How to check the safety of a link? [duplicate]

Question

Someone gave me a link and asked me to open it, but I don't trust that guy. I'm not sure the link whether safe to open or not. I want to know if there a way to check the safety of the link? I have not clicked it yet. The link is http://37.46.80.128

I don't have any knowledge about security. However, someone told me people can hack your accounts this way.

Answer 1

Some quick general advice for visiting strange links:

Turn off Javascript and any browser plugins, especially Java and Flash, these are the most attacked. This alone will save you from most malicious content.

Additionally make sure your browser is up to date. If you use Linux then your package manager will take care of this for you. If you are using a different operating system then I advise using a browser that does automatic updates behind your back such as Chromium.

If you are extra paranoid either run your browser inside a virtual machine such as virtual box or a live system. I virtual machine is designed to isolate the host computer from things that happen inside the guest, it is how "cloud" services make sure that different customers sharing the same hardware cannot interfere with each other.

A live system is an OS that loads from a CD or USB flash drive and runs only in RAM and thus cannot make permanent changes to your computer.

I hope this helps you get to a situation where you can check out links like this without worrying.

Answer 2

I usually make use of VirusTotal to scan suspicious URL's or files. Just paste the link in the space provided or upload the suspicious file and they will analyse the site/file against their comprehensive database of malicious software signatures and run it through most popular anti-virus programs and then give you a report on what was found.

Please note that a report that does not indicate threat does not mean it is a safe link to visit, it simply means that to the best of their knowledge there is no known threat originating from it.

Answer 3

In this specific case, could be a phishing site. It asks you to register or login to the (supposed) game in that site. If you input the same information as you use in other sites, they can login as if they were you, wherever you used that same information.

Answer 4

That's correct; and you did well not clicking the link.

user2675345's recommendation is very good if you know what you are doing; judging by what you said, it seems that you are not so experienced in this, and thus the safest recommendation is simply not click the link at all.

However if your curiosity is too great, then I would recommend you firstly have a Virtual Machine running any operating system, and click the link from there. This way, if there really is an infection payload on the site, the biggest damage it could cause is to infect your VM: all you would have to do is delete the VM after. Plus, you get the benefit of having a VM ready for anytime you need to perform riskier actions; you would only need to go through the hassle of installing and setting it up once.

Here is how I would do it.

1. Download VM Player or something similar.
2. Have an OS to be installed
3. Once you have the VM OS fully installed, make a copy of it and called 'Golden Copy' or 'Fresh Install', or 'Master', whatever. The idea is to always have this Master and using its copy to perform the risky action. So say you have Master and now a Copy1. Use Copy1 to click the link. See what happens, play about. Once you have finished with it, delete Copy1. The next time you need to do something you consider dangerous, create another copy from Master, say Copy2 and use that one now, and so on...

Make sure you never use these virtual machines for anything else that involves your personal details, example, don't login to sites that identify you.

I hope this helps.