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Is herts.ac.uk a Scam? Security Check Results - University of Hertfordshire

herts.ac.uk Security Report Summary

herts.ac.uk received a security score of 43 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Elevated Risk". This report covers University of Hertfordshire's website security posture. University of Hertfordshire operates in the Education industry in United Kingdom.

The University of Hertfordshire is a well-established higher education institution in the UK, offering a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and short courses. It holds a strong market position as one of the top 200 universities under 50 years old globally, with recognized research impact and teaching excellence. The website reflects a mature digital presence with comprehensive content, clear navigation, and professional design. The technical infrastructure leverages modern web technologies including jQuery, Slick Carousel, Font Awesome, and various analytics and marketing tools, ensuring good performance and mobile optimization. Security posture is robust with HTTPS enforced and no visible vulnerabilities, though some security headers could be enhanced. Privacy compliance is strong, featuring detailed privacy and cookie policies with active consent mechanisms. Overall, the site demonstrates high business credibility and trustworthiness, supported by clear contact information and multiple certifications.

The security scan identified 39 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: jQuery, Slick Carousel, Font Awesome 6 Pro, Phosphor Icons, Google Tag Manager, OneTrust Cookie Consent, Google Analytics, TikTok Pixel, Facebook Pixel, Snapchat Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Mediahawk Dynamic Numbers, Hotjar, ProveSource.

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 herts.ac.uk Safe? Security Analysis for University of Hertfordshire

http://herts.ac.uk

Check if herts.ac.uk is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

EducationUnited Kingdomlarge
jQuerySlick CarouselFont Awesome 6 ProPhosphor IconsGoogle Tag Manager+9 more
Analyzed 6/21/2025Completed 8:41:54 PM9mo ago
43
Security Score
HIGH RISK

Below Education avg (55)

10,000+

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

The University of Hertfordshire is a well-established higher education institution in the UK, offering a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and short courses. It holds a strong market position as one of the top 200 universities under 50 years old globally, with recognized research impact and teaching excellence. The website reflects a mature digital presence with comprehensive content, clear navigation, and professional design. The technical infrastructure leverages modern web technologies including jQuery, Slick Carousel, Font Awesome, and various analytics and marketing tools, ensuring good performance and mobile optimization. Security posture is robust with HTTPS enforced and no visible vulnerabilities, though some security headers could be enhanced. Privacy compliance is strong, featuring detailed privacy and cookie policies with active consent mechanisms. Overall, the site demonstrates high business credibility and trustworthiness, supported by clear contact information and multiple certifications.

Detected Technologies

jQuerySlick CarouselFont Awesome 6 ProPhosphor IconsGoogle Tag ManagerOneTrust Cookie ConsentGoogle AnalyticsTikTok PixelFacebook PixelSnapchat PixelLinkedIn Insight TagMediahawk Dynamic NumbersHotjarProveSource

22 urgent findings need attention

12 critical · 10 high

  • + 14 more findings in the full report below
Continuous monitoring

Keep herts.ac.uk under constant watch

Guard tracks your live infrastructure daily: certificate expiry, DNS & mail authentication drift, uptime changes, subdomain inventory, and unexpected tracker or content shifts. A full timeline captures every diff so you can prove remediation and spot regressions instantly.

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

6 findings

40/100

GDPR Compliance

2 findings

63/100

NIS2 Compliance

8 findings

5/100

Email Security

4 findings

80/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

The University operates primarily in the education sector, targeting prospective students locally and internationally. Its business model focuses on delivering diverse academic programs, research initiatives, and community engagement. The institution benefits from strategic partnerships and a strong brand presence, supported by awards such as the TEF Silver award and King’s Award for Enterprise. The website's content and structure indicate a focus on student recruitment, support services, and business collaborations, reflecting a comprehensive ecosystem for growth and innovation.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website maintains a good security posture with enforced HTTPS and no exposed sensitive data. It employs secure form practices with appropriate ARIA attributes and labels. However, explicit security headers like HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options, and X-Frame-Options are not evident and should be implemented to enhance protection. No security.txt or incident response information is provided, which could improve transparency and readiness. The use of multiple third-party scripts necessitates ongoing vulnerability assessments to mitigate risks.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement comprehensive security headers including HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options, and X-Frame-Options.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

University of Hertfordshire

Description:

The University of Hertfordshire offers a wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Professional and Short courses. One of the top 200 universities in the world under 50 years old.

Key Services:
Undergraduate coursesPostgraduate coursesOnline and distance learningApprenticeshipsResearch degreesStudent support and wellbeingBusiness partnerships and consultancy
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
jQuerySlick CarouselFont Awesome 6 ProPhosphor IconsGoogle Tag ManagerOneTrust Cookie ConsentGoogle AnalyticsTikTok PixelFacebook PixelSnapchat PixelLinkedIn Insight TagMediahawk Dynamic NumbersHotjarProveSource
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
85/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Use of Content Security Policy (implied by modern setup)
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Secure forms with proper labels and ARIA attributes

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerHotjarMediahawkProveSource
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Ad Networks:
DoubleClickStackAdapt
Tracking Pixels:
Facebook PixelTikTok PixelSnapchat PixelLinkedIn Insight TagMediahawkProveSourceHotjar
Marketing Tools:
OneTrust Cookie Consent
Transparency Level:good

Website Quality Assessment

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

Key Observations

1

Website is fully accessible with rich content and navigation

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

40/100
Score

Missing Strict-Transport-Security header

HIGH

Forces HTTPS connections

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

63/100
Score

Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant

MEDIUM

Privacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements

No HTTPS encryption

CRITICAL

GDPR requires appropriate security measures for personal data

GDPR Compliance Analysis

Privacy Policy85% confidence
Cookie Policy85% confidence
Contact Information Found90% confidence
phone

🛡️NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.

NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive

5/100
Score

No HTTPS encryption

CRITICAL

NIS2 requires appropriate technical measures including encryption

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 NIS2 reference found

LOW

Consider explicitly mentioning NIS2 compliance efforts

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📧Email Security

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

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

80/100
Score

Complex SPF record

LOW

Too many include statements can cause lookup limits

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 ip4:147.197.0.0/16 ip4:46.101.75.65 include:amazonses.com include:mailrelay.t1cloud.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com ip4:109.104.124.78 ip4:212.247.25.0/25 ip4:134.213.249.144 ip4:52.151.82.88 ip4:52.151.85.181 ip4:51.140.71.9 ip4:51.140.64.4 2 ip4:52.151.86.16 ip4:51.140.33.170 include:helpscoutemail.com include:eu._netblocks.mimecast.com include:_spf.salesforce.com include:sendgrid.net ip4:209.61.151.0/24 ip4:166.78.68.0/22 ip4:198.61.254.0/23 ip4:192.237.158.0/ 23 ip4:23.253.182.0/23 ip4:104.130.96.0/28 ip4:146.20.113.0/24 ip4:146.20.191.0/24 ip4:159.135.224.0/20 ip4:69.72.32.0/20 ip4:104.130.122.0/23 ip4:146.20.112.0/26 ip4:161.38.192.0/20 ip4:143.55.224.0/21 ip4:143.55.232.0/22 ip4:159.112.240.0/20 ip4:198.244.48 .0/20 ip4:204.220.160.0/20 ip4:141.193.32.0/23 ip4:159.135.140.80/29 ip4:159.135.132.128/25 ip4:161.38.204.0/22 ip4:87.253.232.0/21 ip4:185.189.236.0/22 ip4:185.211.120.0/22 ip4:185.250.236.0/22 ip4:143.55.236.0/22 ip4:198.244.60.0/22 ip4:46.175.13.0/24 -all
DNS Lookups:7/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:k1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:selector1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:s1(1440-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:reject
Subdomain Policy:none
Aggregate Reports:c6860e8c@mxtoolbox.dmarc-report.com
Forensic Reports:c6860e8c@forensics.dmarc-report.com

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

0/100
Score

No HTTPS Encryption

CRITICAL

Website does not use HTTPS encryption, making all data transmission vulnerable to interception

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

70/100
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 Transfer Lock Not Enabled

MEDIUM

Domain can be transferred without authorization

Domain Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
28 years(mature)
Protection Level
none
Suspicious Indicators Detected
  • No domain protection locks enabled

DNS Records

A Records:43.245.41.78
Name Servers:
dns2.herts.ac.ukDNS only
gemini.herts.ac.ukDNS only
helios.herts.ac.ukDNS only
ns3.ja.netDNS only
vcl-la-rimmer2.herts.ac.ukDNS only
MX Records:
10: eu-smtp-inbound-1.mimecast.com
10: eu-smtp-inbound-2.mimecast.com
SOA:Serial: 2025948707, TTL: 3600s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:94ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 ip4:147.197.0.0/16 ip4:46.101.75.65 include:amazonses.com include:mailrelay.t1cloud.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com ip4:109.104.124.78 ip4:212.247.25.0/25 ip4:134.213.249.144 ip4:52.151.82.88 ip4:52.151.85.181 ip4:51.140.71.9 ip4:51.140.64.4 2 ip4:52.151.86.16 ip4:51.140.33.170 include:helpscoutemail.com include:eu._netblocks.mimecast.com include:_spf.salesforce.com include:sendgrid.net ip4:209.61.151.0/24 ip4:166.78.68.0/22 ip4:198.61.254.0/23 ip4:192.237.158.0/ 23 ip4:23.253.182.0/23 ip4:104.130.96.0/28 ip4:146.20.113.0/24 ip4:146.20.191.0/24 ip4:159.135.224.0/20 ip4:69.72.32.0/20 ip4:104.130.122.0/23 ip4:146.20.112.0/26 ip4:161.38.192.0/20 ip4:143.55.224.0/21 ip4:143.55.232.0/22 ip4:159.112.240.0/20 ip4:198.244.48 .0/20 ip4:204.220.160.0/20 ip4:141.193.32.0/23 ip4:159.135.140.80/29 ip4:159.135.132.128/25 ip4:161.38.204.0/22 ip4:87.253.232.0/21 ip4:185.189.236.0/22 ip4:185.211.120.0/22 ip4:185.250.236.0/22 ip4:143.55.236.0/22 ip4:198.244.60.0/22 ip4:46.175.13.0/24 -all

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis.

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis

0/100
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

Critical Service Exposed: Telnet

CRITICAL

Port 23 (Telnet) is publicly accessible - Telnet - Unencrypted remote access

High-Risk Service Exposed: RPC

HIGH

Port 135 (RPC) is publicly accessible - RPC - Windows RPC endpoint

High-Risk Service Exposed: NetBIOS

HIGH

Port 139 (NetBIOS) is publicly accessible - NetBIOS - Windows file sharing

Critical Service Exposed: SMB

CRITICAL

Port 445 (SMB) is publicly accessible - SMB - Windows file sharing, high risk

Critical Service Exposed: MSSQL

CRITICAL

Port 1433 (MSSQL) is publicly accessible - MSSQL - Database server

Critical Service Exposed: Oracle

CRITICAL

Port 1521 (Oracle) is publicly accessible - Oracle - Database server

Critical Service Exposed: MySQL

CRITICAL

Port 3306 (MySQL) is publicly accessible - MySQL - Database server

Critical Service Exposed: RDP

CRITICAL

Port 3389 (RDP) is publicly accessible - RDP - Remote Desktop, prime ransomware target

Critical Service Exposed: PostgreSQL

CRITICAL

Port 5432 (PostgreSQL) is publicly accessible - PostgreSQL - Database server

Critical Service Exposed: Redis

CRITICAL

Port 6379 (Redis) is publicly accessible - Redis - In-memory database

High-Risk Service Exposed: Elasticsearch

HIGH

Port 9200 (Elasticsearch) is publicly accessible - Elasticsearch - Search engine

Critical Service Exposed: MongoDB

CRITICAL

Port 27017 (MongoDB) is publicly accessible - MongoDB - NoSQL database

How does herts.ac.uk compare?

herts.ac.uk 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

The website is built on the Squiz Matrix CMS platform, utilizing a modern tech stack with jQuery, Slick Carousel, Font Awesome 6 Pro, and Phosphor Icons for UI elements. It integrates multiple analytics and marketing tools such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, TikTok Pixel, Facebook Pixel, and Hotjar, indicating a mature digital marketing strategy. The site is mobile-optimized with responsive design and accessibility features. Performance is moderate, with potential improvements in script loading and optimization. The presence of OneTrust for cookie consent demonstrates compliance with privacy regulations. Overall, the technical implementation supports a professional and user-friendly experience.
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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

Domainherts.ac.uk
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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