Here are vital tips to check if a website is safe to visit, download files, or share information:
Use a Website Checker
A website checker is a smart tool designed to check and evaluate website URLs to see if they are safe, authentic, and free of all cyber dangers. It scans the website links to detect potential security risks and virus threats such as malware, phishing, spyware, ransomware, trojans, and more dangerous malicious programs. If anything suspicious or harmful comes into its scanning, users will get a timely security alert to avoid the danger ahead. Based on this information, one can decide whether to browse the site or quit further activities. Most importantly, it protects financial details and personal information from thieves active on the internet.
Hence, a Website checker is a useful tool that helps users check a website’s credibility and avoid cyber danger. It ensures users visiting websites do not fall into the traps of black hats and lose valuable data to thier hands. Thus, use a website checker to scan the potential dangers of a website and enhance your cybersecurity. Google Safe Browsing is one of the best examples of a URL checker that can scan sites for cyber danger.
Use Built-In Safety Tools
Using built-in safety tools is one of the best options to minimize security risks and avoid potential danger when visiting unsafe and harmful websites online. For example, suppose you are using Chrome as your search engine. In that case, you can activate built-in safety tools such as Pop-up Blockers, Do Not Track Requests, Disabling Flash Content, Safe Browsing, Deceptive Site Warnings, HTTPS Encryption, Built-in Ad Blocker, Suspicious Site Reporter, Controlling Site Permissions, etc. These built-in features are highly helpful in determining whether a website is safe to visit.
These integrated tools can help you deal with unwanted and malicious elements on a website. It will provide you with an advance alert about the dangers that may arise if you visit an unsafe site using your web browser. Based on the information, you can choose the right option to proceed with your browsing or find some alternative to the platform you are using. These tools help you browse the internet safely and protect your PC from unwanted troubles. You can decide which site can access the webcam, microphone, location, and other sensitive information on your device. As a result, you will enjoy upgraded cybersecurity and comprehensive online security.
Check Links Before Clicking
You should always check the links before you click on them. To do so, all you need to do is hover your cursor over the link, and it will show the information in the bottom left corner of your screen. When you hover your mouse over the URLs in Chrome browser and Firefox, the cursor will show where this link takes you. Seeing the information, you can choose whether to proceed with your browsing or avoid the website.
Remember, when you see the link below, make sure the spellings are correct and it does not include any special character or sign. Cybercriminals can sometimes configure the links using similar words and special characters to deceive users. So, don’t take a fleeing look over the link. Check it thoroughly, and once you have found everything is fine, you can proceed with it.
If the link takes you to some unknown platform showing in the address, you must avoid it. In this condition, you should use a site checker tool to determine its integrity and credibility. When you are confirmed about the link, you can proceed to access the site. Therefore, always make sure to hover your cursor over the link you intend to visit to identify the spam URLs.
Check for HTTPS and Padlock
HTTPS is a touchstone for safe websites on the internet. The `S` in the HTTPS stands for secure. Along with it, there is a small padlock icon that comes before the HTTPS. This means that the URL you are typing in the search engine is safe and follows standard security protocols on the internet. It ensures that your information and communications are fully encrypted when you visit a site with HTTPS and an attached padlock icon. It won’t steal your information, collect any data from you, or share it with any third party. You can securely access the platform and benefit from its content and services.
Identify Dangerous Signs
Harmful and spam websites consist of spam content, adware, suspicious links, and other such content. You have to identify such websites. To identify dangerous websites, you have to observe some obvious signs. These signs include unnecessary pop-ups, flashing alerts, permission notifications, spam links redirecting to unknown websites, and search engine warnings. These are some clear reasons for confirming that the site you areaccessing is tampered with malware or other spam content. When you come across such a website on the internet, make sure to avoid it immediately.
The best thing you could do in this situation is to close the tab at once. You can click ALT+F4 on your Windows device to halt the process. If it still persists, then type Ctrl+Shift+Esc to close the task compulsively. In an extreme case, you may disconnect the internet to prevent access to the website or running any online operation on your device. So, by identifying unsafe signs on a website and following the ongoing operations, you can easily avoid unwanted internet troubles.
Read Privacy Policy
Every website has its privacy policy. This policy outlines the security concerns, data management, third-party involvement, and cookies and tracking on the website. You should read this privacy policy to know whether the website collects any of your data, shares it with any third party, or uses it for any other purposes or not. What are the website’s security policies, and how does it maintain the privacy of user information? Knowing these facts, you can decide for yourself whether you should continue browsing the site or not. If it provides complete security, then you can move on to access the services and information on the site or vice versa.
In addition to this, you should look for clarity of thought in the language of the privacy policy. Make sure it provides complete information about who could access your personal details and what options are available to you as a user to opt out of, stop the site from collecting the data, and delete the data that has already been collected from you. If you find the options favoring your privacy intentions, then you may go on as you find it convenient.
Visit Official Sites Only
You must visit only official sites. Cybercriminals use spoof websites to trap users in their fake sites and steal their sensitive details such as User IDs, Passwords, passkeys, and important pins. Spoof websites look similar to the original websites with a similar domain name and web structures. However, they are fake websites that imitate the original ones. You can identify such sites simply by checking their URLs. They carry special letters, misspellings, and different second-level domains (SLD) and TLDs (Top Level Domain). Do not fall prey to such fake domain names. Make sure to visit only official websites with authentic domains.
Look For The Contact Information
Genuine websites provide a separate page for contact information to their clients and visitors. You should look for it and use the information to confirm the authenticity and ownership of the websites. With this information, you can directly connect to a real-time person and sort out your concerns. If the information page is missing or the provided details do not connect you to any representative, then you should not make any transactions with such a platform. It may be a spoof or fake website that is there to fool you and steal your sensitive data. You should avoid it and find some genuine platform to fulfill your needs.
Look For Spelling & Structural Errors
An authentic website provides mistake-free and informative data on its pages. It describes everything in detail using clear and straightforward terms. In addition to this, it has a flawless structure and robust interlinking with the other pages on the same site. It directs users to the desired web page when the link is clicked. These are some genuine signs that authenticate the credibility of a website.
A fake website lacks all these details. It will have a dilapidated design, language errors, broken links, and useless information on its pages. All the more, the links on the website, when clicked, will either take nowhere or to some unsafe website. This sign is a red flag for you. If you come across such conditions, know that something is fishy here. It is highly recommended that you avoid browsing such websites.
Identify The True Owner
Use Whois search to identify the true owner of a website. It will tell you about the true owner of the website. Knowing this, you can decide whether you can proceed with any business with the site or not. If you find the owner to be someone who is not an authentic person, you can stop trading or doing other online transactions with it.
Use Antivirus Software
Antivirus software protects your digital devices from cyber threats, malware infiltration, unsafe websites, and online spam. It provides you with complete protection from spyware, ransomware, and trojan horses floating on online sites and malicious platforms. An antivirus alerts you about the potential danger while accessing online content on your device. It can detect phishing, spam, and deadly virus attacks on the internet when you are browsing the internet. Using antivirus software is a safe option to deal with cyber threats and check unsafe websites on the internet.
Conclusion
Gray-hat hackers are somewhat ambiguous. They work to find security vulnerabilities in a system, bypass the established mechanisms, and access accounts, data, and systems without consent. But once they are successful, they do not exploit these weaknesses to commit fraud, scam, or promote illicit gain. Instead, they do this to flaunt their skills and abilities in the field. They want appreciation for their qualifications and expertise in hacking to gain public attention.
