NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Entering a web address directly into your browser seems harmless. Actually, that's normal. But new research shows that a simple habit is now one of the riskiest things you can do online. A recent study by cybersecurity company Infoblox revealed an alarming shift.
Majority parked domains are now redirecting visitors to scams, malware or fake security warnings. In many cases this happens instantly. You don't need to press anything. This means that one typo could expose your device.
Subscribe to my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, breaking security alerts, and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
What are parked domains?
Parked domains are unused or expired web addresses. Many of them exist because someone forgot to renew the domain. Others are intentional misspellings on popular sites like Google, Netflix, or YouTube. For years, these domains displayed harmless placeholder pages. They showed ads and links to monetize random traffic. Although annoying, they rarely pose a serious threat. This is no longer the case. Infoblox found that more than 90 percent of visits to parked domains now result in malicious content. This includes malware, fake antivirus offers, phishing pages, and downloading malware.
Kurt Knutsson writes that a single incorrectly entered web address can redirect you from a trusted site to a dangerous parked domain in a matter of seconds. (PeopleImages/Getty Images)
Why Direct Navigation Has Become So Risky
Direct navigation means entering a website address manually instead of using a bookmark or search results. One missing letter can change everything. For example, typing gmail.com incorrectly as gmai.com will not result in an error. Instead, it can deliver your email directly to criminals. Infoblox discovered that some of these misspelled domains are actively using mail servers to intercept messages. Even worse, many of these domains form part of huge portfolios. One group tracked by Infoblox controlled about 3,000 similar domains associated with banks, technology companies and government services.
Malicious parked domains often cause false security alerts or hidden redirects that do not require any clicks. (CyberGuy.com)
How do these domains decide who to attack?
Not everyone sees the same thing when visiting a parked domain. This is intentional. Researchers have found that parked pages often profile visitors in real time. They analyze IP address, device type, location, cookies and browsing behavior. Based on this data, the domain decides what you see next. Visitors using a VPN or non-residential connection often see harmless placeholder pages. Instead, home phone or home computer users are redirected to fraudulent or malicious programs. This filtering helps attackers remain undetected while increasing the number of successful attacks.
Why the number of parked domain scams is on the rise
Several trends are exacerbating this problem. Firstly, traffic from parked domains is often resold many times through affiliate networks. By the time the information reaches the malicious advertiser, it no longer has a direct connection to the original parking company. Second, recent changes in advertising policy may have increased reach. Google now requires advertisers to consent before running ads on parked domains. While this shift is intended to improve security, it may have pushed attackers deeper into partner networks with weaker controls. The result is a murky ecosystem in which accountability is difficult to trace.
Even government domains are under attack
Infoblox also found typos targeting government services. In one case, the researcher accidentally visited ic3.org instead of ic3.gov when attempting to report a crime. The result was a fake page warning that the cloud subscription had expired. This page could just as easily contain malware. This highlights how easy it is to fall into these traps, even when you're doing something important.
The screenshot shows how mistyping the FBI IC3 web address redirects users to an unrelated parked domain. (Infoblox)
How to protect yourself from parked domain traps
You can reduce your risk with a few smart habits:
1) Use bookmarks for important sites
Save banks, email providers and government portals. Do not enter these addresses manually.
2) Double check the URLs before pressing Enter.
Slower when entering web addresses. One extra second can prevent a costly mistake.
3) Install powerful antivirus software.
Powerful antivirus software Protects your device if a malicious page loads by blocking the download of malware, scripts and fake security pop-ups.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your personal information is to install powerful antivirus software on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for 2025's top antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
4) Consider a data removal service
Data brokers often fuel targeting by selling personal data. Deleting your data may reduce the likelihood of personalized fraudulent redirects.
While no service can guarantee complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is indeed a smart choice. They don't come cheap, and neither does your privacy. These services do all the work for you, actively monitoring and systematically removing your personal information from hundreds of websites. This is what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk that scammers will link leaked data to information they can find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top data removal services and get a free scan to see if your personal information has already been published online by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to see if your personal information has already been published online: Cyberguy.com.
5) Be careful with scare tactics.
False alerts about expired subscriptions or infected devices are a serious red flag. Legitimate companies do not use panic screens.
6) Keep your browser and device updated.
Security updates often close the exact loopholes that attackers exploit to exploit malicious redirects.
7) Consider using a VPN for added protection.
While VPNs are not a panacea, they can reduce your exposure to targeted redirects tied to home IP addresses.
For the best VPN software, check out my expert review of the best VPNs for web browsing confidentially on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices V Cyberguy.com.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Kurt's key takeaways
The network has changed quietly, but dangerously. Parked domains are no longer passive placeholders. In many cases, they act as active delivery systems for scams and malware. What's most alarming is how little effort is required to provoke an attack. Enough typos. As threats become more silent and automated, safe web browsing habits become more important than ever.
Have you ever made a mistake when typing a web address and ended up in a suspicious location, or are you now relying entirely on bookmarks? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
Subscribe to my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, breaking security alerts, and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright CyberGuy.com 2025. All rights reserved.
