Skip to main content

Scammers’ latest phishing attacks are using that little green padlock to fool you

Chrome ad blocker
Digital Trends

When you visit a website in a browser, it’s long been advised that you check for the green padlock icon next to the web address in the URL bar to indicate that you’re visiting a secure site. However, as cybercriminals and hackers are also using security features — for the nefarious purpose of tricking you — that security advice no longer holds true.

Cybersecurity researchers at PhishLabs reported that nearly half of all fraudulent websites are also using the green padlock symbol in the URL bar, with the hope that you’ll be fooled into thinking that you’re in fact visiting a legitimate and secure site. And because many web surfers have been trained into believing that the green padlock logo indicates that a site is safe, the number of fraudulent websites adopting the padlock has increased from 24 percent in 2017 to nearly 50 percent in 2018.

Recommended Videos

When a browser shows the green padlock in the browser bar, it means that a site is sending information over an encrypted connection. That doesn’t mean that only legitimate sites will have access to the padlock logo, but it does mean that you should not enter private information — like credit card or Social Security numbers — on a site lacking that logo. However, given that hackers are getting more sophisticated, you should also do more research and make sure you’re actually on a legitimate website even when you do see a green padlock.

When you’re visiting a fraudulent website with a green padlock, it means that the information you’ve entered will be transmitted over an encrypted connection. But instead of going to your favorite ecommerce site to make your purchase, your credit card details will be transmitted securely to a hacker phishing for your information.

Researchers cite cheaper access to encrypted connections as one reason for the rise in fraudulent websites with the green padlock. “Criminals can now easily obtain certificates that enable the padlock to show up and encryption to take place, and they can do it without revealing very much about who they are,” CNET reported.

The increased use of the green padlock may also stem from publicity around the feature. Popular browsers like Google’s Chrome or Mozilla’s Firefox began flashing red warnings to users when they visited an unsecured site, which is often noted with an HTTP rather than an HTTPS prefix.

Chuong Nguyen
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
I have Meta Quest 3S and this is the best VR accessory yet — it’s on sale
Kiwi Design best VR accessory Meta Quest 3 headstrap

Ahead of the holidays and some prime family time, I've picked up the Meta Quest 3S. So far, my family is absolutely loving it, and my kids are constantly bugging me to play games, explore worlds, and get virtual. Naturally, I manage the time we're all spending -- you don't want too much screen time. But regardless, every one of us ends up becoming immersed, which means spending a lot of time with the headset on. One of the biggest drawbacks of the stock setup is that the headstrap is uncomfortable, and it puts a lot of pressure on your face. That means, the Meta Quest 3S's best VR accessory -- and the Meta Quest 3, too -- is a new, custom strap.

We grabbed the Kiwi Design Quest 3-Quest 3S headstrap and it's fantastic. It's also on sale right now for 20% off. Normally $30, it's discounted to $24 with a coupon code. Why am I sharing? If you pick up a Meta Quest 3 or 3S for yourself, or you're planning to gift one to someone over the holidays, I highly recommend ordering one of these straps. It vastly improves the experience and makes wearing the headset much more comfortable. It's also easy to adjust the fit, which is a big deal for kids. You have no idea how frustrating it was to constantly adjust the headstrap for my children between each turn.

Read more
Best early GPU Black Friday deals: Save on top graphics cards now
The Gigabyte RX 6750 GRE graphics card over a dark background.

Building a PC from scratch can be a lot of fun, and with the upcoming Black Friday on November 29, it's a perfect time for you to pick up hardware. One of the most fun bits of any build is picking the parts, and for that, graphics cards are probably the most fun to pick between. That said, GPUs also tend to be the most expensive pieces of hardware that go into a desktop, especially if you're trying to aim for something in the mid-to-high-end range that can easily reach $500 or even $1,000. That's why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite early Black Friday GPU deals for you below.
GIGABYTE NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 -- $290 $350 17% off

This RTX 3060 is a great starter card for those who want to be on a budget and will handle most slightly older games pretty well at 1080p and 60Hz, potentially up to 100. It may struggle a bit with newer titles without compromises, but that's fine given the reduced $290 price point.

Read more
Nvidia just scaled down DLSS 3, and that’s a good thing
The RTX 4080 Super graphics card sitting on a pink background.

Nvidia's signature tech, DLSS 3, just got yet another update -- and although it's subtle, it actually seems like a good thing for some of the best graphics cards. The latest version, 3.8.10, bundled with the GeForce 566.14 driver, doesn't seem to introduce any major changes, but Nvidia enthusiasts noticed that it's about half the size that it used to be. Where's that difference coming from?

No, Nvidia didn't downgrade DLSS 3 -- at least not in any major way. Although this hasn't been confirmed by Nvidia itself, it appears that the company removed a whole bunch of DLSS presets and replaced them with just two. These presets make it easier for gamers to choose the type of focus they want to apply to each game.

Read more