Links connect web pages on the internet together. But when you see a link, there are two parts to it. The first is the hypertext or anchor text, a visible group of words to which a URL (that is, the Uniform Resource Locator) has been attached. The second part, which is usually hidden, is the web address or URL pointing to a place on a computer network and determining how to retrieve data from there. This URL is displayed when you hover over a hypertext with your mouse.
Hovering over one might appear insignificant, but it’s not. In fact, you should always hover over links in your web browser before clicking. Here are a few reasons why.
1. To Check the Link’s Destination
Not all links direct you to the site you want to visit. Some links created by hackers lead to sites full of malware specially designed to steal sensitive information. They use hypertext that may appear legitimate at first glance because they are identical to a popular domain name.
When you hover over a link, however, its true destination will be revealed in a status bar, typically at the bottom of your screen or as a pop-up near your cursor.
By doing this,you can avoid phishing trapsor getting stuck on sites with too many ads.
2. To Confirm the Link’s Safety
Threat actors usetyposquatting, a kind of URL hijacking, to lead you to malicious websites; they create links similar to popular websites but with little inconsistencies like symbols and extra or missing letters. They rely on you clicking links without spotting these mistakes.
Hovering over links before clicking will help confirm if the link leads to the platform you want to connect to. This way, you may compare a suspicious-looking link to the authentic one without clicking on it. You could spot any differences and confirm a link’s safety before proceeding.
3. To Determine the Security Protocol of the URL
Hovering over links can give an insight into the security of the site you’re about to visit. Some web browsers do not indicate the level of security a site uses. But hovering over a hyperlink will provide the full link, so you’ll know how secure your data transmission is.
For instance, links that begin withhttps://show that the site uses an encrypted connection and is more secure than a site withhttp://. That extra “s” literally means “secure”!
While this is certainly useful, fraudulent sites can also acquire an SSL certificate to get a “https” URL, so you still need to be vigilant.
4. To Prevent Accidental Clicks
Sometimes, cybercriminals place malicious links close to secure ones, hoping you might accidentally click on the wrong one. Hovering prevents this, as it ensures an extra layer of caution: you have to pay specific attention to what you’re looking at.
Instead of clicking first, in which case you may accidentally click the malicious link, you can hover over both links to ensure you only click the right one.
Hover Before You Click
Many malicious links are well presented and persuasive, so you might click them without any alarm bells going off. However, not all links go where they are supposed to go. you’re able to have a download button leading you to a betting site, for instance, or vice versa. You don’t want to mistakenly download something damaging to your machine.
Fortunately, you can prevent this by hovering over links in your web browser before clicking—simple!
