Domain Analyzer

Is this government website real?

Before you enter personal data on a site claiming to be a government service, use our domain analyzer. It checks if the site has proper security and if its ownership details match official records.

What does the domain analyzer check?

Our tool examines several key aspects of a website:

• Security: It looks for HTTPS and six important security headers.
• Certificates: It verifies the TLS certificate, its issuer, and expiry date.
• Subdomains: It lists all subdomains named in the certificate.
• DNS Records: It checks for DMARC, CAA, and DNSSEC records.
• Registration: It shows the domain’s registration date, registrar, and expiry.
• Server Details: It identifies the server location, hosting provider, and network.
• Website Structure: It analyzes the homepage, including titles, descriptions, and headings.
• Platform: It detects platforms like WordPress or Angular.
• Schema.org: It lists any published schema.org types.
• Robots.txt: It shows rules and if AI crawlers are blocked.
• Sitemap: It reports the sitemap size.
• Redirects: It checks for redirect and canonicalisation behavior.
• Error Handling: It shows what the domain returns for a non-existent URL.
• Third-Party Services: It lists third-party hosts, cookies, and trackers.
• Standard Pages: It verifies the existence of about, contact, privacy, and terms pages.

What will the domain analyzer not tell me?

Our tool does not provide:

• Traffic estimates
• Domain authority or ranking scores
• Keyword data
• Backlink information
• SEO scores

These metrics cannot be determined by inspecting a domain. They require access to search engine data or website analytics.

What if a site blocks the check?

If a website blocks automated requests, our tool will still produce a report. The report will be labelled as blocked. It will not include content-derived information. However, certificate, DNS, registration, and robots.txt details will still be shown. This is because these are served to everyone, regardless of access restrictions.

How does the domain analyzer protect my privacy?

Our tool respects your privacy in several ways:

• We do not store any personal data.
• Building a report queries the domain registry over RDAP and an IP geolocation service. This is necessary to provide accurate information.
• We do not track your activity on our site.
• We do not share your data with third parties.

Our goal is to help you verify website legitimacy without compromising your privacy.

What does the report look like?

The report is presented in a clear, organized format. Here is a simplified example:

What should I do with the report?

Use the report to assess the website’s security and legitimacy. Look for signs of poor security, such as missing security headers or invalid certificates. Check if the registration details match the organization the site claims to represent. If anything seems suspicious, avoid entering personal information.

How often should I use the domain analyzer?

Regularly check websites that handle sensitive information, such as banking or government services. New security issues can arise, and website configurations can change. Our tool caches reports for 14 days, so you can check back periodically to ensure the site remains trustworthy.

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How often is the domain analysis report refreshed?

Our domain analysis tool generates reports by scanning various data points related to a domain. These reports are not generated in real-time but are instead refreshed at regular intervals to ensure accuracy and efficiency. Typically, a report is refreshed every 24 to 48 hours. This interval allows us to maintain up-to-date information while optimizing the tool’s performance and resource usage.

Understanding the refresh rate is crucial because the internet is dynamic, and changes can occur at any time. While the report provides a snapshot of the domain’s status and characteristics at the time of the last scan, it may not reflect the most recent changes. For instance, if a website undergoes significant alterations or is taken down shortly after you run a check, the report might not immediately reflect these changes. Therefore, for the most current information, especially in cases where the site’s authenticity is in question, consider running the analysis again after a short period.

Why is the report cached?

Caching the reports serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it helps in reducing the load on our servers by avoiding the need to generate a new report every time a user requests information about a domain that has already been analyzed recently. This efficiency ensures that the tool remains free and accessible to all users. Secondly, caching contributes to faster load times, providing you with quicker access to the information you need without unnecessary delays.

However, it is important to be aware of the cached nature of the reports. If you suspect that a website has been altered or if you need the most recent data, you may want to perform the analysis again after the refresh interval has passed.

What does the domain registration date tell me?

The registration date of a domain can provide some insights into the website’s history and credibility. Generally, older domains are often considered more trustworthy because they have a longer online presence. However, this is not a foolproof method for determining the legitimacy of a site. Scammers can register domains well in advance and may use them for malicious purposes later on.

It is also important to note that the registration date does not reveal any information about the content or purpose of the website. A domain registered years ago could still be used for fraudulent activities if it has been compromised or if the original owner has malicious intentions. Therefore, while the registration date can be a piece of the puzzle, it should not be the sole factor in assessing a site’s authenticity.

How can I use the registration date in my analysis?

When evaluating a website, consider the registration date as a preliminary indicator. If a domain is relatively new and claims to be an established government service, you might want to exercise additional caution. Cross-reference the registration date with other data points, such as the security certificate count and hosting location, to form a more comprehensive understanding. Remember, a single piece of information is rarely enough to make a definitive judgment.

What does the security certificate count mean?

The security certificate count refers to the number of SSL/TLS certificates associated with a domain. These certificates are essential for encrypting data transmitted between the user’s browser and the website, ensuring that the information remains secure. A higher number of certificates can indicate that the site takes security seriously and has multiple layers of protection.

However, the count alone does not guarantee the site’s legitimacy. Certificates can be obtained by anyone, and scammers may use them to create a false sense of security. It is crucial to look at the issuer of the certificates and ensure they come from reputable certificate authorities. Additionally, check for other security indicators, such as the presence of HTTPS in the URL and the site’s privacy policy, to form a complete picture.

How should I interpret the security certificate count?

When interpreting the security certificate count, consider it as one of several factors in your analysis. A high count can be a positive sign, but it should be evaluated alongside other elements like the domain’s registration date, hosting location, and the overall design and content of the site. If a website has a low number of certificates or none at all, it may be a red flag, especially if it handles sensitive information.

Always remember that security is multifaceted, and no single measure can provide absolute assurance. Use the security certificate count as a guide, but rely on a combination of indicators to assess the trustworthiness of a website.

Frequently asked questions

11 domains analysed on this site.