Learn
Security terms in plain English
These are the technical words that can appear in a report. Knowing what they mean should not require a technology background.
- Security certificate
- A security certificate is a small digital file that helps your browser make an encrypted HTTPS connection. It can show that a website controls the domain it is using. It does not prove that the business is honest, that its products are genuine, or that a payment is safe.
- HTTPS
- HTTPS is the secure version of a website connection. The padlock in the address bar indicates that traffic is encrypted, but it does not mean the website is safe to buy from.
- Domain
- The web address people type, such as example.co.za. A domain is the name of a website location, not proof of the people or business behind it.
- Domain age
- How long the domain has been registered. A young domain is not automatically dishonest. Many honest businesses are new, and a dishonest business can keep an older domain.
- WHOIS
- A public record that contains some registration information about a domain. It can help show when a domain was created, although the information may be incomplete or protected.
- MX record
- A DNS setting that tells the internet where to deliver email for a domain. A working MX record means the domain is set up to receive mail. It does not prove that the person who controls the domain is legitimate.
- CIPC
- The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission. A CIPC registration number can help someone look up a registered South African company. A number being published is not proof that the website is connected to that company.
- Google Safe Browsing
- A Google service that reports known malicious or deceptive URLs. It is one source of information, not a complete list of scam websites.
- URLhaus
- A public database of malware distribution links. A listing is a strong warning sign, but no listing does not mean a site is safe.
- Phone numbering area
- The geographic area associated with a South African fixed-line number. It does not confirm where a business is located, because numbers can be forwarded, ported, or used by an online business.
- Rate limit
- A limit on how many checks one network address can make in a day. It helps keep the service available and limits automated abuse.
A technical detail can be useful without proving that a website is safe. ScamCheck ZA shows what we found and what we could not check. It never publishes a verdict that a business is a scam.