Be aware of fake websites when clicking on search results!
When browser searching be aware of fake websites!
Whatever browser you use to search you need to be aware of fake websites! Cybercriminals are using black hat SEO attack techniques to manipulate browser search engine rankings so that malicious websites that look real will show up as your top search results. These malicious websites will look like real websites related to what you are searching for, but they are fake.
Tips to protect yourself from fake websites when searching browsers:
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- Check the URL of any website you are interested in viewing before clicking on it. Do this by hovering on the URL and look for misspellings or odd domain names and if you are suspicious do not click.
- Most legitimate websites use an SSL, certificate otherwise known as TLS encryption. This is a protocol for encrypting internet traffic and verifying server identity. You can tell if a website has this type of security by looking at the URL, if it shows an s after http like this, https:// then you know this is a website using TSL secure encryption. If the website only shows this, http:// then you need to be extremely cautious about clicking on it. You should also see a padlock icon on a website that has an SSL certificate.
- Keep your browser software updated.
- Make sure you enable all browser security features. Most reputable browsers have these security features you just need to make sure they are turned on.
- Regularly back up all your data so that if you do accidentally click on one of these malicious sites you can immediately shut down your computer and reinstall your system using your most recent data backup.
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