How Can You Protect Your Web Links from Cyber Threats?

A single click can expose your entire organization to a data breach, malware infection, or phishing attack. Every shortened link you share represents a potential vulnerability—one that can damage trust, compromise sensitive information, and harm your brand’s reputation. Understanding link security isn’t just for IT professionals anymore; it’s essential for anyone who shares links professionally.

This guide covers the fundamentals of link security, the real threats posed by shortened URLs, and actionable best practices you can implement today to protect your organization and your audience from link-based attacks.

TL;DR

Link security involves protecting the URLs you share from being exploited for phishing, malware distribution, or unauthorized access. The primary risks include malicious redirects, credential theft, and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Strong link security relies on using branded domains, enforcing HTTPS, implementing link expiration, and educating your team on how to identify suspicious URLs. Organizations should also consider using Safe Links protection and regularly auditing their shared links.

Key Takeaways

Link security is the practice of ensuring that every shared URL leads to its intended, safe destination and cannot be exploited for malicious purposes.
URL shorteners are frequently abused by threat actors for phishing campaigns and malware delivery, making it essential to choose a reputable service and use branded links.
Implementing branded domains and HTTPS for all shortened links builds trust and reduces the risk of your links being flagged as spam.
Tools like Microsoft’s Safe Links provide time-of-click protection by scanning URLs in real time and blocking known malicious destinations.
Link security best practices include regular link audits, employee training, two-factor authentication on link management platforms, and monitoring for suspicious click activity.

Why Link Security Matters

Links are the backbone of how we navigate the internet, but they’re also one of the most common attack vectors. A link might say “Company X website” but take you somewhere completely different, such as a phishing page designed to steal your credentials.

This problem is amplified by URL shorteners. Services that compress long web addresses create an extra layer of obfuscation that threat actors can exploit. These short links mask the true destination, making it harder for users to assess the risk before clicking.

Beyond the immediate threat of malware or credential theft, link security failures can have lasting consequences: brand reputation damage, lost customer trust, compliance violations, and financial losses from fraud or ransomware.

Understanding URL Shortener Security Risks

While URL shorteners are legitimate marketing tools, threat actors have discovered how to misuse them at scale. Here are the most common risks associated with shortened links.

Phishing and Credential Theft

Phishing is the most widespread threat associated with shortened URLs. Attackers create legitimate-looking short links that redirect to fake login pages designed to steal usernames and passwords. A study of threat campaigns found that popular shortening services are frequently misused for credential phishing, with some services seeing malware delivered in over 15% of malicious campaigns.

Malware Distribution

Shortened links can lead directly to malware downloads or exploit kits. Remote Access Trojans (RATs), information stealers, and other malware families have all been distributed via shortened URLs. Once installed, these can give attackers remote control of devices, exfiltrate sensitive data, or serve as a foothold for larger network intrusions.

Traffic Routing and Dynamic Targeting

Some sophisticated threats use traffic routing to deliver different content based on the visitor’s device, location, or browser. Threat actors can redirect analysis tools to harmless sites while sending actual victims to phishing pages optimized for their specific device. This makes detection and analysis significantly more difficult.

Analytics as Intelligence

Even when a shortened link doesn’t deliver malware, its analytics can be weaponized. Click data reveals when and where links are accessed, the devices and browsers used, and even language preferences. This intelligence helps attackers refine their targeting for future spear-phishing campaigns.

Link Expiration as an Evasion Tactic

Threat actors often set expiration times on malicious links to make analysis more difficult. By the time security researchers or analysts investigate, the link may have already become inactive, preventing a thorough examination of the attack.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerabilities

Even legitimate URL shortening platforms can contain security vulnerabilities. For example, a self-hosted PHP URL shortener known as YOURLS had a vulnerability that allowed attackers to poison statistics pages with JavaScript code. When an administrator viewed the affected page, the malicious script would execute and could access sensitive data.

This demonstrates that link security isn’t just about the destination URL—the shortening platform itself must be properly secured.

Best Practices for Link Security

Strong link security requires a combination of technical safeguards, organizational policies, and user awareness.

1. Use Branded Domains for All Shortened Links

Using branded links—short URLs that include your own domain name—is one of the most effective security measures you can implement. Branded links build trust because recipients recognize the domain and are more likely to click. They also make impersonation more difficult and reduce the risk of being flagged as spam.

On social media and in email campaigns, using your own domain reinforces credibility, improves analytics accuracy, and provides every link with a consistent baseline of security and trust.

2. Implement HTTPS for All Links

All shortened links should use HTTPS encryption. This protects against man-in-the-middle attacks and ensures that both the click and the destination are encrypted. Modern browsers also flag non-HTTPS sites as insecure, which can deter users from clicking even legitimate links.

3. Set Link Expiration for Sensitive Content

For links to authentication pages, payment portals, or time-sensitive content, implement link expiration. This limits the window of opportunity for misuse if the link is accidentally exposed or compromised.

4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Secure access to your link management platform with two-factor authentication (2FA). This extra layer of verification prevents unauthorized link creation or modification, even if user credentials are compromised.

5. Conduct Regular Link Audits

Systematically review all shared links across your channels. Regular audits help you identify broken links, detect potential threats, and track performance trends that may indicate misuse. A well-documented audit process also supports compliance and strengthens accountability.

6. Train Employees on Link Safety

Human error is one of the most common sources of link-related risk. Establish ongoing security awareness programs to help employees:

Identify suspicious URLs and domain spoofing attempts
Understand the difference between a link’s display text and its true destination
Use branded shorteners correctly
Follow proper approval processes for sharing links
Report incidents immediately

7. Apply Safe Links Protection

If your organization uses Microsoft 365, consider implementing Safe Links protection. This feature checks links against a list of known malicious destinations when users click them—either in email, Microsoft Teams, or Office apps.

Safe Links can be configured to:

Rewrite URLs to enable time-of-click protection
Scan links in real time, including those pointing to files
Apply protection to internal email messages as well as external ones
Block users from bypassing warning pages

How to Identify Suspicious Links

Understanding how to evaluate a URL before clicking is a critical skill. Here’s what to look for, based on guidance from national cybersecurity authorities.

Examine the Domain Name Carefully

Scammers often use subtle modifications to legitimate domains to trick users. Pay attention to:

Hyphens and punctuation: A legitimate domain like www.post.ch might be spoofed as www-post.ch. Remember that domain components are separated by periods, not hyphens.
Look-alike characters: Some domains use characters that appear similar to legitimate ones.
Unfamiliar top-level domains: While not always a sign of fraud, top-level domains like .top, .sbs, .cfd, and .xyz are sometimes used in scams.

Here’s a comparison of legitimate versus spoofed domains:

Legitimate Domain	Common Spoof	Red Flag
www.post.ch	www-post.ch	Hyphen used instead of period
login.ubs.com	login.ubs-com.net	Hyphen after domain; unfamiliar TLD
www.paypal.com	www.paypa1.com	Letter replaced with number

Look for HTTPS

While HTTPS alone doesn’t guarantee safety, its absence is a red flag. Modern browsers will typically attempt to use HTTPS automatically if available.

Use Link Preview Tools

Various browser extensions and web-based tools allow you to preview the destination of a shortened URL without clicking it. This can be particularly useful for links from unknown sources.

Link Security for Different Channels

Different communication channels pose different risks and require tailored security approaches.

Email

Prioritize links from your domain to improve deliverability and reduce spam-filter triggers. Avoid generic shorteners that obscure destinations or appear suspicious. Maintain consistent domain usage across all campaigns for stronger brand recognition.

SMS and Messaging

Use your domain for all text message links. Set time-based expiration for sensitive links (like payment or authentication URLs) and verify all transactional links before deployment. This ensures recipients recognize legitimate communications and protects your business from phishing impersonation.

Social Media

Social channels connect you to audiences at scale but also expose your brand to impersonation, phishing, and spam risks. Best practices include:

Using links from your domain to reinforce credibility
Avoiding clickbait or misleading content
Always sharing HTTPS-secured links
Controlling third-party app permissions and integrations
Regularly curating your audience to remove bots or suspicious accounts

Privacy Implications of URL Shortening

URL shortening services do more than compress links; they also facilitate the tracking of clicks and collection of user data. While this tracking is usually benign and even beneficial for marketers, it can create privacy risks in sensitive contexts.

In scientific peer review, for example, shortened URLs can compromise reviewer anonymity. Click data can reveal IP addresses, geolocation, timestamps, and device information—all of which could identify a reviewer if cross-referenced with other data points. Using a VPN can help mask identity, but the safest approach for sensitive contexts is to avoid shortened URLs entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if a shortened link is safe?

Use a link preview tool or browser extension to see the destination before clicking. Look for branded domains you recognize and avoid links from unknown sources. If you’re uncertain, don’t click—navigate to the site directly instead.

Are paid URL shorteners more secure than free ones?

Paid services typically offer more security features, including branded domains, link expiration, password protection, and advanced analytics. However, even free services from reputable providers can be secure if used properly.

What is the most secure way to share links?

Using a branded domain with HTTPS, setting appropriate link expiration, and using a reliable link management platform with security features. For sensitive internal links, consider using a self-hosted solution or a service with encryption and access controls.

How do Safe Links protect my organization?

Microsoft’s Safe Links checks URLs in real time against a list of known malicious destinations when users click on them. It can also scan links in email, Teams messages, and Office apps, blocking access to dangerous sites and providing reporting on threats.

Can threat actors use my own branded short links against me?

If a threat actor gains access to your link management account, they could create malicious links under your trusted domain. That’s why securing the platform with 2FA and monitoring link creation activity is essential.

What should I do if I suspect a link is malicious?

Don’t click it. Report it to your IT or security team if you’re at work. If you receive it by email, mark the message as spam and—depending on your organization’s policy—consider reporting the phishing attempt to your email security team.

Sources

Have a link security challenge you’d like us to cover next? Share your question in the comments. And if you’re ready to start sharing links with greater security and control, try our branded link management platform to protect your brand and your audience.

The Complete Guide to Link Security