Today the internet is loaded with fake and scam sites, so ensuring website safety checks are very important to staying safe online. Before visiting a new website — and entering your sensitive personal/ official info — check with yourself: How safe Is this website?
It’s often good to be cautious.
Does something look suspicious on that video streaming site? or do you need to shop online & want to check that the ecommerce store you are visiting is legit before entering your personal and bank details? Whatever you do online, website verification is a must.
When making sure that the sites you visit are safe seems important, you should also always be sure that a site is legitimate before entering a username, password or any other personal information. Paying close attention to the site’s URL in your browser’s location field, for example, can help you be certain that you’re on a legitimate site rather than a look-alike impostor.
In many cases there are many look-alike sites that many consumers fall victim to, hence its of at most important that the following points are checked when the next time you visit any website (yes, literally any website).
- Look at the uniform resource locator (URL) of the website. A secure URL should begin with “https” rather than “http.” The “s” in “https” stands for secure, which indicates that the site is using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate. This lets you know that all your communication and data is encrypted as it passes from your browser to the website’s server.
- Look for a lock icon near your browser’s location field. The lock symbol and related URL containing “https” simply mean that the connection between your web browser and the website server is encrypted, which is important. It prevents others from eavesdropping or intercepting your communication between your browser and the website’s server. But don’t be fooled into thinking the website you’re going to is secure—it may not be.
- Double-check the domain. Cautious web surfers should always double-check the URL of the site they want to enter. If you receive an email from a bank or online retailer, search their name in a browser like Google to connect with their verified domain. Oftentimes, a cybercriminal will create a malicious website and URL that mimics another high-traffic website to trick users into logging in or making a purchase. This could grant the attacker access to private credentials and billing information that they can then use for credential stuffing. They could also decide to sell your info on the dark web to make a profit.
- Look for contact information. For some, the presence of a valid contact information could make them feel more comfortable & safer with the website they’re visiting on. Studies in the past have shown that 44% of website visitors will leave a website if there is no clear contact information provided. Though this practice won’t protect you from any dangerous websites, however it shows that there is someone to reach out to if there are any security concerns.
There are times when you’ll be able to instantly tell if you’re on an unsecure website or not. From flashing warnings to suspicious pop-ups, these are a few things that could indicate the presence of malware on a site you’ve come across,
Search Engine Alerts – While using certain search engines, warning/ alert signs may pop up when you try to enter a website which may be viewed as potentially dangerous. Even these warnings sometimes go inaccurate, it’s best to move on to a different website instead.
Spam/ Malware – The websites with flashing warning signs and exclamation marks are evident signs of malware.
Re-directs – The hackers or information hijackers could potential use the embed malware onto sites that will automatically redirect users to other unrelated and other potentially harmful web pages. When you come across this kind of a scenario, close all unwanted web pages immediately.
Pop-Ups – When you visit a website and click on a it that brings up tons of pop-ups, exit the browser itself immediately. This is a good indicator that the site could be highly infected with malvertising or adware.
Finally, its better to be safe than sorry! so, act cautiously and ensure better practices for your safe web browsing.
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