Understanding parked domains and their uses

What is a parked domain?

A parked domain is a domain name that someone purchases and registers but doesn’t use for a website or other online service. Instead of developing the domain, the owner “parks” it for future use. A parked domain typically displays a placeholder page that may contain ads or generic messages like “coming soon” or “This site is for sale.” But why would anyone keep their domain parked?

Why have a parked domain?

At first sight, parked domains may seem useless. However, their owners have several reasons to keep them undeveloped, including financial benefits, brand protection, and future development:

1. Passive income. By partnering with advertising networks, the domain’s landing page can display pay-per-click ads, and the owner receives revenue when users click on those ads. Parked domains typically display ads relevant to common search queries or the domain name itself.
2. Speculative investment. People purchase domains they believe might increase in value over time. They park these domains and later sell them at a profit. They may also park domains they plan to develop in the future.
3. Domain squatting. Domain investors often buy domains with popular keywords, typos, or those similar to brand names and trademarks in the hopes of reselling them for profit. This practice is often referred to as cybersquatting, especially when it involves exploiting trademarks or brand names to hold the domain “ransom” and profit from the rightful owners who need to acquire the domain.
4. Brand protection. Large businesses and organizations often register multiple domain variations (including common typos or regional domains) to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. For instance, a company might register both “example.com” and “example.net” to prevent others from misusing its brand.
5. Redirects. Owners sometimes park their domains to direct visitors from one domain to another. For example, if a company owns multiple domain names that are variations of their primary domain (e.g., “companyname.net” and “companyname.org”), they might park these domains and set them up to automatically redirect users to their main website, “companyname.com.”
6. Future use. Sometimes, individuals or companies register domain names they plan to use in the future. Instead of launching a full website immediately, they park the domain, displaying a “coming soon” or “under construction” message. This helps secure the name while development or planning is underway.

How cybercriminals exploit parked domains

Even though parked domains seem benign, cybercriminals find ways to exploit them for their own benefit. Parked domain security risks include typosquatting, malvertising, and command-and-control attacks, among others.

Typosquatting for phishing

Scammers often use typosquatting to take advantage of parked domains. They register domains with slight misspellings of popular website names, like “goggle.com” instead of “google.com.” When users mistype a URL, they end up on the typosquatted domain, which is frequently parked.

For example, in 2007, the parked domain “goggle.com” caused significant damage by serving malware. Cybercriminals exploited this site to distribute trojan downloader malware, affecting many users who mistyped the popular website “google.com” and landed on this malicious site instead.

These parked domains may display ads, but more dangerously, they can host phishing pages designed to deceive users into entering login credentials, credit card numbers, or other sensitive data.

Malvertising

In malvertising (malicious advertising), attackers insert malicious code into the ads served by ad networks on parked domains. These domains often display enticing ads like “Watch Films Online Free Streaming” or “Stream Films Online.” Clicking on one of these ads can redirect you to exploit kits that may install ransomware, banking trojans, or other types of malware.

Parked domains often depend on third-party ad networks with weaker security vetting processes, making them an ideal target for malvertising.

Command-and-control (C2) infrastructure

Cybercriminals often repurpose parked domains as part of a botnet’s command-and-control (C2) infrastructure. They hijack these domains to communicate with compromised machines (bots) within a network.

For instance, CoreBot malware uses parked domains to establish its C2 channels. Since these domains appear harmless, they’re perfect for hiding C2 infrastructure without drawing too much attention.

Hidden redirects

While the ads on parked domains may seem to lead to legitimate websites, these domains often conceal deceptive redirects beneath such links. If you click on such a link, you may be unknowingly redirected to a third-party site designed to personal information or distribute malicious content. For example, clicking on a link labeled “Stream Films Online” might take you to a site that appears authentic but actually hosts phishing content or exploits.

Domain repurposing

Although the domain is currently parked and only displays ads, its future use remains uncertain. Cybercriminals could purchase it and transform it into a fully fledged phishing site, especially if it starts attracting traffic. The fact that the domain is idle and up for sale increases the likelihood that someone will repurpose it for malicious acts.

Why are parked domains blocked?

Network administrators, internet service providers (ISPs), cybersecurity software, and sometimes even ad networks block parked domains because of the potential security risks described above. Because parked domains don’t typically provide meaningful content, they can be easily repurposed for these harmful intentions without drawing immediate attention. Blocking them helps protect users from falling victim to hidden threats.

Beyond security concerns, ISPs and network admins frequently park domains to improve the browsing experience. Many of these domains are filled with low-quality content, such as generic ads or spammy links, which are annoying and misleading. Blocking them reduces exposure to unwanted advertising and prevents users from landing on sites that don’t offer any real value. It’s a proactive measure to keep the web cleaner, safer, and more user-friendly.

Example of a parked domain

Let’s explore a typical example of a parked domain.

As you can see in the screenshot, the domain does not host any actual content but instead displays generic ads with links — “Cloud Nvr,” “Watch Films Online Free Streaming,” and “Stream Films Online.”

Links like these are usually auto-generated based on common search keywords or topics that internet users might associate with the domain’s name. The ads in this example seem to be related to cloud services and online streaming, but clicking on them would be dangerous.

Characteristics of a parked domain

You can recognize parked domains by the three factors most of them have in common:

1. Lack of actual content. No meaningful content appears on this website — only generic links and ads, providing no real value to visitors.
2. Ads for monetization. Parked domain owners often generate passive income through pay-per-click ads. Each time a user clicks on one of these links, the owner may earn a small commission.
3. “For sale” notice. Some parked domains, like the example, include a message that the domain is or may be for sale, signaling the owner’s intent to sell the domain.

How NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ defends against parked domain exploits

Since parked domains seem innocent at first glance, you might not think twice before clicking on a link. To help you avoid these slip-ups, we recommend using NordVPN Threat Protection Pro™ tool, which will help you with detecting and avoiding malicious domains. It is equipped with multiple layers of security that address the unique cyber threats posed by parked domains:

• Real-time threat intelligence. NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ uses a continuously updated real-time threat intelligence database that flags and blocks malicious domains, including parked domains that are known to host malware, phishing pages, or malicious ads. This real-time analysis helps block your access to risky domains before they can do damage.
• Phishing and malicious URL blocking. One of the key defenses against parked domains is scam and phishing detection. If you are directed to a parked domain that hosts a phishing page (e.g., through typosquatting or malvertising), Threat Protection Pro™ will automatically block the connection, preventing you from falling victim to scams or malware infections.

This combination of real-time threat intelligence and phishing URL blocking ensures that you are protected from the hidden dangers that lurk on parked domains.