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Is cppreference.com a Scam? Security Check Results - cppreference.com

cppreference.com Security Report Summary

cppreference.com received a security score of 46 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Elevated Risk". This report covers cppreference.com's website security posture. cppreference.com operates in the Technology industry in N/a.

cppreference.com is a well-established online reference platform dedicated to providing comprehensive documentation and reference materials for the C and C++ programming languages. It serves a global audience of developers and programmers seeking authoritative and detailed information on language features, standard libraries, and technical specifications. The site operates primarily as a free resource supported by advertising and community contributions, positioning itself as a key knowledge base in the programming community. Technically, the website is built on the MediaWiki platform, leveraging technologies such as jQuery and MathJax for enhanced content presentation. Hosting is provided by Tiger Technologies, and the site demonstrates good performance and basic mobile optimization. SEO practices are adequately implemented, and the content is well-structured and professionally presented, contributing to a positive user experience. From a security perspective, the site uses HTTPS but lacks several important security headers and does not publish explicit security or incident response policies. There is no cookie consent mechanism despite the presence of advertising and tracking scripts, indicating partial privacy compliance. No critical vulnerabilities or suspicious content were detected, but improvements in security best practices and privacy compliance are recommended. Overall, cppreference.com is a trustworthy and valuable resource with excellent content quality and business credibility. Strategic enhancements in security headers, privacy policies, and incident response transparency would further strengthen its security posture and compliance standing.

The security scan identified 37 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: MediaWiki 1.21.2, jQuery, MathJax, GeSHi syntax highlighter.

About this security scan

Guard performs automated security assessments of websites by analyzing SSL/TLS certificates, HTTP security headers, DNS configuration, email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), GDPR compliance indicators, NIS2 directive compliance, network exposure, and AI-powered business intelligence. Each report provides domain-specific findings, risk scores, and actionable recommendations.

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Is cppreference.com Safe? Security Analysis for cppreference.com

https://cppreference.com

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TechnologyN/asmall
MediaWiki 1.21.2jQueryMathJaxGeSHi syntax highlighter
Analyzed 7/22/2025Completed 7:03:43 PM9mo ago
46
Security Score
HIGH RISK

Below Technology avg (72)

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Domains scanned

500+

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SEQ SIA

Lastadijas 12 k-3, Riga, Latvia, LV-1050

Reg. No. 40203410806 • VAT LV40203410806

Support: guard@offseq.com+371 2256 5353

AI Summary

cppreference.com is a well-established online reference platform dedicated to providing comprehensive documentation and reference materials for the C and C++ programming languages. It serves a global audience of developers and programmers seeking authoritative and detailed information on language features, standard libraries, and technical specifications. The site operates primarily as a free resource supported by advertising and community contributions, positioning itself as a key knowledge base in the programming community. Technically, the website is built on the MediaWiki platform, leveraging technologies such as jQuery and MathJax for enhanced content presentation. Hosting is provided by Tiger Technologies, and the site demonstrates good performance and basic mobile optimization. SEO practices are adequately implemented, and the content is well-structured and professionally presented, contributing to a positive user experience. From a security perspective, the site uses HTTPS but lacks several important security headers and does not publish explicit security or incident response policies. There is no cookie consent mechanism despite the presence of advertising and tracking scripts, indicating partial privacy compliance. No critical vulnerabilities or suspicious content were detected, but improvements in security best practices and privacy compliance are recommended. Overall, cppreference.com is a trustworthy and valuable resource with excellent content quality and business credibility. Strategic enhancements in security headers, privacy policies, and incident response transparency would further strengthen its security posture and compliance standing.

Detected Technologies

MediaWiki 1.21.2jQueryMathJaxGeSHi syntax highlighter

12 urgent findings need attention

12 high

  • + 4 more findings in the full report below
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Security drift alerts

Risk score drops, new high-severity issues, and header hardening gaps

Compliance watch

GDPR / NIS2 posture changes with governance evidence snapshots

Infrastructure surface

Unexpected open services, SSL expiry, DNS & email authentication changes

Content & tracker intelligence

Marketing tech shifts, analytics drift, and AI recommendation updates

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Security Headers

8 findings

15/100

GDPR Compliance

4 findings

53/100

NIS2 Compliance

9 findings

2/100

Email Security

6 findings

55/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

cppreference.com occupies a niche as a specialized technical reference site for C and C++ programmers worldwide. Its competitive advantage lies in the depth and breadth of its documentation, covering multiple language standards and compiler support details. The business model is non-commercial, relying on advertising and community support rather than direct revenue streams. The target audience includes software developers, educators, and students in the programming domain. The site shows indicators of stable growth and community engagement, with no evident partnerships or subsidiaries. Its operations are streamlined and focused on content delivery rather than commercial expansion.

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The security maturity of cppreference.com is moderate. The site enforces HTTPS, which is fundamental, but lacks several recommended security headers such as Content-Security-Policy and Strict-Transport-Security. There is no visible security policy or incident response contact information, which limits transparency and preparedness for security incidents. Privacy compliance is partial, with no cookie consent mechanism despite the use of tracking and advertising scripts. No exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected in the provided content. The overall security posture would benefit from adopting standard security headers, publishing security policies, and implementing privacy consent mechanisms to align with GDPR and other regulations.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement comprehensive security headers including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

cppreference.com

Description:

An online reference site providing comprehensive documentation and reference material for the C and C++ programming languages, including language features, standard libraries, and technical specifications.

Key Services:
C++ language referenceC language referenceStandard library documentationTechnical specifications and compiler support information
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
MediaWiki 1.21.2jQueryMathJaxGeSHi syntax highlighter
Frameworks:
MediaWiki
Performance:

fast

Mobile:

basic

Accessibility:

basic

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
65/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enabled

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google Analytics
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:basic

Advertising & Marketing

Ad Networks:
Carbon Ads
Tracking Pixels:
Google Analytics (gtag.js)
Transparency Level:basic

Website Quality Assessment

Design Quality:good
User Experience:good
Content Relevance:excellent
Navigation Clarity:good
Professionalism:good
Trustworthiness:high

Key Observations

1

Website is a comprehensive and authoritative reference for C and C++ programming languages.

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

15/100
Score

Missing Strict-Transport-Security header

HIGH

Forces HTTPS connections

Missing X-Frame-Options header

HIGH

Prevents clickjacking attacks

Missing X-Content-Type-Options header

MEDIUM

Prevents MIME type sniffing

Missing Content-Security-Policy header

HIGH

Controls resources the browser is allowed to load

Missing X-XSS-Protection header

MEDIUM

Legacy XSS protection (deprecated but still recommended)

Missing Referrer-Policy header

LOW

Controls referrer information sent with requests

Missing Permissions-Policy header

MEDIUM

Controls browser features and APIs

Sensitive data may be cached

LOW

Cache-Control header should include "no-store" for sensitive pages

👤GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment under GDPR regulations.

GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment

53/100
Score

No Cookie Policy found

HIGH

GDPR requires clear information about cookie usage

No Cookie Consent Banner found

HIGH

GDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies

No Data Protection Officer mentioned

LOW

Large organizations may need to designate a DPO under GDPR

Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant

MEDIUM

Privacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements

GDPR Compliance Analysis

Privacy Policy85% confidence
Cookie Policy0% confidence
Contact Information Found90% confidence
emailphone

🛡️NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.

NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive

2/100
Score

No information security framework found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures

No vulnerability disclosure policy

MEDIUM

NIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure

No security policy documentation found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity governance and risk management

No incident response procedures found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented incident response and business continuity plans

No business continuity planning found

MEDIUM

NIS2 emphasizes operational resilience and business continuity

No security contact information

HIGH

NIS2 requires clear incident reporting channels

No vulnerability reporting mechanism

MEDIUM

Clear vulnerability reporting supports coordinated disclosure

No NIS2 reference found

LOW

Consider explicitly mentioning NIS2 compliance efforts

Critical sector without clear security compliance

HIGH

Detected sectors: energy, transport, digital

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📧Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

55/100
Score

DMARC not enforcing

MEDIUM

DMARC policy is set to "none"

No DMARC reporting

LOW

DMARC aggregate reports not configured

No DKIM record found

MEDIUM

DKIM adds cryptographic signatures to emails

No BIMI Record

LOW

BIMI displays brand logos in email clients

No MTA-STS Policy

MEDIUM

MTA-STS enforces TLS for email delivery

No TLS-RPT Record

LOW

TLS-RPT provides reporting for email TLS issues

SPF
Sender Policy Framework
DKIM
DomainKeys Identified Mail
DMARC
Domain-based Message Authentication
MX Records
Mail Exchange Records
BIMI
Brand Indicators
MTA-STS
Mail Transfer Agent Security
TLS-RPT
TLS Reporting
DNSSEC
DNS Security
SPF Details
Record:
v=spf1 include:tigertech.net a/24 mx/24 ~all
DNS Lookups:1/10
Policy:~all
DMARC Details
Policy:none
Forensic Reports:dmarc-reports@tigertech.net

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

85/100
Score

SSL Certificate Expires Within 90 Days

MEDIUM

SSL certificate expires in 61 days

Mixed Content Detected

MEDIUM

17 resources loaded over insecure HTTP

Partial SSL/TLS Assessment

LOW

Completed 2 of 4 security checks due to time constraints

Certificate Details

Subject:*.cppreference.com
Issuer:R11
Valid Until:9/22/2025 (61 days)
SANs:*.cppreference.com, cppreference.com

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

60/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

CAA Records Not Configured

LOW

Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA) records not found

Domain Expires Soon

HIGH

Domain expires in 17 days

Domain Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

DMARC Policy Set to None

LOW

DMARC is configured but not enforcing any policy

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
24 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
high(expired)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF

DNS Records

A Records:208.80.6.137
AAAA Records:2604:4f00::3:0:1238:1
Name Servers:
ns1.tigertech.net
ns2.tigertech.biz
ns3.tigertech.org
MX Records:
10: mx2.tigertech.net
10: mx1.tigertech.net
20: mx3.tigertech.net
SOA:Serial: 2025062403, TTL: 900s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:232ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:tigertech.net a/24 mx/24 ~all

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis.

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis

20/100
Score

High-Risk Service Exposed: FTP

HIGH

Port 21 (FTP) is publicly accessible - FTP - Often unencrypted file transfer

Service Exposed: SSH

MEDIUM

Port 22 (SSH) is publicly accessible - SSH - Secure but can be brute-forced

How does cppreference.com compare?

cppreference.com scores below average. Browse similar domains to see how competitors handle security.

🔧Technical Analysis

Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.

Technical Analysis

Comprehensive security assessment findings

Additional Findings

cppreference.com is powered by MediaWiki 1.21.2, an established open-source wiki platform. The site uses jQuery and MathJax for dynamic content rendering and mathematical notation support. Hosting is provided by Tiger Technologies, a known hosting provider. The website loads quickly and has a well-structured HTML layout with proper meta tags supporting SEO. However, the site shows basic mobile optimization and accessibility features, indicating room for modernization. There is no evidence of a modern frontend framework or advanced performance optimization techniques. Technical debt may exist due to the older MediaWiki version, suggesting an opportunity for platform upgrade to improve security and performance.
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Marketing Intelligence

Contact emails, phone numbers & warm leads

49.90 €one-time • Incl. 21% VAT

Plan Comparison

FeaturePDF ReportMarketing+
Full security analysis
Professional PDF export
Email delivery
Lifetime access + unlock code
Contact emails & phones
Marketing outreach data

Already purchased?

Order summary

Domaincppreference.com
Access tierFull report or marketing add-on

Digital reports are delivered immediately after payment. By continuing you acknowledge the withdrawal waiver described in our Returns & Refunds policy.

VisaMastercardApple PayGoogle Pay

Secure payments processed via EveryPay. Prices in EUR; Incl. 21% VAT.

SEQ SIA

Lastadijas 12 k-3, Riga, Latvia, LV-1050

Reg. No. 40203410806 • VAT LV40203410806

Support: guard@offseq.com+371 2256 5353

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