How to check for and report unsafe websites from Internet Explorer

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One has to be very careful and alert these days while browsing the Internet. There will be websites who will knowing try to engage you in a Phishing scam or even forcefully attempt to install malware on your computer. And there will also be those genuine webmasters whose websites may have been hacked or compromised but who are yet not aware of this fact.

Check for and report malicious websites

The Internet Explorer’s SmartScreen Filter will help detect phishing websites and also protect you from installing malware. It checks the websites you visit against an up-to-the-hour, dynamic list of reported bad sites and warns you if it finds something suspicious.

If using Internet Explorer browser, you have landed on a webpage and wish to check if the URL is suspicious, you can do so as follows:

ie check 400x222 How to check for and report unsafe websites from Internet Explorer

Click on Setting > Safety > Check this website. The website address will then be sent to Microsoft servers to be checked against a list of unsafe websites.

check website 400x186 How to check for and report unsafe websites from Internet Explorer

If you wish to report a website, that has not yet been flagged off as being dangerous, click on Settings > Safety > Report unsafe website.

report website How to check for and report unsafe websites from Internet Explorer

You will be directed to this webpage, where you can report the Phishing and malicious website.

You may also want to have a look at this list of URL scanner addons for your browser and this list of Online URL Scanners to scan websites for malware, virus, phishing, etc.

Posted by on , in Category IE with Tags
Anand aka HappyAndyK is an end-user Windows enthusiast, a Microsoft MVP in Windows Desktop Experience since 2007, and the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, TheGeeksClub.com & WinVistaClub.com. Creating a System Restore Point before trying out a new software or a tweak is always recommended.
  • Firefox User

    What does Microsoft do with the reports? Like the ‘Send to Microsoft’ button when Windows reports an error, they probably do nothing with it.

  • http://www.thewindowsclub.com Anand Khanse

    Microsoft investigates each of such reports – including the Error reports you mentioned. They use such feedback to make their products better.