I clicked a link - now what.
You clicked on a suspicious link - either by accident or you thought it was legitimate. Panic sets in, you know, you KNOW, they always say don’t click the link, but here you are. Don not panic. Follow the 4 steps below to help you uncover the impact and clean up if necessary.
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Disconnect
If you clicked a bad or suspicious link
Disconnect from the Internet:
Why: If you can, turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data on your phone.
How: You can usually do this by swiping down from the top of your screen and tapping the Wi-Fi and mobile data icons to turn them off.
Why It Helps: By disconnecting, you can stop any bad stuff from getting onto your phone and causing more problems.
Doing this can help protect your phone from further potential harm after clicking on a suspicious link.
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Check
Check for strange behavior
How to see if something's wrong with your phone after clicking a link:
Pop-ups: Look out for any surprise windows or sudden jumps to other websites that you didn't expect.
Performance: If your phone starts acting slow or doing weird things like freezing or crashing, it might mean something's up.
Battery Drain: If your battery is draining faster than usual, even when you're not using your phone much, it could be a sign that something's going on.
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Install
Install Malware Detection apps
Antivirus Apps: Get apps like Avast, McAfee, or Norton. They check for and stop bad software.
Anti-Malware Apps: Use apps like Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, or Kaspersky. They find and remove bad stuff from your phone.
Se below for more details
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Clean Up
How to Clean up the bad stuff
Quarantine: If the app finds anything bad, put it in a special spot called "quarantine."
Delete: After that, delete those bad files from quarantine.
Scan and Update: Finally, scan your phone and update all your apps to keep everything safe.
how to check a link on your phone
How to Safely Check a URL on Your Phone:
Copy the URL:
Step 1: Tap and hold on the URL link you want to check.
Step 2: Select "Copy" from the options that appear.
Use a Safe Browsing Tool:
Step 3: Open your preferred safe browsing tool or website checker on your phone's web browser.
Step 4: Paste the copied URL into the search or address bar of the safe browsing tool.
Review the Website Reputation:
Step 5: The safe browsing tool will analyze the URL and provide information about the website's reputation.
Step 6: Check the reputation rating or safety score to see if the website is considered safe or if there are any warnings about potential risks.
Recommended Safe Browsing Tools:
Google Safe Browsing: Available as a feature in Google Chrome, this tool provides warnings about potentially harmful websites.
Check My Link Ireland: is a new national service that will be led by Cyber Skills in association with Scam Adviser and An Garda Síochána. The aim is to increase consumers’ confidence that an online website that they are buying from is authentic, and to make sure that the website is not infected with malware.
Norton Safe Web: Norton offers a free Safe Web tool that analyzes websites and provides safety ratings.
McAfee WebAdvisor: McAfee's WebAdvisor tool offers website safety ratings and alerts about potential risks.
Things to Remember:
Be Cautious: Even if a website is rated as safe, always be cautious and think twice before entering any personal information or downloading anything.
By following these steps and using safe browsing tools, you can check a URL safely on your phone and protect yourself from potential online threats.
how to check a ‘tiny url’ or shortened link
Copy the link:
Step 1: Copy the link that you want to check.
You can usually do this by tapping and holding the link, then selecting "Copy link" or similar.
Use a URL Expander Service:
Step 2: Go to a URL expander service website like "CheckShortURL" or "Unshorten.It".
Step 3: Paste the copied TinyURL into the URL expander's search bar and click "Expand" or "Unshorten".
View the Expanded URL:
Step 4: The URL expander will show you the original full URL that the TinyURL redirects to.
Step 5: Check the expanded URL to make sure it looks legitimate and matches the website you expect to visit.
Things to Remember:
Be Cautious: Even if the expanded URL looks legitimate, always be cautious and think twice before clicking on any links, especially from unknown or suspicious sources.
Google Phishing Quiz - test your ability to spot a phish
Have I been Pwned - check if your email is in a data breach
preventative actions
Install Security Apps:
Antivirus Apps:
Where to Get: You can find them in the App Store (for iPhone) or Google Play Store (for Android).
Cost: Some have free versions with basic features, and others offer paid versions with more features. Apps like Avast, McAfee, and Norton have both free and paid options.
What They Do: They check for and stop bad software.
Anti-Malware Apps:
Where to Get: Also available in the App Store or Google Play Store.
Cost: Apps like Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, and Kaspersky offer free versions with basic features and paid versions with more features.
What They Do: They find and remove bad stuff from your phone.
Keep Your Phone Updated:
Software Updates: Regularly update your phone's operating system and apps to ensure you have the latest security patches and features.
Automatic Updates: Enable automatic updates to make sure you don't miss any critical security updates.
Use Strong and Unique Passwords:
Password Manager: Use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to create and store strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA wherever possible to add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Be Wary of App Permissions:
Check Permissions: When installing new apps, carefully review the permissions they request. Only grant permissions that are necessary for the app's functionality.
Limit App Permissions: Regularly review and update app permissions to ensure that apps only have access to the data and features they need.
Backup Your Data:
Regular Backups: Regularly backup important data and files on your phone to a secure cloud storage service or external storage device.
Cloud Backup: Enable automatic cloud backup if your phone offers this feature to protect your data in case of loss, theft, or malware infection.
By following these preventative tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of encountering security issues on your phone and stay one step ahead of potential threats.