To know if a website is safe, here are some key steps to follow:
- Check for an SSL certificate: The website URL should start with "https" (not just "http") and show a padlock icon near the address bar. This means the site uses encryption to protect your data during transmission.
- Look at the browser security indicators: Modern browsers like Chrome display security status icons near the URL. A lock icon means the connection is secure. Clicking it can show more details about the site's security certificates.
- Use online website safety checkers: Tools like Sitechecker, Sucuri SiteCheck, or URLVoid scan websites for malware, blacklisting, and other security issues. They provide detailed safety reports about the website.
- Avoid clicking suspicious links, especially from emails or unknown sources, and verify the domain carefully to avoid phishing sites.
- Check if the website is blacklisted via services like Google Safe Browsing or Norton Safe Web, which show warnings if sites are reported unsafe.
By combining these checks—SSL/browser security indicators, online scanners, domain scrutiny, and blacklist status—you can reliably assess if a website is safe to visit and share personal information on.