The National Institute of Cyber Security on Monday urged people not to click on shortened URLs, after discovering that some URL-shortening services had been abused by scammers.
Short URL services — commonly known as URL shorteners — are often valued for their readability, aesthetics and convenience, the institute said in a statement.
However, as users cannot easily identify the true destination of a shortened link, such services have become an effective vehicle for phishing attacks, it said.
Photo: CNA
From January to September this year, more than 15 million phishing-related threat indicators were collected worldwide, and more than half of the top 10 sources were popular URL shorteners, including bit.ly, tinyurl.com and t.co, the institute said.
The findings highlight how these platforms are widely used to conceal malicious Web sites, making it difficult for users to determine whether a link is safe before clicking, the institute said.
Recently, Taiwan’s ppt.cc shortening service was found to be exploited in a phishing campaign impersonating Cogeco, a Canadian telecommunications and Internet provider, the institute said.
The malicious links redirected users to fake login pages designed to steal account credentials, which could then be used for further online fraud, it said.
Security experts recommend that organizations and individuals employ Web filtering tools and URL expansion mechanisms to detect and block access to phishing sites.
While some social media platforms also provide link previews to help users verify a link’s authenticity, identifying threats hidden within legitimate services still relies heavily on user awareness, the institute said.
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