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This is a question we get asked a lot and one which is floating all over the internet too, especially on discussion forums where people can stay anonymous if they want: Is Pornhub safe? Is it a safe site to enter? We decided to address it here since we’d rather let people get their facts straight on cybersecurity directly from the industry instead of scraping for half-truths around the web.

So, is Pornhub safe to browse? What should you do and not do when browsing Pornhub? What are the cybersecurity risks associated with browsing Pornhub? Can you get viruses into your computer? How about malware? What about other adult websites, how safe are those?

What can you do to protect your computer when accessing Pornhub or other adult content websites? How about your privacy, who can see what sites you are browsing and how can you hide your activity?

We’ll answer all these questions and more, right below. Keep scrolling and learn how to stay safe when browsing Pornub and other adult websites.

Is Pornhub safe to browse for your cybersecurity?

The short answer is that no, Pornhub is not completely safe to browse, however, whenever, without taking some necessary precautions. That doesn’t mean that Pornhub is a malware or cybercriminal hub bent on causing its users harm on purpose, quite the contrary. However, there can be risks associated with browsing Pornhub which go beyond the website’s control.

Given that its popularity is so high (there were over 33.5 billion visits to Pornhub last year, according to the website’s official data) and that in many cases its visitors are not necessarily tech-savvy, it’s no wonder that Pornhub can attract cybercriminals bent on using this opportunity.

As we said, Pornhub in itself is safe and strives to stay that way, as a huge business employing lots of tech people tasked to keep the website primed. But you can still become a target for cybercriminal groups and hackers while visiting Pornhub and other adult-themed websites (especially less popular ones, with less developed security policies). This is mostly due to the ads displayed on the porn website, over which the website has little control.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of malware on porn websites is very high. According to security researcher Conrad Longmore, there’s a 53% chance of encountering malware while browsing Pornhub. Of course, security employees from Pornhub and similar websites are doing their best to keep it safe for their users and catch malware as fast as possible. But the truth remains that porn sites are still one of the most popular destinations for hackers and uploaders of malicious code.

What Are the Main Cybersecurity Risks of Pornhub?

What can these cybercriminals targeting the visitors of porn sites be after? What are the main risks you are exposed to while browsing?

#1. Computer viruses (Trojans)

Well, for one, to infect your computer with viruses. While the vast majority of viruses you can contract this way are mostly harmless, they can still slow your system significantly, as well as serve as a gateway for more dangerous stuff. These very common viruses to be found on ads displayed on porn websites can be Trojans, for the most part.

Such viruses don’t pose a huge security risk but they can make your computer slower, as well as create more vulnerabilities into your system, which can then be exploited for more dangerous malware to enter.

#2. Adware

Other viruses you can get from the ads displayed on Pornhub or similar websites are adware. This means that once they take root into your computer, they will cause more ads and spammy content to be displayed to you even if you’re not browsing Pornhub anymore.

This is not just annoying since it can also slow down your system, but it can also be privacy-infringing since the ads can be adult content related. If you share your computer with other family members, you probably don’t want indecent ads popping up when other people are using the device.

#3. Malware or Spyware

Other types of malware that you can contract from clicking ads on Pornhub or similar sites are more dangerous. The cybercriminals behind them can be after your data, and considering the nature of the content you are browsing, this can be very sensitive data related to the type of adult content you are interested in, your online behavior and so on.

Sextortion scams are very common. This is when you get an email from hackers claiming to have installed spyware into your computer and filmed you while you were browsing adult websites, recording also everything you have watched and so on. They will also tell you that unless you send them money, they will send this data to your employer, family, friends and so on.

For the most part, these claims are bogus and the hackers are just fishing for the users gullible or scared enough in order to make some easy money. But in some cases, they may be real. Don’t take that chance and make sure you stay safe, first and foremost by having your device protected by a reliable anti-malware solution.

How Safe Are Other Adult Content Websites?

What about other adult websites, besides Pornhub? Are their security risks the same?

Well, for the most part, we should stress again that Pornhub is still overall safe-ish. It’s the content from third parties (ads) that you need to be wary of. The same risks from ads are also true for every other adult-themed site out there, especially those who allow publishers to stream their own content (the ‘tube’ type of porn websites).

This is because such websites make money from allowing advertisers to run embedded ads from traffic networks. In many cases, this embedded content has malicious code included in it. While the host website (the porn website running these ads) removes all ads containing malicious scripts, it can take a while for these risky ads to get detected.

But in the case of lesser-known websites, with fewer employees and less of a security network in place, the risks may actually be greater than with Ponhub. If another website you’d like to browse is also a huge one, well-known and with millions of users, the risks are probably about the same.

If we’re talking about obscure porn websites, then not only they are more likely to get infected with malware from third parties (advertisers) but they may be a front for cyber-criminality in themselves.

How to Protect Your Privacy when Browsing Pornhub?

The issue of safety has two aspects: protecting yourself from viruses, extortion, hackers, and so on, rounded up under the umbrella term ‘cybersecurity’ and the second issue of protecting your privacy from everyone around you.

Let’s start by addressing privacy first.

You may be tempted to browse Pornhub incognito to make sure no one but you knows about it. While this can be a partial solution (not to store search history, cookies and so on), incognito browsing is not really private.

Major browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla are very upfront about it whenever you open up a new incognito browser window.

browser incognito message

If your main concern is to prevent the people you live with or share a computer with from finding traces of your online activity, then incognito browsing is ok. But your internet service provider or your employer (if you ever get the bright idea of accessing such websites from your workplace’s network) can still find out the list of domains which got accessed from your computer. If people with access to your home network are a bit tech-savvy, they can figure it out too.

Also, as mentioned above, ads are one of the main sources of malicious code on porn websites. While a Chrome extension that works like an ad blocker can keep some of the risk at bay, you should know that ad blockers tend to be automatically disabled once you enter incognito browsing mode. You can manually set exceptions to ensure ad blockers work for incognito browser tabs too, but you need to do a bit of tinkering with it.

What else should you remember about your privacy when browsing Pornhub or other porn websites?

Even while browsing incognito, the website you are browsing will still collect some data about you via cookies. This is entirely normal and, in theory, protects your anonymity (they just store data about user statistics but without personally identifiable information). But if they ever get hacked, or if you install malicious software by clicking on ads while browsing, this data could be at risk of being misused or used to identify you.

The only thing which can completely protect your anonymity while browsing Pornhub and other adult websites is a VPN service. Lots of users opt for one in order to stay more anonymous online.

As for the issue of cybersecurity on adult websites as a whole, beyond privacy, here’s how you can make Pornhub browsing safe.

How to Access Pornhub Safely: 5 Tips

First and foremost, learn more about the dangers of the internet and about strengthening your online safety as a whole. It’s never too late to start educating yourself in cybersecurity for laymen. Just being here and reading this guide to Pornhub safety is a great start.

But beyond being simply aware of online risks, here’s what else you can do to stay safe while browsing Pornhub or other adult websites.

#1. Up your protection with a good anti-malware solution

This should be obvious, but to make sure you stay safe from any malware danger, you need to have active next-generation anti-virus software. A product like our Heimdal Next-Gen Antivirus Home is trained to prevent the latest type of intelligent threats and protect your privacy as well.

#2. Go for a traffic filter-based security product (it’s a must!)

Next, and definitely, more importantly, traffic filtering is the advanced type of protection you most definitely need. This is especially true if you sometimes browse potentially risky websites like adult-themed ones.

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In today’s cybersecurity age, when the methods of hackers are getting more and more sophisticated, traditional anti-virus is not enough anymore. An anti-virus, no matter how good it is, reacts to known threats once they already reach your system. If you’re dealing with an APT (advanced persistent threat) this may be too late.

But a traffic filtering solution, like our Heimdal Threat Prevention Home, is based on AI and can intelligently detect threats before they reach your system. Such protective software actively scans incoming traffic and blocks malicious code before it gets a chance to target you. This way, even if you accidentally click on a malicious ad while browsing Pornhub, you’re still safe.

#3. Don’t click on ads while browsing Pornhub

Speaking of ads on Pornhub or other adult websites, don’t click them. While some may be harmless, this is where the dangers associated with porn websites are usually hidden. If you really wish to support your favorite porn website, you can find other ways to do that (like signing up for a premium subscription, for example).

#4. Don’t download anything from adult websites or related pop-ups

If the ads displayed on Pornhub and porn websites, in general, are truly malicious, they will probably try to convince you to download something. They will promise you some more HD content completely free of charge or something similar, on condition that you install some no-name video player, etc. Don’t fall for this trap!

The software such ads are asking you to install is most likely spyware or malware. Don’t install anything and close all browser windows immediately if you are prompted to start a download.

#.5 Don’t buy anything (or enter credit card info) from 3rd parties

Under no circumstances should you enter your credit card info while browsing less-known, shady porn websites. You can buy a subscription from the major adult website you are browsing (like Pornhub and similar sites) if you want, this is safe.

But if you start browsing the independent websites of publishers or other websites you reached starting from your initial browsing, be mindful not to enter any sensitive information like credit card data. You may be tempted by a special access offer (either for a major discount or completely free, but only if you create a member account, which also asks for credit card info). Don’t fall for it!

Comments

Why don’t they have their own antivirus software that screens all the movies that can be peesent in there? If they’re not doing this then they’re a threat to the public and they should all be shut down.

What about Roku TV….and PornHub viruses….?

well on a old tablet i had i went on pornhub and didnt click any ads but 20 secs in to a video it got adware

So PornHub is safe w/o the ads, and w the ads it’s unsafe. Basically what I’m asking is as long as you do not click on the ads it’s safe!

yes i believe that is what they mean.

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