Malware from inactive domains

[bigfootiefan76]

I was browsing around on a society website for my University and encdountered a dead link, I know that the link was not malicious at the time but there's no way of knowing who owns it now, I looked at the DNS server and host, and it seems like a reputable host, the website did not load, I got a 'failed to connect to the server' error, and it seems the DNS was not able to find the server, is there any possibility I can get infected from an inactive link as such, of course it's a small slightly outdated website with low traffic so I just want to make sure.I was browsing around on a society website for my University and encountered a dead link, I know that the link was not malicious at the time but there's no way of knowing who owns it now, I looked at the DNS server and host, and it seems like a reputable host, the website did not load, I got a 'failed to connect to the server' error, and it seems the DNS was not able to find the server, is there any possibility I can get infected from an inactive link as such, of course it's a small slightly outdated website with low traffic so I just want to make sure.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello   

I presume you were using a web browser.  You did not mention which one.  But more to the point, there is not mention of the full link address.

Nevertheless, what you describe is equivalent to a HTTP status code 404  ( not found exception).

No, this type of thing cannot be a harm.  and I would not be using the term "malware".

Jut be careful what you "click" always.  Fast clicks are what cause unforseen trouble if you click on a actual live link that does have harmful content.

The "failed" connection is not harmful.  "Dead" links by virtue of them being not "there" means no connection or communication either could happen.

Just take a few minutes to Delete the cache and history of your web browser.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi.  Since this is not a case of infection, I am moving the thread to the general pc sub-forum.

I would suggest that you pass the bad link URL to the admninstrator of the society or else to the IT admin of the university.

I would also suggest that your pc have Malwarebytes Premium, if it does not already. The Premium has multiple realtime protections.

In addition,

Let me suggest that you get your browsers each, as applicable, to have the Malwarebytes Browser Guard.

See Support article how-to

https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038520374-Install-Malwarebytes-Browser-Guard

Note: If your pc has Windows  EDGE browser, or Opera or Brave or Vivaldi browser, you can install the Chrome version of the Malwarebytes Browser Guard ( on each as appropriate).