Research Warns: Most Traffic to Parked Domains Is Being Redirected to Dangerous Websites

New research from cybersecurity firm Infoblox paints a troubling picture of the modern domain-parking ecosystem, revealing that the overwhelming majority of traffic landing on parked domains is now being redirected to scam, malware, or otherwise harmful websites.

Parked domains — web addresses registered but not actively developed — have long been considered relatively benign placeholders. Historically, visitors would see simple ad-filled landing pages designed to monetize accidental traffic. But the new findings suggest that this model has largely collapsed, replaced by a far riskier system that quietly funnels users toward unsafe destinations without their knowledge.

The Rise of “Zero-Click” Domain Parking

At the center of the issue is the rapid expansion of zero-click domain parking, a monetization approach where visitors are automatically redirected to third-party sites the moment they land on a parked domain.

Infoblox’s research indicates that:

Over 90% of parked-domain traffic is now redirected rather than shown a parking page.
The final destinations frequently include scam sites, fake security alerts, phishing pages, and malware distributors.
Redirect chains often pass through multiple intermediaries, making it difficult to identify who ultimately controls the destination content.

This represents a significant departure from earlier domain-parking practices, where users could see — and choose whether to click — an advertisement. In today’s zero-click model, that choice is removed entirely.

Why Parked Domains Have Become High-Risk

Several industry shifts have contributed to this transformation:

The decline of traditional parking ads: Changes in online advertising — including Google’s decision to opt advertisers out of AdSense for Domains — have reduced the profitability of classic pay-per-click parking pages.
Traffic reselling ecosystems: Domain traffic is increasingly sold and resold across opaque ad networks, where malicious actors can insert harmful redirects downstream.
Minimal oversight: Many domain owners are unaware of where their parked traffic ultimately ends up, relying on third-party services with limited transparency.

Infoblox researchers demonstrated how a single typo-based domain could route visitors through several redirect layers before landing on a malicious site — with the destination sometimes varying depending on the user’s device, network, or geographic location.

Who Is at Risk

The implications extend well beyond domain investors.

Domain Owners & Investors
Even owners with no malicious intent may be unknowingly exposing visitors to unsafe content, risking reputational damage and potential legal scrutiny.

Brands & Defensive Registrants
Companies often register unused domains to protect trademarks or capture typos. If those parked domains redirect to scams or malware, the defensive strategy can backfire — inadvertently associating a brand with fraud or cybercrime.

Everyday Internet Users
Users who mistype a URL or follow an outdated link may be silently redirected to dangerous sites with little warning, increasing exposure to phishing attempts and malicious downloads.

Why This Is a Growing Security Concern

Cybersecurity experts have long warned that unused or lightly managed internet assets tend to become abuse vectors. What makes parked domains especially concerning is their legitimacy: users often trust them simply because the domain name itself looks familiar or authoritative.

Infoblox’s findings suggest that parked domains are no longer passive assets. Instead, many have become active conduits for cybercrime, quietly routing traffic into malicious ecosystems optimized for deception and exploitation.

What Domain Owners Should Do Now

Security experts recommend that domain holders take immediate steps to mitigate risk:

Audit parking and monetization providers to understand exactly how traffic is handled
Monitor redirect destinations regularly, not just revenue metrics
Avoid zero-click parking programs that lack transparency
Consider safe redirects or basic landing pages instead of third-party traffic reselling
Use HTTPS and security monitoring tools to reduce abuse potential

Failing to act may leave domain owners unintentionally complicit in harmful activity — even if the abuse occurs several steps removed from their direct control.

A Warning Sign for the Domain Industry

The Infoblox research serves as a wake-up call for the domain industry as a whole. As monetization models evolve, the line between passive domain management and active risk exposure is blurring.

What was once considered harmless residual traffic is now being weaponized — and without greater transparency and accountability, parked domains may continue to function as hidden on-ramps to the internet’s most dangerous corners.