In the middle of your workday, email notifications are popping up, meetings are being scheduled one after another, and suddenly a message appears on your screen saying, “Click here to review your invoice.” Everything seems pretty normal, doesn’t it? But in the realm of cybersecurity, one click might get everything from your data being stolen to your system being held hostage by ransomware, or even worse, it might start a whole series of unwinding events so that your system is consumed.

One year from now, bait-and-switch links used by cyber criminals will be more convincing than ever before. A piece of information that was mentioned in the FBI Internet Crime Report 2024 is the impact of Business Email Compromise (BEC) type of phishing on the US organizations, which caused the US-based organizations to lose almost $8.5 billion to Business Email Compromise in the Last Three Years in the year 2023. The AI-generated emails that sound just like the actual employees are making it way more difficult than before to figure out if a link is fake or not.

But how to keep a step ahead of them? The seven CyberTech tips that are useful, understood even by the most unconventional worker, and treated with scepticism (and a little fun, because even cybersecurity does not have to be boring) are here.

1. Hover Before You Click

Just before clicking on any link, move your cursor over it. The destination URL will be shown at the bottom of your screen. In case the domain sounds weird – for instance,” paypal.com” instead of “paypal.com” – it is a sign that you should give up. Gartner predicts that by 2026, over 60% of phishing sites will use valid SSL certificates to bypass basic trust indicators.

Even the HTTPS and padlock icons are not the complete safety assurances that they used to be. The crooks have figured out how to leverage secure SSL certificates to disguise their malicious activities. If a link is not revealing itself under proper light, do not click it; instead, check it.

2. Use Trusted Link Scanners

When in doubt, get someone else’s take on it. Experiment with the suspicious URLs in tools such as 

IBM’s 2024 Threat Intelligence Index found that early link scanning prevented 43% of potential endpoint infections in enterprise networks. These tools scan their threat databases to assess site safety. It only takes a few seconds, and you can avoid a lot of trouble at a later stage.

3. Verify the Sender – Always

One of the most successful tactics that phishing only works on is the trust that it gains. Impersonating IT or HR employees to give that email a façade of being genuine is typically the way in which phishers rely. Nearly 98% of successful phishing scams were those that pretended to be internal emails, as a recent SecurityBrief (2025) survey states.

Before you click on any link, verify the following:

  • Was I expecting this email?
  • Is the sender’s email address correct?
  • Is the message usual/authentic?

If you still doubt, seek verification via a different method – call, chat, or even go over to their desk (yes, old school still works).

4. Check Domain Details

A lot can a simple domain check reveal. Run a domain through a WHOIS lookup and check when it was registered. You should be suspicious of new domains, especially those that are less than a month old. 

It can also be that you are checking the SSL certificate info to be completely certain that the owner is the one they say. Is the owner different, or is it a free certificate on a “company” website? If so, this is a fake one.

5. Watch Out for Short Links and QR Codes

Shortened links (e.g., bit.ly) or QR codes do not reveal the true destination of the path. The hackers are taking advantage of these apparently user-friendly tools to disguise the malicious sites they are directing you to.

Before clicking or scanning:

  • Find the full URL using services like CheckShortURL before you open a link.
  • Use security apps to preview content and decide if scanning the QR code is safe.

A year-long study published in arXiv (2025) notes that “quishing” (phishing via QR) has become as effective as traditional methods nowadays, and consequently, a cautious stance should be taken with each QR code fingerprinting.

6. Protect Yourself with MFA

If you clicked on a bad link and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is in place, it can save the day. MFA doesn’t let the hacker access your account with a password only. Instead, you will have to provide, for example, a one-time code or biometric data, to make it very difficult for intruders to get around the password. Microsoft found that MFA blocks over 99.2% of automated account-takeover attempts. 

Hardware security tokens (FIDO2), among the MFA options, are the most secure ones, simple to use, and almost impossible for hackers to crack. So, for double protection, you should go for the phishing-aware MFA like that.

7. Build Habits, Not Just Awareness

Phishing awareness alone has a limited long-term impact on behavior change. Which, in essence, represents a major transformation. Students from the University of Maryland describe in a 2025 scientific publication that “the performance of regular anti-phishing instruction is extremely weak in the long term” when used only as a single method for users’ influence over a lengthy time.

In simpler terms, the users’ condition, supported by real-time alerts, security drills, and reporting instruments, can be so involved as to become habitual and not merely aware of phishing.

Every day, security has to be combined with employees’ habits in such a manner that doubting a link and reporting phishing emails become not only ordinary but also routine office activities. Cybersecurity, instead of social distancing, is teamwork now.

Final Thoughts

Every day, professionals face dozens of clickable decisions. Most seem harmless – but all it takes is one careless click to invite chaos. Think of link safety as digital hygiene: quick, routine, and essential.

Next time that “urgent” email arrives, remember: hover, verify, and pause before you click. The safest action is often the one you don’t take.

FAQs

1. Are we safe if a website uses HTTPS?

No way. HTTPS stands for a highly secure connection. Hence, it does not mean that the site is totally trustworthy. And the domain name must also be looked at.

2. Are link scanning services like VirusTotal totally reliable?

They are among the very best resources for starting the safety verification process of a link; however, they are not totally secure. Only use them with your multi-layer security system.

3. What is the most secure way to verify shortened URLs?

Several new short link preview tools, such as CheckShortURL and even link scanners, make it much easier to see where shortened links lead before clicking. 

4. What do you do if you have clicked on a suspicious link?

Disconnect from the internet, run anti-malware on your device, change your passwords, and notify your IT or security team immediately.

5. How do companies get employees to use safe link habits?

The main way companies establish this goal is through the use of built-in security tools, just-in-time reminders, and the development of a cautious culture rather than one that prioritizes speed over caution. 

For deeper insights on agentic AI governance, identity controls, and real‑world breach data, visit Cyber Tech Insights.

To participate in upcoming interviews, please reach out to our CyberTech Media Room at sudipto@intentamplify.com.