How dangerous shortened links and how to protect against it

Short links are a great tool. Sometimes we run into a problem when we need to display an extremely long URL, while making it look neat and professional. In other cases, short URLs are used so that the total number of characters in the message does not exceed the maximum allowed by social networks. Short links are needed to make the Internet easier to use. Do you know that there is a reverse side of the coin, and that shortening the URL does more harm than good?

How attackers use short URLs

The most effective way of distributing malware is with links. Wandering on the Internet, we see links everywhere, both on websites and news feeds on social networks. With the help of links spread a variety of files, and attackers use our willingness to click on any link to distribute malicious sites and files to which we move, clicking on another link. But not everything is so simple: the link cannot be distributed if it becomes clear from the URL that it may lead to the download of a potentially malicious file. Say that there is a picture or a website as you want, but if everyone can see that the link leads to the .exe file, no one will click on it.

The secret is to keep such URLs unnoticed. Burglars resort to a variety of tricks: they place a link on a page overloaded with information, hoping to stumble upon those who click on links indiscriminately, hack accounts and send links to friends, believing that such a source will automatically show confidence, they even fake the URL so that it seems That link leads to another page. Short links make it easier for a hacker to work because they allow you to hide where the transition actually takes place.
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What are dangerous short links?

Let's take an example and choose an innocent victim for this - Google.
Here is the website URL:
www.google.com
Here’s what a direct link to the Google logo looks like:
www.google.com/images/branding/googlelogo/1x/googlelogo_color_272x92dp.png

What is the difference obvious. In the first case, we see a link to the site, in the second - to the image. After reading the URL, you will immediately understand where you will go and what you will see when you click on the link. And now let's try to follow the links through Bit.ly and compare the results. Is there any difference in this case?
Let's get a look:
bit.ly/1dNVPAW - link to www.google.com
bit.ly/1JcI49O - link to www.google.com/images/branding/googlelogo/1x/googlelogo_color_272x92dp.png

Now the difference is not so obvious, is it? All that changes is a random set of letters and numbers after the bit.ly domain. File extensions are no longer visible and there is not even a hint at where the link will lead. From these links it is impossible to understand which one leads to Google, and which one - to its logo. And if we did not know in advance that the bit.ly links lead to the Google site and to the image of its logo, then we wouldn’t have any idea what these links were.

This is what attackers can use to spread a malicious website or code. They can give a short link, assuring that it leads to a funny clip or to some amazing news, and no one will understand from the URL that the link actually leads to a malicious file or site.

How to recognize them

So, in the network, you can stumble upon short URLs, and you do not know how to check that you can navigate to a law-abiding site. Is there any way to check the link without clicking on it, and make sure that there is no malicious intent here?

Fortunately, there are several web services created to deal with these types of attacks. Below are a few examples.



CheckShortURL is a great tool that covers most URL shortening services. Enter a short address, and CheckShortURL will analyze and tell you where the link leads. The service allows you to preview the site to make sure it is trustworthy. In case you have doubts about the security of the site, then on CheckShortURL you can automatically conduct a site search in various security assessment services, such as Web of Trust.



GetLinkInfo is suitable for those cases when you want to know what exactly is happening in the process of redirection. When you click on a short link, users are redirected to a predetermined address. Check GetLinkInfo allows you to trace through which stages the redirection passes so that you are sure that you are taken to a secure site when you click on a link. GetLinkInfo also uses Google safe browsing technology to evaluate security.

In addition, some URL shortening services understand that it makes sense to allow users to look behind the scenes. Some of them offer a method to check the links generated on their website so that users do not have to take a risk. For example, did you know that if you add a “+” to the end of a bitly link, you will go to the preview page before going to the file or site itself? Try it yourself with one of the links above, for example: http://bit.ly/1dNVPAW+ .

Always at

Short URLs are used to distribute malware, which means that you should be vigilant when clicking on unknown links provided by unknown people. Now you know how short links are used by attackers, as well as how to check the link for security.

Have you ever been caught by a short link? Or do you treat all short addresses with suspicion? Tell us in the comments.

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