Scan URL/Link for Malware
These days, anyone who goes online needs a URL scanner. This means people at work too. Here's what you need to know.
Best Online Website/URL Malware Scanner
In the old days, you could keep yourself safe online just by exercising basic common sense and vigilance. In the old days, however, “You've got mail” was a significant enough event to be the title of a film. These days, we're all deluged with email, social media messages, and instant messengers (both at home and work).
Realistically, the average person just doesn't have time or energy to check every, single link that comes their way. That's exactly why every business needs a URL scanner. Ideally, every business should also teach its employees how to identify suspicious communications, especially suspicious links.
This will allow them to double-check the performance of your URL scanner and hopefully pick up on anything it misses. For completeness, if you use a URL scanner from a reputable cybersecurity vendor then you can expect your URL scanner to have a close to 100% success rate, but no security product can ever guarantee 100% success 100% of the time.
Choosing a URL/Link scanner
For most SMBs the most practical option is probably just to go for an all-in-one cloud-based security product. Different vendors will have different options, but these days any solid product will include an anti-malware scanner, an integrated firewall, and a URL scanner. Using a cloud-based option means that the vendor will manage all updates, plus their servers will take care of all the storage and processing. This can significantly lighten the load on local devices.
Remember that you will need to protect servers and mobile devices as well as regular computers. Admittedly, servers are less likely to need a URL scanner, but they will need an anti-malware scanner and a firewall. Mobile devices certainly need all three.
For completeness, if you have a business website, then it also needs protection. It won't need a URL scanner but it needs an anti-malware scanner and a web applications firewall.
Training users on how to check their messages
There are two major benefits to training users on how to check their messages for threats, including malicious URLs. Firstly, they will be able to double-check the work of the URL scanner. Secondly, it will allow them to understand and appreciate why the company has digital security measures in place.
For many employees, there will also be a third reason, namely that it will increase engagement and satisfaction. When businesses teach their employees about cybersecurity, they are providing them with very valuable, very practical, real-world skills they can apply to keep themselves safe in their personal lives as well.
What should you be teaching your employees?
When you're looking at training general staff, rather than IT specialists, then you need to strike a balance between giving them enough information to grasp whatever it is you want them to do and overwhelming them with information that isn't relevant to their needs and wants. In the context of checking digital messages, it's advisable to stick to five basic points.
1. Check the sender
You need to make it clear to staff that trusted senders can still pass on malicious links because they might have been deceived. Messages from non-trusted senders should, however, be treated with caution, if at all
2. Check the quality of the message
This has to be taken in context, for example, if you know an individual is writing in a foreign language, you should expect mistakes. If, however, a message claims to be a formal communication from a company, then really, it should be error-free.
3. Check the URL you are being asked/told to click
Sometimes scammers mix up legitimate URLs with fake ones. Check the URL you are being asked/told to click. Never click on any URL which contains special characters (basically anything other than letters and numbers). Never click on any embedded or shortened link without checking it first.
Last but not least, you need to make your employees aware that, even with all these precautions, they may still end up clicking on a malicious link. Your firewall will probably catch it, but, again they cannot completely rely on this and so should apply a common-sense test to the website.
Again look at its overall quality, look for contact details, and a privacy policy. Look for evidence that they exist in the real world and are verified by reputable bodies. They should only enter personal and/or sensitive information if they are sure that the site is legitimate, otherwise, they should just click out as quickly as possible.
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