests/test_security.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from flask import url_for
+from . util import set_original_response, set_modified_response, live_server_setup
+import time
+
+def test_setup(live_server):
+    live_server_setup(live_server)
+
+def test_file_access(client, live_server):
+
+    res = client.post(
+        url_for("import_page"),
+        data={"urls": 'https://localhost'},
+        follow_redirects=True
+    )
+
+    assert b"1 Imported" in res.data
+
+    # Attempt to add a body with a GET method
+    res = client.post(
+        url_for("edit_page", uuid="first"),
+        data={
+              "url": 'file:///etc/passwd',
+              "tag": "",
+              "method": "GET",
+              "fetch_backend": "html_requests",
+              "body": ""},
+        follow_redirects=True
+    )
+    time.sleep(3)
+
+    res = client.get(
+        url_for("index", uuid="first"),
+        follow_redirects=True
+    )
+
+    assert b'denied for security reasons' in res.data
diff --git a/changedetectionio/update_worker.py b/changedetectionio/update_worker.py
index 9411f333..601eef45 100644
--- a/changedetectionio/update_worker.py
+++ b/changedetectionio/update_worker.py
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ class update_worker(threading.Thread):
                     now = time.time()
 
                     try:
-
                         changed_detected, update_obj, contents = update_handler.run(uuid)
 
                         # Re #342
@@ -50,8 +49,6 @@ class update_worker(threading.Thread):
                         # We then convert/.decode('utf-8') for the notification etc
                         if not isinstance(contents, (bytes, bytearray)):
                             raise Exception("Error - returned data from the fetch handler SHOULD be bytes")
-
-
                     except PermissionError as e:
                         self.app.logger.error("File permission error updating", uuid, str(e))
                     except content_fetcher.EmptyReply as e: