Lesson 53: Recognizing Secure Websites

How to Tell if a Website is Secure Before Entering Personal Information

It's Day 53, and today we'll talk about how to recognize secure websites when entering personal information or making transactions online. Before you input your credit card details, passwords, or personal data, it's important to verify that the website is safe.

How to Recognize a Secure Website:

1. Look for "https": Secure websites use https in the URL, which means the connection is encrypted. The "s" stands for secure.
   
   

2. Check for a padlock icon: In most browsers, a padlock icon appears next to the URL when the connection is secure.
   
   

3. Read the URL carefully: Scammers often create fake websites that look similar to real ones (e.g., paypa1.com instead of paypal.com). Double-check the spelling of the URL.
   
   

4. Check the site's reputation: Look up reviews or user feedback to ensure the website is legitimate before entering sensitive information.

Why It's Important:

Using secure websites is essential for protecting your personal information and financial data. If a website isn't secure, your information could be intercepted by hackers.

Try It Out:

The next time you visit a website where you'll enter personal details or make a purchase, check for https in the URL and the padlock icon. If you don't see these security features, avoid entering sensitive information.

Pro Tip:

If you're ever unsure about a website's legitimacy, use an online tool like Whois Lookup to check who owns the domain and when it was registered. New or suspicious-looking domains could be red flags.