Real Site

Access this feature from: Protection ▸ Real Site

Real Site protects against DNS (Domain Name System) hijacking to ensure you get to the actual website you want to visit. This feature is designed to require minimal input from you. To ensure you are protected, all you need to do is keep Real Site turned on.

Note: Real Site is only available in paid versions of Avast Antivirus.

Manage Real Site activity

To ensure your full security, Real Site is enabled by default. We recommended you keep Real Site turned on at all times, unless you need to temporarily disable it for troubleshooting purposes.

To disable Real Site, click the ON slider and select a listed time duration. The slider then switches to OFF. We do not recommend you disable this feature permanently by selecting the Stop indefinitely option.

Learn more about DNS hijacking

DNS hijacking (or DNS redirection) is a type of malicious attack that redirects you from a site you want to visit to one that looks just like it. The most common method of DNS hijacking is to install malware that redirects you from an authentic website URL (web address) to a fake website, which can steal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details. This type of attack is especially dangerous when used with banking and shopping websites. In some cases, DNS hijacking may be recognized only after your sensitive data has been compromised.

Learn more about Real Site

Every time you enter the URL (address) for a website, such as www.example.com, into the address bar of your browser, the URL is translated to the IP address (Internet Protocol address) of the web server where the web page you want to access is stored. Real Site provides an encrypted connection between your web browser and Avast's own DNS server to prevent hijacking. In other words, Real Site ensures that the displayed website is the authentic one.

Exclude websites from Real Site

To exclude a website URL from Real Site:

  1. Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ General ▸ Exceptions.
  2. Click Add Exception.
  3. Type the website URL into the text box, for example dns://*.example.net*.
  4. Click Add Exception.

Note: all Real Site exceptions must begin with dns:// to be recognized.

Troubleshoot issues

Certain network configurations or policies may not allow you to control DNS settings and use Real Site. If your Real Site status says Not available, we recommend the following:

  • Ensure that your network firewall allows UDP port 443, and that UDP port 53 allows DNS with encryption. If your firewall blocks these ports, Real Site tries to connect to them by TCP protocol.
    By default, Avast Firewall is configured to work with Real Site. If you use a third party firewall, contact the relevant vendor or refer to the product’s documentation and support pages.
  • Consult your network administrator or internet service provider (ISP) to ensure your DNS settings are protected.