Shortened URL can be suspicious as it hides the URL of the website it is taking the person clicking on it. One of the main problems is when suspicious short URLs are shared by friends you know. This is quite a gaping hole in all the security measures we take and the only real way to protect against it fully, is to convert that short URL into the original one.
About Untiny Extension for Chrome
- Untiny Extension is perfect for checking that short URL out and see where it is taking you before you actually click on it. The extension sits next to the address bar and hence is very reachable.
- We had covered Unhid a website which also shows the entire URL once you enter a short URL along with PrevURL which shows a thumbnail of the original URL, but that is a webpage and not a extension on the browser itself like Untiny.
- Most times I suspect short URLs is when it is sent through email or Facebook where there is no need to really to user short URL. As a matter of fact there are many instances in which one should not use short URLs.
I think I will find this extension quite handy. It is always better to have such a extension on your browser. With many services to create short URLs it is quite possible that we cannot always trust every short URL sent out to us.
What do you think? Do you trust short URLs blindly or use any other extension or web service to unmask them? Do drop in your comments.
Link: Install Untiny Extension