If the "www" is missing from a URL is it necessarily an attempt at phishing ?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of the absence of "www" in a URL and whether it indicates a phishing attempt. Participants also explore the significance of capitalization in URLs and their case sensitivity.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that the absence of "www" does not necessarily indicate a phishing attempt, as URLs without "www" can still direct users to the same site.
  • Others suggest that phishing sites typically obscure their addresses or use domains that are similar to legitimate ones.
  • One participant notes that URLs are not case-sensitive, implying that capitalization does not affect the destination of a URL.
  • Another participant points out that not all front servers are required to use "www," indicating that different prefixes can be used for various services.
  • It is mentioned that even secure banking sites may use different prefixes or none at all, highlighting the variability in URL structures.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the significance of "www" in URLs and the implications for phishing. There is no consensus on whether the absence of "www" is a reliable indicator of phishing attempts.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on assumptions about URL behavior and the nature of phishing, which may not be universally applicable. The discussion does not resolve the nuances of URL case sensitivity and the implications of different prefixes.

B0b-A
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If the "www" is missing from a URL is it necessarily an attempt at phishing ? ,

e.g. instead of https://www.physicsforums.com , what is shown is https://www.physicsforums.com

[ that was just an example, my question does not relate to physicsforums URLs ].

Supplementary question : does capitalisation make a difference,

e.g. can https://PhysicsForums.com take you to a place other than https://www.physicsforums.com

[ i.e. are URLs case-sensitive ]
 
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B0b-A said:
If the "www" is missing from a URL is it necessarily an attempt at phishing ?
No, the version without www will get you to the same place. Phishing sites will usually hide their address or buy a domain that's close like physicforum.com.
B0b-A said:
e.g. instead of https://www.physicsforums.com , what is shown is https://www.physicsforums.com

[ that was just an example, my question does not relate to physicsforums URLs ].

Supplementary question : does capitalisation make a difference,

e.g. can https://PhysicsForums.com take you to a place other than https://www.physicsforums.com

[ i.e. are URLs case-sensitive ]
URLs are not case-sensitive.
 
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About the WWW, no, not all front servers are named WWW. Let your search engine or DNS server show you the options - mail, ftp, irc et cetera.
 
Concur.

www is a convention, but by no means consistent or necessary.
Even banking sites that live and die by security have different prefixes or no prefixes at all. eg.my Royal Bank site is www1.royalbank.ca
 

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