ElanaAhova asked me for an app/extension to tell if a site was safe or not. That got me thinking. Seth Rosenblatt will help me, and sure enough, he did.

You know, there’s a good chance you’ve been phished.

Doesn’t matter which OS or device we’re talking about (unless it has no net capabilities like your fridge).

There's a really strong chance that somebody has sent you an e-mail or text message in an attempt to get at your personal information on purpose or inadvertantly, or sent you to a web page via another page.

That’s because data means money (to Google and just about everyone else as well), and you're a source of those bucks to them.

The best recommendation I can offer is to browse smart. Great, doc. So why take a thousand words for one sentence? Gonna tell ya how.

That means you really should double-check the URL’s of your banking site, social networking site, and e-mail site before you log in. In fact, all sites you’re directed to… the_Monk was referring to that sometime back when he wrote I shouldn’t use tinyurl. Point well taken.. although, I check ‘em all out before I hand ‘em out.

• Most browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer, now include a color-change on the left side of the location bar to indicate that the site has been verified as legitimate.
• It's always a good idea to type in the URL by hand, and never follow links from an e-mail (although, mousing over a link will reveal the URL, sometimes people forget).
• If possible, check for HTTPS instead of the less-secure HTTP is a good idea, although HTTPS isn't foolproof.

“But what about that link to some supposedly hilarious video my best bud just posted to Twitter?”

There are several services you can use to verify a link.

• Google Safe Browsing is a good place to start. Type in this URL http://google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site= followed by the site you want to check, such as google.com or an IP address. It will let you know if it has hosted malware in the past 90 days.
• HpHosts (http://www.hosts-file.net): Enter a site into the search box and its database will tell you if the site has been used to distribute malware or phishing attacks. HpHosts gives you more detailed information than Google Safe Browsing, if you're into that. Two other excellent services are Norton Safe Web, from Symantec, and Unmasked Parasites. Pop in the URL, and you're good to go. If the site comes back as unsafe, don't go.
• Web of Trust is a signature based safe browsing tool. I had forgotten this (d'oh!) until Richie31 reminded me. Thanks, Richie31! Also, thanks to Captinmoonlight. Check this out!  http://billpstudios.blogspot.com/

Many security suites come with browser add-ons to check links you click on the fly. But they are signature based, so unless reported as unsafe, they’ll look “ok”. 

“Doc, I don’t have a suite.” OK – Elana, to answer your “bottom line” (finally):

 AVG LinkScanner (download for Windows | Mac) (did you check that link?!) is a free add-on that works with both Windows and Mac, and AVG's free Mobilation Android app (download) or Lookout Mobile Security (download) will block malicious links on your Android devices.

iPhone and iPad users are out of luck. That means me.. but it makes me think!

Even though phishing over social networking has been proven to work on iOS devices that haven't been jailbroken, Apple doesn't allow such link-checking apps. Apple believes on “reputation based” security: “We’re Apple so we’re secure. (LOL at you, Windows)”. Well, that just ain’t true. Apple, if anything, is less secure than Windows. Windows has just been attacked more since it’s the most prevalent OS.

Wake up, Apple!

Source: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20098098-285/how-to-check-if-a-web-site-is-safe/

Update:

Please note a nice discussion of this topic on Captinmoonlight's blogspot   http://billpstudios.blogspot.com/

Also another member (kona0197) has a malware removal guide on his blog, as well as a guide to building your own computer. Kona, please comment and supply links to those blog articles.