Is This Website Safe
According to Google, in order to check, is this website Safe, Browsing is a service that Google’s security team built to identify unsafe websites across the web and notify users and webmasters of potential harm. Ideally, a safe website will clearly display an email address, a phone number, a physical address if they have one, return policy if applicable, and social media accounts. These won’t necessarily provide protection, but they indicate that there’s likely someone you can reach out to if you need assistance.
Is the link in that email legitimate? Whether sent by a friend or a stranger, it’s unwise to click links without knowing where they take you.
One of the quickest-growing security issues these days is ransomware, which is often spread by people unwittingly clicking dangerous links in emails, social networks, messengers, and other collaboration tools. Malware and phishing sites are also major risks.
While you should be vigilant about all your online activities, it doesn’t hurt to have a little help. Here are several tools to check if a link is safe.
What a Link Checker Should Do
There are two types of URLs:
- A standard-length URL, starting www, followed by the website name, and ending with .com or some other top-level domainWhat URL Domain Extensions Stand For and Why They Are NeededWhat URL Domain Extensions Stand For and Why They Are NeededThere's a lot more to the internet that just .com, .org, and .net sites. The world of top-level domains exploded a few years ago. But what is a TLD? Let's find out.Read More.
- A shortened URL, such as goo.gl/V4jVrx.
It doesn’t matter whether the link you received is a standard-length URL or shortened. If it is dangerous in any way, the link checking tool should alert you to this. If the links are going to take you to a compromised website, the link checker will highlight this immediately. Similarly, direct links to malware, ransomware and other risks should be reported by these tools.
The following sites will help you uncover the truth about those dodgy links. Check more than one at any given time to give you the best results.
1. Kaspersky VirusDesk
If you prefer to get your security recommendations from the world-famous Kaspersky security firm, you should try VirusDesk. This is a dual-purpose tool that not only checks links to potentially dodgy websites, it accepts uploads of suspicious files. Handily, it offers both features via a dedicated link pasting/drag-and-drop field.
To use Kaspersky VirusDesk for link checking, enter the URL and click Scan. You’ll be quickly informed whether the target URL is safe or not. If you have reason to disagree with a “safe” result, you can click the “I disagree with the scan results” button.
This will prompt the Kaspersky researchers to find out more. They’ll let you know of their findings by email if you leave your address.
2. Check Links With ScanURL
Norton Is This Website Safe
Another you should look at us ScanURL, an independent website that takes your link queries submissions seriously via a secure HTTPS connectionWhat Is HTTPS & How To Enable Secure Connections Per DefaultWhat Is HTTPS & How To Enable Secure Connections Per DefaultSecurity concerns are spreading far and wide and have reached the forefront of most everybody's mind. Terms like antivirus or firewall are no longer strange vocabulary and are not only understood, but also used by..Read More. Although the link submission screen is ad-supported, the results are good.
Is Shein Website Safe
ScanURL polls Google Safe Browsing, PhishTank, and Web of Trust and provides information about the queried site’s Whois record. The returned results will instantly indicate whether you should visit the site and are accompanied by a ScanURL recommendation.
Avoid the site if the results list it as dangerous.
Several sites (including some in this list) and tools are checked by ScanURL as it collates the results. Once the ScanURL result page has loaded, a permanent URL is applied. You can copy and paste this to share with friends, family, or the otherwise concerned for them to refer to. Handy!
3. PhishTank
Instead of focusing on malware, PhishTank instead alerts you to phishing sites. But the principle is the same. Once you enter a URL that you suspect of harboring a phishing operation, PhishTank will check it out. If the link is already “in the tank” then you’ll get instant results. Otherwise, you’ll get a tracking number. Sadly, it’s not as simple to check a phishing link as it is to automatically check some malware links…
Concerned about sites that might con you into divulging personal data? If you have any knowledge of identity theft, then you’ll know much of this occurs thanks to phishing operations. PhishTank is always worth a visit when checking concerning links.
Feeling charitable? Anyone can contribute to the site and verify links that have been submitted by other users.
4. Google Transparency Report
Is Double8tickets Website Safe
They might not be the world’s most privacy-conscious companyGoogle Just Banned This Privacy Tool: How to Use DisconnectGoogle Just Banned This Privacy Tool: How to Use DisconnectDisconnect can shield users against invisible tracking tools, while increasing consumer awareness on surreptitious>
Thank you for putting this together. I plan to share with friends and family!
Rakuten requires access to YOUR emails. Full stop. Spyware, abandon privacy all ye who enter.
Wasn't there something sketchy about Web of Trust a few months back? Didn't they become unreliable soon after being taken over?
scamURL does not work. Nothing comes back. What is a 'nickname?' crap
AVGthreatlabs is no longer a service
virustotal.com checks files & URLs. AFAIK, it has worked pretty well for me for years.
Online Link Scan .. VERY INACCURATE! I checked my website and the information was all related to my old web host. Since I closed and transferred my website to a new host awhile back, they scanned old information. Needless to say, I couldn't be less impressed.
i think avast online security has all features to protect from such harmful sites
Thanks for the resources you've put together on this.
Firefox NoScript FlashBlock WoT Safety on The Interwebz
There is also:
Which works with short URLs, to show the real one and if they are safe.
Sucuri, you are known for spamming your urls everywhere. How more low can you drop..
Just a note: The Online Link Scan site reports seriall.com as safe. (I was trying to see what an unsafe site would look like.)
There is also http://www.uptimekeeper.com that checks web pages for availability and malicious contents.
Online Link scan seemed to work no problem. I laugh at the thought of disproving one of these services would require one to become compromised lol.
AVG LinkScanner is free for home use. It's included with many of AVG's products but can be downloaded and used separately. Windows 7 right click not working. http://www.linkscanner.avg.com is the site to learn about and download it. Unlike many other products, it provides real time safe surf protection. Many other products rely on a database and trust. 60% of threats on hacked websites around around for less than a day. So the real time aspect is critical.
I prefer MyWot though :-)
Is MyWot real-time? If a 'good' web site is hacked 10 minutes before you click on it, what will MyWot say about it? LinkScanner will check in real time what you are trying to click on.
This is a good resource! Thanks for putting together the compilation.