Warnings about the dangers of the Internet abound. We’ve all heard the horror stories about hidden ransomware & malware threats; we’ve heard of viruses, worms & Trojans whose sole aim is to infect or break your device or to steal your information, such as your banking credentials.
So, if these threats exist, how do you tell them apart from those that are legitimate…let’s investigate how to check if link is safe.
What makes a Site or link instantly suspect?
If the Site does not serve its Content from a https address, beware! These days, it’s mandatory to install an SSL certificate to ensure the safety of a Site that hasn’t bothered with this step & still serves their Content from http.(Google currently warns you if a Site is secure or not in the browser bar on Chrome.)
Sites to check the safety of links
A very well known name in Online security circles, Kaspersky offers a link checker where you can validate the reputation of any Site. Simply type in the address you’d like to know more about, & Kaspersky will return a list of actionable options, ranging from ‘The link is malicious’ or ‘You risk losing your data by following this link’, through ‘The link is unsafe’ to ‘The link is safe’. So, if you’re unsure of a site, this validation will offer peace of mind.
2. PhishTank
Phishing Sites pose as clones of legitimate ones in order to trick you into parting with sensitive information. PhishTank is a community-driven effort, which lists suspect Sites to their database, so that unsuspecting users can find a reference to malicious pretenders. If you think a Site might be Phishing, type the URL into the form provided on PhishTank’s Website & you’ll receive a report telling you to either avoid or move forward. Users are encouraged to report suspicious sites to PhishTank for further investigation.
In an effort to promote safe browsing, Google has set up a Site where you can check on the safety status of a Website. Google’s Safe Browsing Site Status validator allows you to enter the URL of a Site & receive a report on its safety as regards to phishing, malware & ransomware.
4. URLVoid
URLVoid allows you to check the reputation of a Site through 30+ blacklist engines & detect cyber security threats. It generates a safety status report for any Site.
Norton scans millions of Websites daily to check their safety. Users can submit a URL to receive a safety report on any Site they’re interested in validating.
