Internet

How to identify a malicious domain

Steps to identify a malicious domain

So what can we do to identify if a web domain is fake or not dangerous? We are going to give some essential guidelines that we can take into account. The objective is to differentiate a web page created to commit a crime, from another that is really reliable and there will be no problem if we log in or download a file.

Check url

First of all we have to check the url very well. You have to see that the address is really what it should, since sometimes they can change a letter, mistake an “O” for a “0”, an “i” for a “1”, and so on. The visitor enters and sees that the domain is apparently legitimate, but in reality it is a fake site that is used to steal data and passwords.

Therefore, we must check that the address is correct. This also includes the domain extension. For example paginaweb.com, that we are not on paginaweb.tv and has been created only with the intention of putting security at risk.

Show full URL in Chrome

Check the general appearance of the site

But something we must always keep in mind is the General aspect from that website. You have to take a good look at the content, the appearance, the articles you can see, the menu layout … All this can also give us clues as to whether it may be a fake page or, on the contrary, it is really the legitimate site that it should.

Although hackers are doing a better job of falsifying web pages, the truth is that on many occasions we can find small details such as a bad translation of an article, sections in the menu that do not correspond, etc.

View page information

A reliable website must always have information. There is usually a contact link, where we will see who is behind that site, contact information, company name, etc. Therefore, analyzing the information on a website will also help us to differentiate between a false and a legitimate one.

If we enter a page and see that there is no information or that data is very diffuse, we should be suspicious. It is not advisable, for example, to make a purchase on a website that does not have a contact section with real and clearly visible data.

Find comments from other users

We always have the option to go to Google. A simple search can save us from major problems. If we have doubts as to whether that website where we are going to buy is reliable or not, we can see comments from other users who have bought and show their experience. The social networks they are a source where we can see this type of information.

Sometimes the assessment of others can be very important to choose between one page and another, but also to know if a specific website may be a fraud and our data may be in danger.

Use services to analyze the page

We may also choose to use online services that serve to parse a url. It is a way to detect possible Phishing pages, which can be used to steal passwords. Basically they act like an antivirus, like an alert that can tell us that there is something strange with a URL.

A very useful page is URLVoid. We simply have to put the URL that interests us and give it to analyze. It will show us if it is safe or, on the contrary, it is in its database as dangerous sites that must be avoided and never download any files or log in.

Tips for Sailing Safely

After looking at some methods to know if a website is reliable or not, we are going to give some tips to navigate safely. This will allow us to prevent our data from being compromised or ending up on a website to make a purchase and that it is actually a scam.

Have safety programs

Something basic that should not be missing is to have a good antivirus. We can name some options like Windows Defender, Bitdefender or Avast. These applications will analyze our system for threats and also alert us when we download a malicious file while browsing the Internet.

Also, additionally we can have a firewall or even extensions for the browser. These types of tools are useful to improve the security of connections and prevent the entry of malware that could compromise us.

Windows Defender Refresh

Keep equipment up-to-date

Of course, it is also essential to have the equipment correctly updated. One of the common methods by which malware can reach our system when downloading something from a dangerous site is precisely having vulnerabilities by not having the updates installed.

If we install all the security patches, if we have the programs and systems updated correctly, we can correct many bugs and make a hypothetical malicious file that has been designed to exploit a vulnerability not succeed.

Install only official apps

We must not forget the importance of using only programs that are official. If we installed a third-party application, it could have been created with the aim of stealing data or infecting the system. Therefore, we must always go to official pages and avoid applications that are not reliable.

For example, we can download programs from stores like Google Play. Although this is not a 100% guarantee that we will not have problems, without a doubt the risk will decrease a lot.

Common sense

On the other hand, a more than fundamental point is common sense. Must avoid making mistakes when sailing. For example, not downloading files from a website that we see does not look good and could be a scam that ends up stealing our passwords.

This can be applied whenever we surf the net and not only when opening a page. For example, do not log in to public networks, do not open dangerous attachments that we have received by e-mail, etc.

Ultimately, malicious domains are a very significant problem on the Internet. We have explained what can happen if we enter a false page, how to know if a site is legitimate or not and, in addition, some tips to be able to navigate the net safely.

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