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Is nerc.ac.uk a Scam? Security Check Results - Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

nerc.ac.uk Security Report Summary

nerc.ac.uk received a security score of 72 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)'s website security posture. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) operates in the Government industry in United Kingdom.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a key UK government research council focused on funding and supporting environmental science research. It operates under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and provides grants, fellowships, and strategic programmes to advance environmental science. The website presents a professional and comprehensive digital presence, targeting UK research organizations, scientists, and public stakeholders interested in environmental research funding and outcomes. The site is well-branded, consistent, and offers clear navigation and relevant content including news, funding opportunities, and contact information. Technically, the website is built on WordPress and leverages modern analytics and consent management tools such as Google Analytics, Siteimprove, Hotjar, and Civic Cookie Control. It uses the GOV.UK design system for accessibility and user experience. The site is mobile-optimized and performs moderately well, with good SEO and accessibility features. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, employs standard security headers, and implements cookie consent mechanisms aligned with GDPR. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. However, the site lacks a dedicated security policy page, incident response contacts, and a vulnerability disclosure policy, which are recommended for enhanced transparency and security posture. Overall, the website is trustworthy, professionally maintained, and compliant with privacy regulations. The lack of WHOIS data is likely due to privacy protection, which is justified for a government entity. The site effectively supports its mission to promote environmental science research in the UK.

The security scan identified 27 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: WordPress, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Siteimprove Analytics, Hotjar, Civic Cookie Control.

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 nerc.ac.uk Safe? Security Analysis for Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

https://nerc.ac.uk

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

GovernmentUnited Kingdomlarge
WordPressGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsSiteimprove AnalyticsHotjar+1 more
Analyzed 10/28/2025Completed 5:18:42 PM6mo ago
72
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Government avg (70)

10,000+

Domains scanned

500+

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AI Summary

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a key UK government research council focused on funding and supporting environmental science research. It operates under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and provides grants, fellowships, and strategic programmes to advance environmental science. The website presents a professional and comprehensive digital presence, targeting UK research organizations, scientists, and public stakeholders interested in environmental research funding and outcomes. The site is well-branded, consistent, and offers clear navigation and relevant content including news, funding opportunities, and contact information. Technically, the website is built on WordPress and leverages modern analytics and consent management tools such as Google Analytics, Siteimprove, Hotjar, and Civic Cookie Control. It uses the GOV.UK design system for accessibility and user experience. The site is mobile-optimized and performs moderately well, with good SEO and accessibility features. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, employs standard security headers, and implements cookie consent mechanisms aligned with GDPR. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. However, the site lacks a dedicated security policy page, incident response contacts, and a vulnerability disclosure policy, which are recommended for enhanced transparency and security posture. Overall, the website is trustworthy, professionally maintained, and compliant with privacy regulations. The lack of WHOIS data is likely due to privacy protection, which is justified for a government entity. The site effectively supports its mission to promote environmental science research in the UK.

Detected Technologies

WordPressGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsSiteimprove AnalyticsHotjarCivic Cookie Control

7 urgent findings need attention

7 high

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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

5 findings

55/100

GDPR Compliance

2 findings

80/100

NIS2 Compliance

8 findings

17/100

Email Security

4 findings

80/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

NERC holds a strong market position as a government-funded research council specializing in environmental science. Its business model revolves around allocating public funds to research projects, fostering innovation, and supporting scientific infrastructure. The target customers are UK research institutions and scientists. The organization benefits from UK government backing, a clear mandate, and a broad partnership ecosystem including other UKRI councils. The website content and structure indicate a mature digital presence with strategic communication of funding opportunities and research impact. Growth indicators include active news updates, funding calls, and engagement via social media channels. The absence of direct commercial activities aligns with its public sector role.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website demonstrates a mature security posture with HTTPS enforcement, comprehensive security headers, and GDPR-compliant cookie consent. The use of reputable analytics and consent management tools indicates attention to privacy and data protection. However, the absence of a published security policy, incident response contacts, and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms suggests room for improvement in transparency and incident readiness. No vulnerabilities or security misconfigurations were observed in the provided content. Overall, the site aligns well with best practices for government websites but should consider publishing additional security documentation to enhance trust and preparedness.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Publish a dedicated security policy page outlining security practices and commitments.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Description:

NERC is the driving force of investment in environmental science.

Key Services:
Funding for environmental science researchAssessment and award managementStrategy and programme developmentPeople, skills and fellowshipsInnovation and collaborationResearch centres, facilities and resourcesPublic engagement
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
WordPressGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsSiteimprove AnalyticsHotjarCivic Cookie Control
Frameworks:
GOV.UK Design System
Platforms:
WordPress CMS
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
90/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Cookie consent mechanism implemented
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of security headers

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsSiteimprove AnalyticsHotjar
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Tracking Pixels:
Siteimprove AnalyticsHotjar
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 professionally designed and maintained by UK Research and Innovation.

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

55/100
Score

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

80/100
Score

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

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

17/100
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

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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 include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:servers.mcsv.net include:spf.ecase.co.uk include:aspmx.pardot.com include:_spf.psm.knowbe4.com include:_spf.salesforce.com ip4:5.61.115.80/28 ip4:5.61.115.96/28 ip4:149.155.52.15 ip4:149.155.52.3 ip4:168.245.56.120 ip4:52.151.125.124 -all
DNS Lookups:6/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:k1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:selector1(1296-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:quarantine
Aggregate Reports:dmarc-aggregate@ukri.org
Forensic Reports:dmarc-failure@ukri.org

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

77/100
Score

Weak Protocols Supported

HIGH

Server supports weak protocols: TLSv1.1

OCSP Stapling Not Enabled

LOW

OCSP stapling improves performance and privacy

Certificate Transparency Not Implemented

LOW

Certificate is not logged in Certificate Transparency logs

Partial SSL/TLS Assessment

LOW

Completed 3 of 4 security checks due to time constraints

Protocol Support

TLSv1.3TLSv1.2TLSv1.1

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

80/100
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 Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
15 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
none(781 days)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF

DNS Records

A Records:149.155.59.247
Name Servers:
ns0.nerc-keyworth.ac.uk
ns2.ja.net
ns3.ja.net
unixa.nerc-swindon.ac.uk
MX Records:
2: ukri-org.mail.protection.outlook.com
SOA:Serial: 2025100702, TTL: 3600s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:61ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:servers.mcsv.net include:spf.ecase.co.uk include:aspmx.pardot.com include:_spf.psm.knowbe4.com include:_spf.salesforce.com ip4:5.61.115.80/28 ip4:5.61.115.96/28 ip4:149.155.52.15 ip4:149.155.52.3 ip4:168.245.56.120 ip4:52.151.125.124 -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

How does nerc.ac.uk compare?

See how nerc.ac.uk stacks up against similar websites in the same industry.

🔧Technical Analysis

Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.

Technical Analysis

Comprehensive security assessment findings

Additional Findings

The website is built on WordPress CMS, utilizing modern web technologies including Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Siteimprove Analytics, and Hotjar for performance and user behavior insights. The GOV.UK design system ensures accessibility and consistent user experience. The site employs a cookie consent management tool from Civic Computing, supporting GDPR compliance. Performance is moderate with good mobile optimization and SEO practices. The technical stack is modern and well-maintained, though hosting provider details are not explicitly identified. There is no evidence of technical debt or outdated libraries in the provided content. Opportunities exist to enhance security documentation and incident response capabilities.
Professional PDF & Marketing Data

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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

Domainnerc.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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