There are roughly 1,500,000,000 (1.5 billion) websites worldwide. Among this collection are some harmful sites that pose a serious threat to visitors’ privacy. Such websites are called “dangerous websites,” and if you value your online privacy, you should avoid them.
What are malicious websites, and how hazardous are they?
Websites classified as malicious contain malware. Malware is an acronym for malicious software; it refers to any program that is capable of causing damage to your computer or network. When you visit a malicious website that includes malware, the website makes an effort to install it on your computer or other device.
If a fraudulent website successfully installs malware on your device, the software may harm your data, steal your personal information, and possibly destroy your machine entirely. Typically, malware is produced by hackers, blackmailers, and other cybercriminals.
A single visit to a rogue website is enough to infect your system with malware and begin gathering data from your device. The spyware transmits every piece of data it collects to its developer. As a result, this is what makes a rogue website hazardous, and you should take every precaution to avoid them.
Often, harmful websites are created to seem identical to legitimate ones. At times, you may be required to execute an action – such as a click – on the website to unintentionally download malware to your device. On other occasions, you may get infected as a result of a visit to such sites. In such circumstances, going the additional mile to ensure you are not visiting a malicious website is the most effective protective precaution.
Which websites are particularly dangerous?
You cannot correctly determine if a website is hazardous or not without visiting it. Additionally, there is no such thing as a “list of harmful websites” due to the fact that there are over 18 million of them.
Nonetheless, the following categories of websites are likely to be dangerous:
Websites with dubious URLs
The URL of a website might indicate whether it is real or not. The most frequently used domain extensions are .com, .co.uk, .net, and .org. It is prudent to use caution when encountering websites with unusual domain extensions. Oftentimes, malicious websites masquerading as legitimate websites use the same domain name but use a different domain extension.
Apart from the domain extension, the URL should be verified for length. URLs that are unusually lengthy may direct you to a malicious website. There is also a danger if the URL is really short. Hackers may use URL shorteners to make their URLs look legitimate. As a result, before accepting autofill recommendations, double-check that you’re on the correct URL.
Websites dedicated to torrents
Not every torrent website is legitimate. Certain governments prohibit torrent websites because the majority of their content is pirated; this reveals a great deal about the dangers associated with browsing such sites.
While you are unlikely to lose your private information while visiting a torrent site, the danger is significant when downloading files. You may unintentionally download a malware-infected file if you are not attentive.
Advertisement-heavy websites
When you enter a website and immediately see a barrage of useless advertisements, it’s an indication that you should quit the site immediately. Websites with a high volume of advertisements are harmful because some hackers utilize malvertising, a technique for spreading malware through online advertisements. Frequently, you will be asked to click on such advertisements in order to acquire access to what you want. By doing so, you let these hackers access your network, making it no longer private.
Websites that provide bogus shopping
It is critical to avoid fraudulent shopping websites, since the majority of them are dangerous. Even if they are not malevolent, when you submit your payment information to buy products, you may give away your private information. If this occurs, you risk losing your cash since your financial information, such as your credit card number and pin, has already been hacked.
There are several prominent and known online shopping sites that you may utilize; however, you should avoid unfamiliar online shopping malls.
How can you safeguard yourself against these potentially harmful websites?
Protecting your computer and personal information from these potentially dangerous websites on the internet may be rather difficult.
You may simplify the process by acquiring reputable internet privacy protection. NordVPN is the appropriate VPN service to provide you with this level of online privacy security.
NordVPN protects your online privacy and data protection even if you accidentally visit harmful websites. It secures your data from illegal access with military-grade encryption and also safeguards your online presence by making you look anonymous online.
NordVPN advantages
What characteristics distinguish NordVPN as an appropriate VPN service for online privacy protection? Consider the following:
- IP Address masking: You may mask your IP address with NordVPN. When you browse the web, your true IP address is not exposed, and so your browsing history is kept private. If you visit a fraudulent website, no private information will be stolen.
- Top-notch encryption: NordVPN uses military-grade AES-256 bit encryption technology and OpenVPN protocols to provide a safe connection while you’re online.
- Kill switch: A kill switch enables you to end all internet activity with a single click. If you get the chance to visit a malicious website, just click the kill switch and all connections to that website will be immediately canceled.
- Zero traffic logs: NordVPN maintains no logs, which means they do not collect or retain any information about your internet activity. The VPN provider will not have access to your private information and will not be able to disclose it to authorities if necessary.
Conclusion
There are a large number of harmful websites on the internet, many more than what is now recognized. To safeguard your online privacy from harmful websites, you should subscribe to and utilize the NordVPN service.