Key Takeaways
There are many signs which can indicate if a website is likely to be safe or unsafe
By using a secure browser, using a website checker, and double checking links, you can reduce the amount of dangerous websites you visit
Web security tools are an effective way to mitigate online threats
Considering how much time we spend on the internet a day, both at work and at home, knowing how to safely browse the Internet is a key part of being cyber secure. Visiting the wrong website can result in phishing, viruses, malware, or identity theft. This blog will cover all the ways that you can ensure that a website is safe and point out the warning signs that a website is unsafe.
The quick signs that a website is probably safe:
Padlock symbol next to URL
HTTPS in URL instead of HTTP
The website has a privacy policy
The quick signs that a website is probably unsafe:
Your browser warns you that the website is unsafe
The website has many pop-ups or redirects to other shady websites
Website only accepts bank transfers or wire payments (not usual major payment methods)
No privacy policy on the website
Bad spelling and grammar or too many exclamation points
Browser security features
Browsers come with a lot of security features built-in. For example, Google Chrome:
Blocks pop-ups
Sends “do not track” requests to websites to protect your data
Disables unsafe flash content
Stops many malicious downloads
Controls which sites can access your speaker, microphone, and camera
If you use another browser you can go to your browser’s settings and check in the “Privacy and Security” section to see how your browser filters out threats. You may want to do some shopping around and decide which browser offers the security that you are looking for. Of course, these built-in browser safety tools don’t catch everything, which is why it’s important to perform other tests.
Website Checkers
If you are unsure that a website is safe, the easiest thing to do is enter it into a website checker like the Google Transparency Report, the Norton Safe Web Checker or URLVoid. These services will tell you whether the website is safe or not in a couple of seconds.
Of course, you don’t want to have to enter every website you go onto into an online checker, as that would be pretty time-consuming and inconvenient.
Double Check URL links
Sometimes, hackers will misspell names of trusted URLs or replace one of the letters with a number, like writing go0gle.com instead of google.com. In a rush, this is something you can easily miss, and with fake websites imitating real websites as well as they do, it’s pretty easy to give your personal information to the bad guys.
Luckily, if you use Firefox or Chrome, you can simply hover your mouse over the “anchor text” (AKA the text that is linked), to see the URL before you click on it; it’ll show up in the bottom left hand corner of your browser. If you’re a Safari-user, just go to the view menu and click show status to get the same feature.
Use trusted sites (especially for e-commerce)
This one may seem obvious, but especially if you’re doing any online shopping, try to use retailers who you’ve heard of, like Amazon. Remember, you are giving this site your credit or debit card information along with your name, email, and address, which could be really dangerous if it got into the wrong hands.
If you need to buy something from an unfamiliar website, take advantage of the huge knowledgebase that is the internet: simply ask Google if the website/ company is a scam and see what people have said. If multiple people say it’s a scam, they are most likely correct. There are also review sites, like Trustpilot, that have reviews for many companies and sites.
Web Security Tools
Beyond your personal vigilance, a very effective way of avoiding dangerous websites is to download web security software that warns you of dangers and protects against viruses. Some examples of these tools include:
AVG AntVirus (free)
Avast Premium Security (paid)
Norton 360 Standard (paid)
Conclusion
The internet is a common way for maware to reach your computer. Practicing safe browsing habits is a critical part of your personal cybersecurity. By identifying the signs of a dangerous website and using tools to check if you are unsure, you will be able to avoid many pitfalls that result in devastating losses.