3 Ways to Spot a Potential Hack

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and today I would like to share three quick ways you can spot a potential hackable situation. 

Secure Site Address Example

1. Look for websites that start with https:// and not http://
   Do not share personal information with a link that does not have the “s” in the web address. Links without the “s” are not secure and not encrypted. Soo... the information you share with the site is not secure and not encrypted, making it easier for hackers to obtain your information.

2. Look for the padlock.
   When looking at your internet browser’s web address bar at the top, a padlock next to a website’s web address is a good sign that website has been correctly encrypted. You can feel safe sharing your personal information with those websites.
   
   If you see a triangle or circle with an exclamation point or the words “Not secure” next to a web address, stir clear of sharing your information with those sites. Sites that come with these warnings found in the web address bar (generally to the left of the web address) are not correctly encrypted to safely handle your personal information.
   
   
   

3. Mouse over links when in doubt.
   Anytime you receive an email with a hyperlink or see hyperlinked text online, you can hover your mouse over the linked text before you click to see the web address it will take you to after clicking the link.
   
   A more reputable link will be very clean and readable (not a lot of random letters/numbers/symbols), typically shorter in length, and the address looks believable (not extra letters/words in a company’s name, misspellings, or extra punctuation).
   
   If the link looks a little wonky, do not click on it. If you think the email or information is not spam and you would like the information from the link, I would still encourage you not to click the link but instead try this:
   
   Open a new tab in your internet browser and type in the website address but only the first part of the address through the .com. This will take you to the website’s homepage. From there, you can decide if the website is reputable. If it looks good, you can go back and click the link or just search for that information on the website without the link.

These are quick ways to spot a hack, but there are many more ways to reduce your chances of being hacked. Next week, I will share a few actionable steps you can take to prevent an online hack and keep you and your personal information safe.

Unfortunately, hackers are good at what they do. I hope these tips will help you spot a hack and feel more comfortable online.