Is That Website Safe?
Malicious website are sites that attempt to install malware on your system, steal your information, or take control of your computer. Most of the time, these websites masquerade as legitimate sites to establish legitimacy and trust while luring you into their trap.
Follow these tips to make sure that you do not fall victim to these malicious sites:
Ensure that your patch-level and security software are up-to-date
NetAscendant performs these tasks for its customers, but you need to make sure that your home computer has current antivirus protection and up-to-date Windows patches.
Look for strange-looking domain names
Look at the URL of the site to ensure that you are where you want to be. Sometimes, bad guys will register a domain that, at a glance, looks similar to the real domain (i.e. yahooo.com or g000gle.com).
Examine the site connection (HTTP versus HTTPS)
If you are on a site that begins with http:// as opposed to https://, be very wary. HTTPS means that the site uses an encrypted connection, so that your information is not passed “in the clear”. Nowadays, most legitimate sites will be HTTPS. If the address bar in your browser does not show HTTP or HTTPS, look for a lock in the address bar next to the URL which will indicate that the site is HTTPS).
Don’t click on pop-up security alerts or download requests
When you visit a malicious site, a pop-up box could appear, informing you that your device is infected. It will then offer to “remove it” for you. Then, when you click “yes” to the offer, it could deliver its malicious payload and infect your machine. Also, it may prompt you to download and install “needed” software. Don’t do it.
Avoid clicking links from emails
One of the most used attack vectors for luring people to malicious sites is including a website link in a phishing email and tricking someone to click on it. Ideally, you should never click on a link in an email. Instead, you should navigate to the site on your own if you think it is a legitimate site. If you do choose to click on the link, hover over it with your mouse and you should see the real web address in the lower-left status bar.