Something as Simple as Hovering Over Links Can Improve Your Security Practices

Phishing messages are the single most common type of threat out there. Any business, small or large, can fall for them. Therefore, you must do all that you can to prepare for the inevitable situation where someone accidentally falls for one. One of the most powerful preventative methods we can recommend is as easy as hovering over links.

You can effectively use hovering over links to aid in identifying suspicious links while navigating your email inbox or using the Internet.

How Hovering Over Links Works

When you hover over a link with your mouse, you will see the link address on your screen, helping you see where it leads. This location will depend on your browser. For example, in Google Chrome, it will be at the bottom-left side of the window.

Here are some primary reasons you might consider hovering over links before clicking on them immediately.

Identify Potentially Time-Wasting or Dangerous Links

You want to hover over links so you can figure out where they go without actually clicking on them. This is great for two reasons. After all, the entire idea behind a link is that it gives a user immediate access to another page, and sometimes hackers can use this sense of immediacy to their advantage by hiding something dangerous behind something potentially useful.

There is always the chance that a link could be redirected to a useful external resource, like what we do on this blog every so often. However, hackers are more malicious with this, and they can either waste time or put your organization at risk by phishing for clicks. It’s harder to hide potential threats in an email message than it is to hide them in a link, and hackers know this.

Links Are Common Attack Vectors

Hackers know that they can be creative with hyperlinks to cause a lot of chaos. They might make a website and attempt to link to various threats you are not necessarily looking out for. A great example includes links to free downloads or resources; while you might think they are perfectly legitimate, hovering over the links could show you this is far from the truth.

While hovering over links does not always identify a potentially threatening situation, it does help you determine whether a random link is worth your time and scrutiny—and it never hurts to be suspicious about something on the Internet.

A Web Content Filter and Spam Solution Go a Long Way

While not all web links are dangerous, it doesn’t hurt to implement some proactive solutions. Some of the best are web content filters and spam blockers, which prevent users from interacting with potentially dangerous content. This will likely save you time and productivity while also significantly improving network security.

Call us at (978) 482-2020 today to learn more about potential security solutions and ways to stay safe from online threats.