Typo Squatters register domains that are one or two letters off from popular sites. A slip of the finger brings an unsuspecting user to sites that host advertising links, popups and pop-unders. Squatter domains also misdirect users to unintended URLs or serve as a base of operations for phising scams by mimicking a legitimate website and prompting the user for personal information.
Strider URL Tracer works by alerting users when they are redirected to a third-party site. Frequently, users are unaware that they are on such a site. As a result, they blame the company that they were trying to reach for sending them porn popups. Or, as is often the case, companies waste advertising dollars because they lose visitors who were trying to reach them.
The program serves as a tool for companies looking to combat trademark infringement and fraud online.
In addition to protecting companies and private users alike, the program allows parents to block domains that redirect their children to porn.
The software detects suspect URLs by checking with a database of typo domains from Strider Typo-Patrol. That network is operated by Microsoft’s Cybersecurity and Systems Management group. URLs are added to the database by the network, which anticipates common typos and scans the Internet to locate active typo-domains.
The program is free to download from Microsoft’s site. It requires Windows XP and Explorer 6 to work.