What typosquatting is
Typosquatting, also called URL hijacking, is the practice of registering domain names that are slight misspellings of popular websites. The idea is to catch people who make a small mistake while typing a web address, such as missing a letter or adding an extra one. Instead of reaching the real site, the visitor lands on a look-alike domain controlled by someone else, who can then use the traffic for profit or harm.
How it works
A typosquatter studies a popular domain and registers variations of it: common misspellings, a missing or doubled letter, a different ending such as .org instead of .com, or characters that look alike. When someone mistypes the real address, their browser takes them to the squatter's site. Because the error is the visitor's own, no hacking of the real site is involved; the squatter simply waits for predictable mistakes.
What squatters do with the traffic
The misdirected traffic is monetized in several ways. Some typosquatted pages are filled with ads or redirect to affiliate links. More dangerous ones impersonate the real site to steal login details, a form of phishing, or trick visitors into downloading malware. Others try to sell the domain back to the brand it imitates at an inflated price, a tactic related to cybersquatting.
Beyond websites
Typosquatting is not limited to web addresses. In software development, attackers publish malicious packages to code repositories under names that are tiny misspellings of popular libraries, hoping a developer will install the wrong one by mistake. These poisoned packages can run harmful code inside projects and company systems, making this form of typosquatting a growing threat to the software supply chain.
How to protect yourself
Individuals can stay safe by typing addresses carefully, using bookmarks for important sites, and checking the address bar before entering any sensitive information. Businesses often defend their brand by registering the most likely misspellings of their own domains themselves, so attackers cannot, and by monitoring for look-alike registrations. Developers should double-check package names and verify they are installing the genuine, widely used library.
The bottom line
Typosquatting profits from simple typing mistakes, registering misspelled domains and package names to catch people and developers who slip. The payoff ranges from ad revenue to outright phishing and malware. Careful typing, bookmarks, brand-protective registrations, and double-checking software package names are the practical defenses. The threat is a reminder that a single mistyped character can lead somewhere you never intended to go.
Related on Skillo
See also: What is phishing? How to spot and avoid it, What is social engineering and how to defend.
Sources
Published date reflects the original event date (2026-10-23). This article is original Skillo editorial written from the sources above; facts were verified in September 2026.
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