The internet is a great resource. It provides us with access to a vast amount of information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. We use it for work, study, communication, and even for hobbies.
However, the increase in “connectivity” also brings some risks. Bad actors can exploit insecure connections and vulnerabilities to steal data, hijack your device, or otherwise compromise you in various ways.
Some of the most common methods include sending a virus-laden file or a link to a phishing website. If an unsuspecting user clicks on a bad link, they can be infected without even knowing.
That’s why it is necessary to learn how to protect yourself against unsafe links, websites, and files. Today, we will review specific methods and techniques that anyone with basic computer skills can easily apply.
Check the URL Carefully
Shifty URLs are probably the number one reason people get hacked. They receive an email claiming they've won something or offering a special deal, and people click on it without giving it much thought.
Boom! Next minute, they are infected with a computer virus that steals their data or holds it for ransom.
That’s why it is necessary to check the URL before you click on it. Here are several things you can do to check a link.
- Hover over the link without clicking to preview the full URL. If it looks suspicious or unrelated to the context, don’t click.
- Watch for misspellings or altered domains, for example, amaz0n.com or g00gle.com. Hackers often use such misspellings and bank on the user not noticing them. So, keep an eye out.
- Be wary of shortened URLs like bit.ly or tinyurl. These can contain anything, even a malicious link. Use a URL expander service to preview the real destination to see if it's suspicious or not.
Use Website Safety Checkers
If you're visiting a website and are unsure about its trustworthiness, you can use website safety checkers to alleviate your concerns. A website safety checker is a tool that can tell you if a website hosts any viruses, its reputation score, if it's on any blacklists, and other such information.
Some commonly known services are:
- Google Safe Browsing
- Virus Total
- URL Void
These tools flag known threats, phishing sites, or domains associated with malware.
Just input the URL of the website you want to check into these tools, and you will be given a transparency report, a virus report, and the blacklisting status.
If there are any red flags in the report, do not open the website.
Look for HTTPS and Trust Indicators
Another thing you can watch out for is whether the site is secure or not. To check that, you look for:
- A padlock icon near the URL
- Whether the URL has HTTPS in it
- Click the padlock to see the SSL certification
If all of those check out, the website is likely legit. However, these things do not exonerate it from suspicion.
Be cautious with “secure-looking” sites that still ask for unusual permissions, such as downloading unknown software or disabling your antivirus. No website should need to download anything or ask you to disable protection. That is a clear red flag, and you should avoid such sites.
Scan Files Before Downloading
Downloading files from the internet is also risky. You have to be sure that you are downloading from a trusted source. Even then, there is a risk that the file may be harmful.
Whether it's a PDF, ZIP file, or an installer, you need to treat it with caution.
- Use built-in antivirus software or upload the file to VirusTotal before opening.
- Avoid downloading files from unfamiliar forums, pirated software sites, or email attachments unless verified.
- Use tools to extract the metadata of the file and analyze its origins.
This way, you can ensure that your device does not get infected with a virus or compromised in any way.
Watch Out for Suspicious Behavior
If you open a link and the resulting website displays suspicious behavior, immediately kill the browser. The same goes for downloaded files.
Suspicious behavior can include the following.
- The website does automatic, multiple redirects.
- The website automatically opens pop-ups or displays warnings that you are compromised.
- The website or the downloaded file asks you to disable your anti-virus.
- The website or file requests unexpected admin permissions or opens the command prompt.
In such cases, immediately kill the process and run a virus scan. To protect your system from harm, open such suspicious links and files in a virtual machine to isolate the threat.
Use IP and Domain Lookup Tools
Another method of verifying whether a website is legitimate is to use its link and perform a domain lookup. A domain lookup can involve multiple things. For example, you can do a DNS lookup for an A record to find the IP address of a domain. Then, you can perform a WHOIS IP search to determine which organization owns it.
In the case of a legitimate website, you will see a well-known organization’s name in the results, such as Cloudflare, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, etc. In case of a suspicious website, you will see an unknown org instead.
The IP WHOIS will also show the registration date of the domain and when it was last updated. Typically, suspicious websites are associated with new domain registrations.
If you find that the domain of a website is too new, you can submit it to Virustotal for analysis to check for viruses and bad redirects.
Trust Your Gut And Verify
Scams have become very sophisticated, and it is possible that they can dupe you. So, even if a website seems alright, I.e, it has the right domain, correct design, no typos, etc., you should still be careful.
If your intuition says that something is wrong, then trust it. Use the various methods of verification discussed before to ensure that the site is trustworthy.
And remember, do not provide personal information or financial information to any website unless you have verified that it is legitimate and will not handle your data carelessly.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, the breakdown of how to tell if a link, file, or website is safe to use. The summary is that you can employ careful browsing habits, free verification tools, and a little bit of knowledge about what to check to ensure safety.
