Caution Embedded Links

[Cofe]

On many forums people create a word or phrase to "link" to a web site. This is a bad practice, because the word or phrase can direct a person to a malicious site where hacks, viruses, or other bad things happen. This is similar to getting a hack spam email, where you click on something and ZAP.....Too Late....:facepalm:
Inserting a direct link is much better, because you can actually read the web address before you click on it.

 

[windy5849]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

I always right click on the LINK and select properties from the pop up menu to see where the link goes before opening.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

I just hover over the link and look at the destination at the bottom of my browser..

 

[Cofe]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

Thanks MTboatguy, I never realized the link would appear on the lower left when you hover your mouse over the link. I tried the right click thing, and I can't get it to work using Firefox browser.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

I use embedded links all the time, because it conveys the headline and the link in one shot.

If your antivirus/antihacker defense is up to par, you won't get harmed, with the caveat that you know what to do if something unusual happens, such as the message "site so and so had determined that you have a virus on your computer, click OK to remove it."

Never click anywhere on such a message, including the red x to "close." Most AV programs default to let you install anything you want, and the link is set up to install a malware program when you click on it. Instead:
Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL
choose applications
choose the line that matches the message
hit the end task button.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

Good advice re: CTRL-ALT-DEL. I haven't gotten one of those lately but if I do....

 

[jlinder]

Re: Caution Embedded Links

Three tricks to watch out for:

1. what looks like a direct link but isn't. It could say http://iboats.com bur really take you to somewhere else. Click on the iboats link above and you are sent to google. What if I created a page that looked like iboats and the link sent you there. If you don't read the URL carefully you can be fooled into almost anything.

2. Links that try to fool you into thinking they are not what they are. For example, a link to iboats.scum.com might lure you into thinking you are going to iboats, but in reality you are going to a server owned by scum with a legit sounding name.

3. A link like iboat:com@scum.com. Uou may thing you are going to iboats.com, bur in reality you are going to scum.com with a login of iboats and a password of com.

Too many people don't read the address carefully