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Is knaw.nl a Scam? Security Check Results - Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) Reviews

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Is knaw.nl Safe? Security Analysis for Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW)

Check if knaw.nl is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

GovernmentNetherlandslarge
ReactNext.jsGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsWebP images+2 more
Analyzed 9/7/2025Completed 5:48:35 AM
74
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

AI Summary

The Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) is a prestigious Dutch scientific academy serving as the voice of science in the Netherlands. It supports top research institutes, organizes scientific events, and publishes reports and advisories to promote knowledge and creativity for societal welfare. The website reflects a well-established institution with a strong market position in the government and academic sectors. Technically, the site employs modern frameworks such as React and Next.js, uses AWS Cloudfront for hosting, and integrates Google Analytics for user insights. The site is performant, mobile-optimized, and accessible. Security measures include HTTPS enforcement and multiple security headers, indicating a mature security posture. Privacy policies are present and GDPR compliant, though cookie consent mechanisms could be enhanced. Overall, the site is professional, trustworthy, and serves its target audience effectively.

Detected Technologies

ReactNext.jsGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsWebP imagesLazy loading imagesCSS-in-JS (Emotion)

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

KNAW operates as a non-profit government-affiliated entity focused on advancing scientific research and policy in the Netherlands. Its business model centers on supporting research institutes, awarding grants and prizes, and facilitating knowledge dissemination through events and publications. The organization targets academics, policymakers, and the interested public. Its partnerships include scientific consortia and cultural institutions. The website content and structure indicate a large, mature organization with a consistent brand and high trust signals. Growth indicators include active event programming and recent news updates.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Email Addresses (1)

k*****@knaw.nl

Phone Numbers (1)

020*******

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website demonstrates a strong security posture with HTTPS enabled and comprehensive security headers such as HSTS, CSP, and X-Frame-Options. No exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected in the HTML content. Forms are secured with appropriate input types. The presence of a responsible disclosure policy page indicates awareness of security best practices. However, the absence of a security.txt file and explicit security framework references suggests room for improvement in formalizing security governance. Privacy compliance is good but could be enhanced with explicit cookie consent mechanisms.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement a cookie consent banner to comply fully with GDPR cookie requirements.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW)

Description:

De KNAW is de stem van de wetenschap in Nederland met topinstituten, toonaangevend onderzoek en de overtuiging dat kennis en creativiteit zorgen voor welzijn en welvaart.

Key Services:
Ondersteuning van wetenschappelijk onderzoekOrganisatie van bijeenkomsten en symposiaPublicatie van wetenschappelijke rapporten en adviezenBeheer van wetenschappelijke institutenToekenning van fondsen en prijzen
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
ReactNext.jsGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsWebP imagesLazy loading imagesCSS-in-JS (Emotion)
Frameworks:
Next.jsReact
Performance:

fast

Mobile:

excellent

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
90/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Security headers present
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Secure forms with proper input types

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsGoogle Tag Manager
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:basic

Advertising & Marketing

Marketing Tools:
Mailchimp
Transparency Level:basic

Website Quality Assessment

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

Key Observations

1

Website is professionally designed and well maintained

🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

55/100
Score

Missing X-Frame-Options header

HIGH

Prevents clickjacking attacks

Weak X-Content-Type-Options configuration

LOW

Current value: "nosniff;"

Missing X-XSS-Protection header

MEDIUM

Legacy XSS protection (deprecated but still recommended)

Weak Referrer-Policy configuration

LOW

Current value: "same-origin;"

Missing Permissions-Policy header

MEDIUM

Controls browser features and APIs

👤GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment under GDPR regulations.

GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment

73/100
Score

No Cookie Consent Banner found

HIGH

GDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies

Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant

MEDIUM

Privacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements

GDPR Compliance Analysis

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

🛡️NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.

NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive

22/100
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

📧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 include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:_spf.knaw.nl include:servers.mcsv.net ip4:5.39.185.32/29 ip4:185.181.140.187 ip4:87.253.234.71 ip4:87.253.234.73 ip4:87.253.234.85 include:spam1.htx.nl include:spf.mailjet.com include:_spf-dc55.sapsf. eu include:spf.topdesk.net -all
DNS Lookups:7/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:k2(1416-bit rsa)
Selector:selector1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:selector2(1296-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:quarantine
Aggregate Reports:dmarc@knaw.nl

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

100/100
Score

Partial SSL/TLS Assessment

LOW

Completed 2 of 4 security checks due to time constraints

Certificate Details

Subject:www.knaw.nl
Issuer:GEANT OV RSA CA 4
Valid Until:12/10/2025 (94 days)
SANs:www.knaw.nl, acc.api.knaw.nl, acc.cms21.knaw.nl +6 more

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

75/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

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
30 years(mature)
Protection Level
noneDNSSEC ON
Suspicious Indicators Detected
  • No domain protection locks enabled

DNS Records

A Records:75.2.96.239, 99.83.229.36
AAAA Records:2600:9000:a603:d4ab:3b46:6664:541:3b6c, 2600:9000:a715:397e:a2c2:110b:23d8:9a4f
Name Servers:
ns1.surfnet.nlDNS only
ns1.zurich.surf.netDNS only
ns2.surfnet.nlDNS only
ns3.surfnet.nlDNS only
MX Records:
0: knaw-nl.mail.protection.outlook.com
SOA:Serial: 2025082843, TTL: 3600s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:89ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:_spf.knaw.nl include:servers.mcsv.net ip4:5.39.185.32/29 ip4:185.181.140.187 ip4:87.253.234.71 ip4:87.253.234.73 ip4:87.253.234.85 include:spam1.htx.nl include:spf.mailjet.com include:_spf-dc55.sapsf. eu include:spf.topdesk.net -all

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis.

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis

100/100
Score

Good Network Security Posture

LOW

No unnecessary services detected on common risky ports

🔧Technical Analysis

Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.

Technical Analysis

Comprehensive security assessment findings

Additional Findings

The website is built on a modern React/Next.js stack, leveraging server-side rendering and static generation for performance. It uses AWS Cloudfront CDN for fast content delivery and lazy loading for images to optimize load times. The site includes Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics for tracking, and Mailchimp for newsletter subscriptions. CSS-in-JS (Emotion) is used for styling, indicating a modern frontend architecture. The site is mobile responsive and accessible, with proper meta tags for SEO. No technical debt or deprecated technologies were observed. Hosting and infrastructure choices support scalability and reliability.
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