We keep opening websites one after the other, often out of routine. But are they really safe for surfing? Let’s figure out how you can be certain if a website is safe enough for you to visit. Let’s get started.
Steps to check if a website is safe
If you want to check so, then these are the steps that you can follow.
Checking if a website is safe before you share any personal information or download files takes just a few moments.
- First, you have to look closely at the address bar for the padlock icon next to the URL. This indicates that the site uses a secure connection, meaning the data sent between your device and the site is encrypted.
- Next, try to make sure that you inspect the actual domain name very carefully. Scammers often create copycat sites with tiny misspellings, such as replacing a lowercase letter L with the number one, hoping you won’t notice the difference. If you spot it, drop out of it immediately.
- You can also use a free link scanner like Google Safe Browsing or VirusTotal. Copy the URL of the website, paste it into one of these tools, and it will analyze the page for hidden malware or phishing traps. But make sure you use a trusted site for that.
- Another good step here is to check the website’s contact page and privacy policy. Legitimate businesses almost always provide clear ways to contact them and state how they handle your data.
- As the next step towards it, you must look for random pop-ups and even download requests that keep recurring. This is often a major red flag that the site is malicious.
- Finally, you can also do a quick online search of the company name alongside words like scam or reviews to see what other people have experienced.
How to handle a visit to an unsafe website?
- If you feel that you have accidentally landed on a sketchy website, the best thing you can do is close the browser tab immediately. Do not click on any pop-ups, agree to any downloads, or fill out any forms. This makes the trap harder for one to get out of.
- If your browser freezes or a message claims your computer is infected, force-close the entire browser application. And that’s not enough. Once that is done, clear your browser cache and cookies to wipe away any malicious tracking scripts.
- Next, you must run a full scan with your antivirus software to make sure nothing slid onto your device. If you find anything there, you have to deal with it accordingly.
- If you happened to type in a password before realizing the site was unsafe, much like in a phishing attempt, you can change that password right away on the real website.
