The inbox of our email is usually full of advertising messages. If we want to stop receiving them, we only have to click on “Unsubscribe”, and we will not receive them again. So far so good. However, DNSFilter’s chief technology officer, TK Keanini, told The Wall Street Journal that this simple gesture can have serious consequences. The latest scams are coming through this system, in which we believe we are unsubscribing when we are really accessing our data filtering. DNS Filter advises through its profile on X (formerly Twitter), to be careful with these links and always go to the official website to unsubscribe from subscriptions.
DNSFilter
DNSFilter is a company dedicated to web security and DNS filtering by AI. This company makes use of artificial intelligence to identify and block suspicious websites through machine learning. It is a service in great demand by companies, which not only see their data protected, but can also control which websites their employees have access to or not. It presents a series of advantages that are directly beneficial for companies, such as:
- Control of web content. Allowing or denying access to certain websites by employees.
- Protection against malware and phishing.
- Protection for different environments. It is available regardless of the size of the company.
- AI-driven DNS filtering. Threats are detected and blocked in real time thanks to AI.
- Web dashboard.
- Detailed reporting. Provides reports on which websites have been visited and which attacks have been blocked.
Threats in our inbox
How many times have you unsubscribed from an advertising service by clicking on the “Unsubscribe” option in one of the emails you received? Most of us have done it. When opening a profile on a website, buying in an e-commerce, subscribing to a Newsletter, or any other scenario in which we have provided our email address, we have accepted to receive advertising through this way. Without realizing it, our inbox is full of advertising messages that do not interest us and that we want to stop receiving. Well, it seems that what until now worked without any problem or risk, has become a new method of scam on the web.
Clicking the “Unsubscribe” button
According to statements made by DNSFilter through its social network X (formerly called Twitter), 1 out of 644 links containing the word “unsubscribe” is the gateway to a malicious website. This new method consists of masquerading as a routine action, when in reality we are exposing our personal data or even accepting viruses to enter our devices. DNSFilter explains that we believe that all emails that arrive in our inbox are safe, but when we click on the attached links, we are leaving that protected environment, so we have to be careful. TK Keanini, the chief technology officer of DNSFilter, stated in The Wall Street Journal “The open web is not as secure as the inbox”.
Think before you click. 🧠✋
“Unsubscribe” links might seem harmless, but they could lead you somewhere dangerous. As our CTO @tkeanini told The Wall Street Journal, DNSFilter has found that one in every 644 clicks on links when ‘unsubscribe’ is in the URL leads users to…
— DNSFilter (@DNSFilter) June 24, 2025
How can I protect my data?
The first tip is not to trust all “Unsubscribe” links. DNSFilter recommends that we make sure that the email we are receiving is reliable and official, otherwise, it could pose a threat. In addition, it advises that it is best to manage the subscriptions that we have active from the official portals of the brand, so we will eliminate this risk factor. On the other hand, we can also activate security systems that filter the DNS. This will block access to malicious websites. If you consider that there is something suspicious in the mail, eliminate it and manage your subscriptions from the official web portals.