You click a link, and suddenly you're on a "You've won a prize!" page or a fake virus warning you never asked for. That's a malicious redirect, often delivered through ads — and it's exactly what redirect protection is built to stop.

What malvertising and malicious redirects are

Malvertising is malicious advertising: ads that carry code designed to harm or scam you rather than sell a product. One of their favorite tricks is the forced redirect — the ad hijacks your browser and sends you to:

• Fake "your device is infected" scam pages.
• Phishing sites that imitate a login page to steal your password.
• Pages that push malware downloads or unwanted software.

These redirects can fire from a page you trust, because the ad on it — not the site itself — is the culprit.

Why normal browsing can't always stop them

A redirect happens fast, before you can react, and often abuses legitimate browser features. Blocking the ad and tracker infrastructure that carries these payloads is the most effective defense — stop the malicious request before it ever runs.

How DNDShield's redirect protection works

DNDShield blocks the ad and tracker networks that malvertising rides on, and adds redirect protection to catch hijack attempts that try to bounce you to a different destination than the one you chose. Combined with tracker blocking, it cuts off the most common paths these scams use.

Reference: Redirect protection doc. For the safety/permissions breakdown specifically, see Is DNDShield's redirect blocker safe?

How to stay safe (beyond the blocker)

• Keep your browser updated.
• Don't act on urgent "your device is infected" pop-ups — they're scare tactics.
• Use a blocker that stops trackers, not just banners. (What is online tracking?)

FAQ

Is malvertising really delivered through normal ads? Yes — even reputable sites can unknowingly serve a malicious ad from an ad network. Blocking the ad infrastructure is why an ad blocker doubles as a safety tool. (Is an ad blocker safe?)

Does redirect protection slow things down? No meaningful impact — see Do ad blockers slow your browser?.

Is it on by default? Yes — it's part of DNDShield's protection. You can review it in settings.

Get started: Install DNDShield · Redirect protection doc