# Check risky links before you open them

When your organisation turns on link checking, XgenPlus checks every link you click in a mail. If the link looks risky, a **Link Security Alert** shows the full address and the reasons, such as a spoofed or unsecured site. Click **Yes I am sure, I wish to visit the link** to continue, or **No** to stay safe.

## How to check risky links before you open them

1. Click a link in a mail.
2. If a **Link Security Alert** opens, read the reasons and check the full web address it shows.
3. Click **No, I dont want to visit the link** if anything looks wrong, or **Yes I am sure, I wish to visit the link** to open it.

## When to use it

> Meera in accounts at acme.in gets a mail asking her to "re-verify" a payment account at paypa1-secure.com. When she clicks the link, the Link Security Alert says the link may be spoofed and is outside her organisation. She clicks **No** and reports the mail to IT.

## Reasons the alert can show

| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Not your organisation's domain | The link goes to a site outside your organisation. |
| Not secured | The site uses http, not https. |
| Possibly spoofed | The address imitates another, better-known address. |
| Listed as a spam source | The domain is on a public list of known spam or abuse sources. |
| Mail already detected as spam | The mail carrying the link was flagged as spam. |
| Mixed scripts in the address | The address mixes alphabets, a common trick to fake a familiar name. |

## Good to know

- The alert shows the full web address with the hint "Double check the spelling". Look for swapped letters such as 1 for l.
- Clicking an email address link opens a new mail instead of the alert.

## Common questions

**Why don't I ever see the Link Security Alert?**

Your domain administrator must turn on the link security alert for your domain. Also, safe links open without a warning; the alert appears only when a link looks risky.

**Does the check work in attached mails too?**

Yes. Links in **Full Comfort View** and in attached mails you open in XgenPlus are checked the same way.


Source: https://docs.xgenplus.com/mail/link-security-alert/