LinkGuard: How to Tell If a Link Is Suspicious Before You Click
LinkGuard is an open-source tool that follows a link's redirects, asks five global sources at once, and gives you a 0–100 risk score with an explanation of why.
LinkGuard is a tool for checking suspicious links before you open them. You paste the link, and the tool follows the chain of redirects behind it, asks five global threat-intelligence sources at the same time, then gives you a risk score from 0 to 100 with a plain explanation of why. It is open source under the MIT licence, and its website works in Arabic and English.
Its motto is simple: know before you click.
Why do we need to check links?
Phishing is a crime that combines social engineering with technical tricks to steal people's personal data and financial account details, according to the definition used by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) [1].
It is not going away. In 2025 the APWG observed about 3.8 million phishing attacks, up slightly from 3.76 million in 2024 [1]. Its report for the last quarter noted that the use of text messages for phishing rose [1].
The link is a common doorway for these attacks: a page that looks like your bank or your account, but whose address differs by one letter.
How does LinkGuard check a link?
- It follows the redirects. Many suspicious links pass through several redirects before they reach their real destination. The tool follows them for up to 8 hops. It also protects itself against SSRF attacks, which abuse an application to reach the internal network or the machine itself [3]. That protection is necessary for any tool that opens links sent by strangers.
- It asks five sources at once. They are VirusTotal, Google Safe Browsing, URLhaus, PhishTank and AbuseIPDB. VirusTotal itself brings together the verdicts of more than 70 antivirus scanners and blocklist services [2].
- It runs its own checks. It detects look-alike domains and similar-looking characters, and checks the domain's age and SSL certificate, with no outside API keys needed.
- It calculates the score and explains it. From 0 to 100, with a "Why this verdict?" panel beside it that lists the reasons.
What does the score mean?
The score is not a mystery number. Every verdict comes with the reason for it, so you understand it instead of just trusting it.
If one of the five sources fails during a scan, confidence in the result drops and the scan keeps going. In other words, the tool gives you the best it has and is honest that it did not see everything.
No tool guarantees 100%. The website itself says results may not be fully accurate, and that scanning a link does not mean endorsing it. Use the tool as an extra layer of protection, not as a replacement for caution.
What else is in the tool?
- A QR code scanner, so you can check a code before you open what is behind it.
- A scan history stored on your own device.
- An installable web app (PWA) for your phone, with an Android app coming soon.
Five habits that protect you before you click
- Look at the real domain, the part before the first single slash in the address, not the name shown in the message.
- Be wary of urgency. "Your account will be closed within an hour" is a phrase scammers use to stop you from thinking.
- Don't enter your details from a link that reached you in a message. Open the official site or app yourself.
- Be careful with shortened links and QR codes from a source you don't know.
- Check the link with a tool before opening it, and if doubt remains, don't click.
Why did we open the code?
A tool that judges people's links should let people see how it judges. That is why it is licensed under MIT. It is one of ScoutHub Lab's initiatives.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does LinkGuard check?
It follows a link's redirects, asks five sources at once, checks for look-alike domains, the domain's age and its certificate, then gives you a score from 0 to 100 with an explanation.
Can I rely on it alone?
No. No tool guarantees full accuracy. Combine the tool with the habits of caution listed above.
What happens if one of the sources fails?
Confidence in the result drops and the scan continues.
Does it scan QR codes?
Yes, it has a QR code scanner.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, as an installable web app. An Android app is coming soon.
Is the tool open source?
Yes, under the MIT licence.
Where can I find it?
At linkguard.scouthub.dev, and there is a short profile on the project page.
Frequently asked questions
- How can I tell if a link is suspicious before I click it?
- Five habits protect you before you click: look at the real domain in the address, not the name shown in the message. Be wary of urgency, such as “your account will be closed within an hour.” Never enter your details from a link sent in a message; open the official site yourself. Be careful with short links and QR codes. Check the link with a tool like LinkGuard first.
- Why do we need to check links?
- Because phishing is not going away. The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) observed about 3.8 million phishing attacks in 2025, up from 3.76 million in 2024, and noted that phishing by text message rose. Links are a common doorway for these attacks: a page that looks like your bank, but whose address differs by one letter.
- Which sources does LinkGuard use to check a link?
- LinkGuard asks five global threat-intelligence sources at the same time: VirusTotal, Google Safe Browsing, URLhaus, PhishTank and AbuseIPDB. VirusTotal alone brings together the verdicts of more than 70 antivirus scanners and blocklist services. LinkGuard adds its own checks for lookalike domains, domain age and the SSL certificate.
References
- Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) (2026). Phishing Activity Trends Report, 4th Quarter 2025
- VirusTotal. How VirusTotal works
- OWASP. Server-Side Request Forgery Prevention Cheat Sheet