(Latest update: March 2024)
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Norton Symantec has revealed the top 100 most dangerous websites on the internet to serve as a warning to consumers and businesses.
Many of the websites on the top 100 dirtiest websites list contain malicious software designed to attack a person’s computer and obtain personal information.
Before we jump into the list, let’s see what risks might unsafe websites pose:
What risks might unsafe websites pose?
There are numerous possible threats you have to be aware of:
Malicious ‘Drive-by-Download’ malware
Drive-by-Download attacks happen when you intentionally (or sometimes unintentionally) download a malware file. This is one of the most common risks, and the repercussions might range from a malfunctioning operating system to the disclosure of personal data. To avoid this type of attack, use reliable and up-to-date browsers and plugins, and exercise caution while downloading files. Never trust unknown sources!
Email scams or attachments that get you to install malware or give up personal info
It might come in the form of an Amazon order confirmation, invitation letter, an offer that may seem too good to be true, or any other communications that can entice you to click a link or download a file The least dangerous aspect of this activity is losing your entire email to a hacker, which may include personal information, passwords, and so on.
Malicious audio/video/document files using flaws in player software to hijack PCs
These threats are often “malformed” files that cause faults in the player software, allowing the attackers to snoop on you, plant more malware, and do other things. Before you trust an unknown source, make sure you only download files from reputable providers or utilise security tools.
Phishing
Phishing is another type of cyber-security assault that aims to steal your sensitive information, most commonly your credit card and other financial information. This frequently takes the form of sending bogus messages that appear to be from reliable sources. It may be you putting your trust in a website and making an online transaction, just to have your account washed the next day.
To reduce your chances of being attacked, use the checklist below.
Website safety checklist: How to understand if a website is dangerous
Here are a few hints that can help you understand if a website is safe and trustable or not.
Before you click on a URL:
1. Check SSL certificate
Simply said, check to see if the URL begins with HTTP or HTTPS. If a website is not SSL certified or HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), do not enter your personal information or conduct any transactions on it. (However, some rogue websites may use HTTPS to pass the validity test.)
2. Check for correct spelling
Make sure you are not browsing yah00.com instead of Yahoo or Twltter.com instead of Twitter. These tricky spelling errors are a common way to gain trust.
3. Use a website safety checker tool
There are multiple tools you can use to check if a website is safe to browse. These tools usually scan for malware or unsafe content. Google Safe Browsing site status is one.
4. Use browser safety tools
Depending on your browser, whether it is Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or any other verified browser, there are plugins, extensions, and anti-virus softwares that you can use for a safer browsing experience.
5. Never click on a link embedded in an email
Always type the URL into your browser, regardless of who sent it to you.
Be more careful if you want to share your data or make a transaction
If you want to make an online purchase or share some personal information with a website, you have to be careful with a few other things:
Search for a privacy policy
The first thing to look for is a privacy statement on the website. Of course, their existence does not ensure a safe encounter, but their absence is a clear indication of fraud.
Find contact information
If it is a legitimate business, there must be a mechanism to contact the owners. Though this information will not prevent you from malicious websites, it will show you that there is someone to contact if you have security issues.
Verify trust badges
It’s easy to put up one of these images and link it to a fake verification address. Be careful with them and make sure to check if they are verified for the business you are working with.
Look for reviews
It is very likely that you are not the company’s first customer. Customers’ voices are raised by trustworthy firms (and even let you verify them). However, this is too easily made up to be true, and you cannot rely on them uncritically.
Dangerous websites list
The computer security software provider released the list to serve as a warning to businesses to ensure they have proper security to protect their systems against viruses.
Norton says the top 100 sites have, on average, about 18,000 threats with about 40 containing more than 20,000 threats; while over 50 of the websites contain hard-core pornography.
Norton Symantec spokesperson Natalie Connor says businesses should take note and ensure their systems are protected.
“I guess the whole point as to why we want to get this across, is that while most businesses are pretty good at this, I think many of them just don’t have the resources. Many small businesses may only operate with a handful of people, so they just don’t have the facilities to have a dedicated, on-site IT department,” she said.
Norton has released a sample list of some of the most dangerous sites:
- Ucoz. com
- 17ebook. co
- sapo .pt
- aladel. net
- bpwhamburgorchardpark. org
- clicnews. com
- Amazonaws .com
- dfwdiesel. net
- divineenterprises. net
- fantasticfilms. ru
- Blogspot .de
- gardensrestaurantandcatering. com
- ginedis. com
- gncr. org
- hdvideoforums. org
- hihanin. com
- kingfamilyphotoalbum. com
- 4shared .com
- likaraoke. com
- mactep. org
- magic4you. nu
- sendspace .com
- marbling.pe. kr
- nacjalneg. info
- pronline. ru
- purplehoodie. com
- qsng. cn
- comcast .net
- seksburada. net
- sportsmansclub. net
- stock888. cn
- fc2 .com
- tathli. com
- teamclouds. com
- texaswhitetailfever. com
- Hotfile .com
- wadefamilytree. org
- xnescat. info
- Mail. Ru
- yt118. com
