Nearly half of all phishing sites now display the padlock

In the past, it was advised to check the address bar of websites to make sure they had a padlock. The common understanding was that the padlock meant those sites were legitimate and secure.

Unfortunately, new research is showing that 49% of all phishing scams are now hosted on websites that have the padlock and begin with https://

Just one year ago, only 25% of phishing sites had the padlock, and the percentage rose to just 35% in the second quarter of this year, according to the report coming from PhishLabs.

While a majority of internet users believe the https:// will keep them safe, the SSL merely means that the data being transmitted back and forth between your browser and that website is encrypted and can’t be read by third parties. Seeing the padlock on the address bar doesn’t mean that the site is legitimate or safe.

So, keep on your toes and make sure you still research new companies that you’d like to do business with before you enter any personal or financial information on their website.

As always, if we can be of help with your network or computer, give us a call here at RHYNO Networks. (855) 749-6648