Hotmail s url protect

You're referring to the URL protection feature in Hotmail (now Outlook.com).

Hotmail's URL protection feature, also known as "URL protection" or "URL masking," is a security feature that helps prevent phishing attacks by hiding the actual URL of a link in an email. When you click on a link in an email, the URL is temporarily replaced with a Hotmail-branded URL, making it more difficult for attackers to trick you into visiting a malicious website.

Here's how it works:

  1. When you receive an email with a link, the link is checked by Hotmail's servers to ensure it's legitimate.
  2. If the link is deemed safe, Hotmail replaces the actual URL with a temporary URL that looks like this: https://outlook.com/owa/?url=<actual_url>.
  3. When you click on the link, you'll be taken to the temporary URL, which then redirects you to the actual URL.

This feature helps protect you from phishing attacks by:

  1. Hiding the actual URL, making it harder for attackers to trick you into visiting a malicious website.
  2. Providing an additional layer of security by checking the link against Hotmail's database of known malicious URLs.

To enable or disable URL protection in Hotmail (Outlook.com), follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to your Hotmail (Outlook.com) account.
  2. Click on the gear icon () in the top right corner of the page.
  3. Select "View all Outlook settings" from the dropdown menu.
  4. Scroll down to the "Security" section.
  5. Toggle the switch next to "URL protection" to enable or disable the feature.

Keep in mind that URL protection is just one of the many security features available in Hotmail (Outlook.com). It's still important to be cautious when clicking on links in emails, especially from unknown senders.