Opening a link, entering a website, downloading a file from the Internet … There are many daily actions that we carry out in our day to day life. Now, all this we do can have certain security problems if, for example, we enter a malicious link or a website configured to steal our data. It is therefore essential to always pay attention when browsing and use tools that protect us. In this article we are going to talk about what is masking a link and how it can affect our security.
A simple link can be a problem
We must start from the fact that a simple link that we find on the Internet, that reaches us through social networks or instant messaging programs, can be a significant problem for our security . There are many attacks that hackers use precisely by making use of this.
An example that we can give is Phishing attacks . Links that take us to web pages that pretend to be legitimate but that in reality what they seek is to collect our data and steal passwords. It is a very present problem mainly through email, so we must be alert at all times.
As time goes by, the attackers perfect their attacks. Trying to find a way to attract the attention of the victims, to make them see that they are not really facing something dangerous. This means that the problem is constantly adapting and we must always be at the forefront in terms of protection.
What does it mean to mask a link
As the name suggests, masking a link means hiding the actual link. Make the victim see that they are clicking something that is not really. A way to carry out phishing attacks, as we mentioned. Search, as usual, the user error.
If a user receives an email supposedly from his bank, from some platform he is using or from any Internet service, in which a link appears with a strange URL, with a domain that they do not recognize, they may interpret that it is something false. They can recognize that they would be facing a security threat.
Now, let’s say they receive that same email with a link in which they visually see the real URL of their bank, with a domain name that does not make them suspect anything. That is precisely what hackers do with link masking .
What they do is hide the real link with a “mask”. They write the real address of the bank, but that URL is linked to another one controlled by the attackers, which is that link that we were talking about that may have strange characters, have a domain that really has nothing to do with it. The victim, when he sees that link, may think that it really is something legitimate.
The problem comes when when clicking they are being redirected to the fake URL , which is controlled by the hackers. We can check this previously, although the victim does not always have the necessary knowledge to discover it. We can see it simply by hovering the mouse over that link and verifying that indeed the real URL, the address to which that hyperlink is directed, has nothing to do with the text you are reading.
This we mention is what is known as masking a link. It’s a technique that is being used more and more by hackers to carry out phishing attacks. They always seek to make the victim believe that they are dealing with something legitimate and give the impression that there really is no problem.
Where can we run into masked links?
We must bear in mind that these types of links are present on the Internet not only when using email, although it is the most common source. It is essential that we know where we can find it to prevent it from affecting us.
Without a doubt it is the main entrance of the masked links. Hackers send us an email in which a text of a URL appears and by clicking on it we are actually accessing a website controlled by the attackers.
Links on web pages
When browsing web pages we can also find these hidden links. They invite us to access a link to reach a specific section, but if we hover over it we will see that the URL has nothing to do with what they show us. Again we are facing an example of link masking.
Social networks
The same can happen with social networks . We already know that they are platforms widely used by users, that we can receive messages, share our opinion, enter groups … Precisely in the latter, in open groups, is where hackers can set their sights and attack users with this type of strategies.
We must always be careful when using social networks and avoid accessing content that may be dangerous.
Word or PDF documents
Although less common, hackers can also modify the text in a Word or PDF and point to a different URL than the one that appears in the text. We would be facing an example similar to that of email, for example.
We can find this when downloading an information file on a web page, when downloading programs or even in files of this type that reach us by other means.
How to avoid falling victim to link masking
Luckily we can take into account a series of interesting tips to avoid being victims of this type of problem. The main thing will always be to maintain common sense and not make mistakes, as we will see.
Avoid opening suspicious email links
Something basic is to avoid opening any link that reaches us through a suspicious email . This can also be applied to instant messaging or social networks, since we can receive links of this type also through these means, although it is less frequent.
The normal thing is that they try to look like a serious email, which comes from an official entity. They will seek the use of logos and names that pretend to be legitimate. However, there will always be clues that make us suspicious.
Also be wary of known emails
We have seen that we should be suspicious of unknown emails , that we do not know their exact origin. However, we must also mistrust emails that we can trust or are known to us. We do not really know if they have suffered a previous attack, for example.
Observe very well the web that we have entered
In the event that we enter a web page through these means, something fundamental is to observe the site very well. You have to analyze the URL and check that it corresponds to what it should be, as well as that it is correctly encrypted.
Seek information in case of doubts
If, for example, we receive an email from our bank, from a platform that we are using, where they tell us that we have to log in for some reason or open a link, we may always have doubts. Is this email really legitimate and should I do something?
The best thing in these cases is to look for information . We can send an email to that platform, call the bank, etc. Inform us of whether we are really facing an identity theft attempt or not.
Avoid accessing platforms from third-party links
It should also be noted that a good advice is not to access the platforms from third-party links . What do we mean by this? Let’s say we are going to log into our bank or any social network. Whether we have received a possible masked link or not, the interesting thing is to avoid accessing that platform from links that come to us from third parties.
It is always best to enter the URL directly in the address bar. In this way we ensure that we are actually accessing the legitimate page and not one that has been created to pretend to be true but is intended to collect information and passwords.
In short, link masking is a problem that is present in the network. It is one more technique of many that hackers can use to steal our passwords and collect information. We have seen some interesting tips to avoid falling victim to this problem and protect ourselves on the Internet.