How can I tell if a website is secure?

When an internet user browses unfamiliar websites, it's not always possible to know if the site is secure. In cases of receiving an email with a link from an unusual or unfamiliar source, just one click can infect your device or leak your data .

In the worst-case scenarios, when browsing a fake website, the unsuspecting user enters their bank or card details thinking they are safe.

It's no coincidence that the fake link scam, the famous "click here," works so well. This scam is known as phishing .

The question is: how can you tell if a website is secure? Is it possible to identify this?

The answer is: yes! It is possible to identify it! And that's what I'm going to demonstrate in the following 9 tips.

Tip #1 – Browser security tools

Most popular web browsers have security features to help keep you safe while browsing. These tools can block annoying pop-ups, disable unsafe content, prevent malicious downloads, and control which websites may pose information security risks.

Check your favorite browser's privacy and security settings and enable the ones that are appropriate for your daily use. This action may then help you identify whether the link you are about to click is safe or not.

Tip #2 – Tool for identifying unsafe websites

There are tools that help you quickly determine if a website is safe. Google Safe Browsing is one of them.

According to the tool's page, "Google Safe Browsing examines billions of URLs, software, and content on those pages for unsafe websites," making it an excellent way to check security. To check, simply copy the website address, paste it into the search box, and press Enter. Simple and fast. Google Safe Browsing tests the URL and returns a report on its reputation.

Tip #3 – Check the URLs

Another simple way to test a website's security is to check the URL. If you don't know, a URL is the address of a link. In short, find out where the link will take you before clicking on it. To do this, simply drag your mouse pointer over the link to check the URL it's linked to.

In most browsers, you should see the URL associated with the link in the bottom left corner of your browser.

When viewing the URL, make sure everything is spelled correctly. Most harmful links contain spelling errors, such as "h00tma1l.com" instead of "hotmail.com". At a quick, inattentive glance, the error can easily go unnoticed.

Tip #4 – Beware of shortened URLs

Criminals find many ways to circumvent protection methods. One very effective way is to use URL shorteners.

With a shortened link, it's impossible to identify the website's destination. Therefore, be very careful with shortened URLs; carefully check the content of the page or email containing the link.

Tip #5 – Find HTTPS

HTTP ( Hypertext Transfer Protocol ) is the fundamental protocol for sending data between your web browser and the websites you visit. HTTPS is simply its secure version, with "S" standing for "secure".

Checking whether the website you are accessing uses HTTPS is an effective way to ensure that a website is secure.

The protocol is frequently used for banking transactions and online purchases because its communication is encrypted in order to prevent criminals from stealing confidential information such as credit card numbers and passwords.

But how do you find out if a website uses HTTPS? Simple! Check for a padlock in your browser's address bar. If it's there, you'll know that the website you're accessing is using a trusted certificate and your connection is protected.

However, there's bad news. Some phishing sites may use HTTPS to appear legitimate. The main lesson is: If any website you access doesn't have the padlock icon, don't enter your password or credit card number.

Tip #6 – Privacy Policy

In many countries, it is a legal requirement for a website to have a privacy policy. Therefore, if you are unsure whether a website is legitimate, look for its privacy policy.

Websites with a good reputation will typically have a button or text in the footer to access their privacy policy.

Unfortunately, many of them are full of incomprehensible legal citations; even so, it's a good idea to check if there is at least a privacy policy, as this is a good indication that the site is legitimate.

Tip #7 – Be wary of security seals.

The purpose of displaying security seals is to try to show that the website is trustworthy, and that's why many companies use them. The thing is, it's not very difficult to put them there.

This is a very controversial topic, as some legitimate websites use seals from other companies, some do not, and some argue that having their own seals increases sales.

In theory, it would be interesting to click on the security seal and check if it can be verified. If you can't, start a search with "is website x real?" or look for reviews about the site. If it's fake, you'll certainly find many complaints about it. If none of that works, it's best to avoid that particular website.

Tip #8 – Obvious signs of a fake website

Many people judge each other by appearances, but they don't do that with websites. In most cases, the website's appearance alone gives away that it's fake. If you feel something is strange, there are some very obvious visual signs, usually indicative of malware, that you can look for:

1. Flashing alerts – if the website displays many exclamation points and flashing alerts, there is a high chance it is fake and full of spam.
2. Too many pop-ups – if you visit a website and it displays a large number of pop-ups, close the website immediately.
3. Redirection – when accessing the site, if you are immediately redirected to a completely different site, it may mean that the original site was fake or that it has been attacked by malware. Therefore, you will not want to visit it.
4. Search alerts – Google, for example, displays next to some search result links an indication that the site may have been hacked, such as "This site may have been hacked" or "This site may be dangerous for your computer." Even if these alerts are not accurate, it's best to avoid them.

Tip #9 – Use a blocking tool

There are many solutions on the market for blocking websites and domains considered harmful. In practical terms, they prevent the site from being accessed and (usually) display a warning on the screen informing the user that the site may be dangerous.

Perhaps among all the solutions, this is the most efficient, as it requires no knowledge, study, or attention, leaving it up to the tool to identify for you whether the site is legitimate or not.

To conclude

There are no magic, permanent formulas for knowing if a website is safe. Criminals are constantly looking for new ways to deceive internet users. However, basic security tips that work against the vast majority of scam attempts are the first step in protecting yourself from malicious links and websites.

I hope this has helped.

To the next!