How does visiting an 'adult' website harm security and privacy?

This is why you need to be careful when accessing free "adult" websites and scams that need attention.

Website 18+ and security risks

1. 1. Free "adult" website and user tracking
2. 2. Accidentally sharing 'adult' documents
3. 3. Leaks and breaches of data
4. 4. Fraud and fraud on the "adult" website
5. 5. Some "adult" websites distribute malware
6. 6. Be careful of privacy risks on the 'adult' website that uses webcams
7. 7. Email ransom scam
8. 8. Beware of illegal 'adult' material
9. 9. Risk of piracy

1. Free "adult" website and user tracking

How does visiting an 'adult' website harm security and privacy? Picture 1

The free "adult" websites in theory sound great. You get the material you're looking for, free of charge, but only facing a few ads. Aside from the problem with ads, you may not know that you are also being tracked online.

Thanks to cookies, ad networks can track where you go across the web. The actions you take and which links you care most about are also recorded. Using this data, they can build your profile.

These profiles are often related to marketing. They will display advertisements that you find relevant to your interests. But these profiles can be used to compile your browsing history. In the case of "adult" websites, this may be uncomfortable for you.

So what can you do?

One option is to prevent online tracking using private browsing, a more reliable solution than clearing browser cookies. You can also use an anti-tracking extension - especially useful if you visit an "adult" website while logged into your favorite social network.

For complete anonymity online, however, use a VPN. See the instructions of TipsMake.com the best VPN to a VPN fit your pocketbook.

2. Accidentally sharing 'adult' documents

Thanks to your mobile device, you can watch your favorite movies and other "adult" content wherever you are.

This carries a host of risks of its own. The share option means an act of unintentionally streaming a video to a TV where your friends or family are happily enjoying a quiz show. Or you might accidentally share a link to your new favorite "adult" movie on Facebook, Twitter, or even LinkedIn.

Recommended precautions to take before you interact with any "adult" content. Make sure to close all other applications before viewing, signing out of social networks. To avoid accidentally streaming to another Chromecast or streaming box, access content over a VPN installed on your device.

3. Leaks and breaches of data

How does visiting an 'adult' website harm security and privacy? Picture 2

Going to a bad "adult" website even once can get you blackmail. Whether it's a real 18+ website or a casual online dating site, your browsing history can be used against you.

Just ask all the users who have trusted Ashley Madison. When the site was hacked and leaked a public database, millions of cases of adultery came to light. Not only that, the information revealed also includes things like sexual preferences and geographic data. As a result, some people have faced such humiliation that they decide to commit suicide. Others have had to deal with extortion and some have even been threatened with their lives.

Things were getting worse and worse. In early 2015, AdultFriendFinder's database was compromised, and nearly 4 million subscribers were leaked. Every victim is vulnerable to digital identity theft.

4. Fraud and fraud on the "adult" website

Phishing is another common sight involving "adult" websites. Those willing to pay for 18+ content are especially susceptible to the tricks waiting behind each link.

When most buyers of 18+ content search for specific, niche categories, they sometimes find them so rare that they are worth paying for.

This also means that there are many scammers willing to take advantage of these insatiable desires. Once you are attracted to free or low-cost trials, these scam subscriptions will automatically renew at an exorbitant price.

But ransomware is even more terrifying. While browsing the "adult" website, you may become infected with malware that locks your computer and threatens you. Malware can threaten to disclose your Internet history online, falsely report child pornography related to you to the FBI, etc.

As with all ransomware, you are required to pay a ransom of several hundred dollars.

5. Some "adult" websites distribute malware

How does visiting an 'adult' website harm security and privacy? Picture 3

The post mentioned ransomware, but malware is one of the more serious problems you may encounter when browsing "adult" websites. There is also a risk when you visit any website that has illegal activity, such as piracy. Piracy of TV shows like Game of Thrones can also bring you malware.

There's something else: Malicious advertising. Malicious advertising is the real problem. Malware is distributed more commonly through ad networks.

6. Be careful of privacy risks on the 'adult' website that uses webcams

'Adult' sites that use webcams have gained in popularity over the past few years. Although most of them work well, there is a lot of spam related to them.

Messages can come from bots (automatic messaging accounts) on Skype, WhatsApp, Twitter and other messaging services. Email and pop-ups on standard adult gallery websites are also a problem.

There are various risks associated with this situation.

1. You can afford to pay more than you want
2. You don't know if the call was recorded or not
3. Others may be watching

The recording problem needs special attention as it can be used to blackmail you.

The solution is to stay away from adult sites that use webcams and reject offers from strangers on the Internet.

7. Email ransom scam

How does visiting an 'adult' website harm security and privacy? Picture 4

While not a direct threat, your recent online activity may convince you to think this scam is real.

This is an email scam in which fraudsters claim footage of you "enjoying" adult content. The email even had the headline "You should be ashamed of yourself!" or "You're not smart!". They threaten to share footage with people on your contact list if you don't pay the ransom. Naturally, the ransom is Bitcoin, an untraceable cryptocurrency.

Of course, this is a scam. Almost certainly no one is spying on you - such phishing emails have been sent to people who don't view adult documents. Furthermore, threats with a time extension (eg "I give you exactly 24 hours .") can be ignored, if there are no read records so that scammers know when the message is is open.

It's easy to be fooled if you are looking at 'adult' websites. But pay a little attention and you will realize that it is a very clever scam.

8. Beware of illegal 'adult' material

Visitors to 'adult' websites can run into legal trouble if they're not careful. Child pornography is rampant and the problem is getting worse. But even if you are someone with absolutely no intention of participating, child pornography can affect you.

Back in 2010, criminals stored child pornography on innocent children's computers using viruses. If you get infected with a virus, your computer will have child pornography without you even realizing it.

If you got this type of malware from an adult website, you could end up in jail for many years.

9. Risk of piracy

Not all adult websites involve free video streaming, photos or even becoming a premium membership. Some adult websites offer purely for peer-to-peer file sharing.

People who obtain 'adult' content through file-sharing websites can be sued for piracy. This is also a potential problem if you access 'adult' content using a torrent streaming method like Popcorn Time.

With thousands of new adult movies released each year, this is clearly a huge boon. Copyright infringement is highly sought after, leading to illegal file-sharing sites dedicated to adult movies.

Jessica Tanner

Update 27 August 2020