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Is nih.gov a Scam? Security Check Results - National Institutes of Health

nih.gov Security Report Summary

nih.gov received a security score of 75 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers National Institutes of Health's website security posture. National Institutes of Health operates in the Government industry in United States.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a premier U.S. government medical research agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. The website serves as a comprehensive portal for health information, research funding, clinical trials, and educational resources targeting a broad audience including the public, researchers, and medical professionals. It holds a strong market position as a trusted federal entity advancing biomedical research and public health. Technically, the site is built on Drupal 10, leveraging modern web technologies and integrations such as Google Tag Manager and Verint SDK for analytics and user experience enhancements. The website demonstrates excellent mobile optimization, accessibility, and SEO practices, ensuring broad usability and reach. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, uses external link best practices, and links to a vulnerability disclosure policy, indicating a mature security posture. However, explicit security headers and incident response contacts could be more visible. Privacy compliance is good with a comprehensive privacy policy, though a cookie consent mechanism is absent. Overall, the NIH website is a highly credible, professional, and secure government resource with minor areas for improvement in privacy consent and security header transparency.

The security scan identified 22 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: Drupal 10, Google Tag Manager, Verint Unified WebSDK, CrazyEgg, USA.gov search integration.

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 nih.gov Safe? Security Analysis for National Institutes of Health

https://nih.gov

Check if nih.gov is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

GovernmentUnited Statesenterprise
Drupal 10Google Tag ManagerVerint Unified WebSDKCrazyEggUSA.gov search integration
Analyzed 10/8/2025Completed 5:05:15 AM8mo ago
75
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Government avg (70)

10,000+

Domains scanned

500+

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Domainnih.gov
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AI Summary

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a premier U.S. government medical research agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. The website serves as a comprehensive portal for health information, research funding, clinical trials, and educational resources targeting a broad audience including the public, researchers, and medical professionals. It holds a strong market position as a trusted federal entity advancing biomedical research and public health. Technically, the site is built on Drupal 10, leveraging modern web technologies and integrations such as Google Tag Manager and Verint SDK for analytics and user experience enhancements. The website demonstrates excellent mobile optimization, accessibility, and SEO practices, ensuring broad usability and reach. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, uses external link best practices, and links to a vulnerability disclosure policy, indicating a mature security posture. However, explicit security headers and incident response contacts could be more visible. Privacy compliance is good with a comprehensive privacy policy, though a cookie consent mechanism is absent. Overall, the NIH website is a highly credible, professional, and secure government resource with minor areas for improvement in privacy consent and security header transparency.

Detected Technologies

Drupal 10Google Tag ManagerVerint Unified WebSDKCrazyEggUSA.gov search integration

7 urgent findings need attention

7 high

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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

2 findings

85/100

GDPR Compliance

4 findings

53/100

NIS2 Compliance

7 findings

20/100

Email Security

3 findings

85/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

NIH operates as a government agency focused on medical research and public health. Its business model centers on funding research, disseminating health information, and supporting clinical trials. The agency targets a diverse audience including scientists, healthcare providers, patients, and educators. NIH benefits from strong government backing, a trusted .gov domain, and extensive partnerships with other federal and research entities. The website reflects a large enterprise with consistent branding and authoritative content, supporting NIH's leadership in biomedical research. The presence of multiple specialized subdomains and initiatives (e.g., grants.nih.gov, recovercovid.org) indicates a broad ecosystem supporting research and public health efforts. Social media engagement and public-facing resources enhance NIH's outreach and transparency.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The NIH website demonstrates a strong security posture with enforced HTTPS, use of secure external linking practices, and a publicly accessible vulnerability disclosure policy. The absence of WHOIS details is typical for .gov domains and does not detract from trust. No vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected in the HTML content. The site could improve by explicitly publishing security headers such as Content-Security-Policy and providing clear incident response contact information. The use of third-party analytics and tracking scripts is moderate and appears managed responsibly. Overall, NIH maintains a secure and trustworthy web presence appropriate for a federal health agency.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement and display a cookie consent banner to enhance GDPR and privacy compliance.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

National Institutes of Health

Description:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

Key Services:
Medical researchResearch funding and grantsHealth information disseminationClinical trialsTraining and education
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
Drupal 10Google Tag ManagerVerint Unified WebSDKCrazyEggUSA.gov search integration
Frameworks:
Drupal CMS
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

excellent

Accessibility:

excellent

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
90/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • External links use rel='noopener nofollow noreferrer'
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of official government banners and disclaimers
  • Vulnerability disclosure policy linked

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google Tag ManagerCrazyEgg
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Tracking Pixels:
CrazyEgg
Marketing Tools:
Verint Unified WebSDK
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

Official U.S. government website with .gov domain

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

85/100
Score

Missing Referrer-Policy header

LOW

Controls referrer information sent with requests

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

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
phone

🛡️NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.

NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive

20/100
Score

No information security framework found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures

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

Critical sector without clear security compliance

HIGH

Detected sectors: transport, banking, health, digital

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📧Email Security

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

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

85/100
Score

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 ip4:128.231.90.64/26 ip4:165.112.13.0/26 ip4:156.40.79.128/25 ip4:128.231.89.192/28 ip4:165.112.69.16/28 ip4:165.112.194.0/25 ip6:2607:f220:0404:8104::0/64 ip6:2607:f220:402:1a01::0/64 ip6:2607:f220:404:12e::/64 ip6:2607:f220:402:12e::/64 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all
DNS Lookups:1/10
Policy:~all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:selector2(1416-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:reject
Aggregate Reports:8idhoybh@ag.us.dmarcian.com
Forensic Reports:8idhoybh@fr.us.dmarcian.com

🏆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 81 days

Mixed Content Detected

MEDIUM

3 resources loaded over insecure HTTP

Partial SSL/TLS Assessment

LOW

Completed 2 of 4 security checks due to time constraints

Certificate Details

Subject:www.nih.gov
Issuer:R12
Valid Until:12/28/2025 (81 days)
SANs:clinicalresearchtrials.nih.gov, devtestdomain.nih.gov, devtestdomain2.nih.gov +23 more

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

85/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

Domain Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
28 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
low(77 days)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF
Suspicious Indicators Detected
  • Privacy/proxy registration detected

DNS Records

A Records:156.40.212.210
Name Servers:
ns.nih.gov
ns2.nih.gov
ns3.nih.gov
MX Records:
10: nihcesxway3.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxway4.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxway5.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxway6.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxwayst03.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxwayst04.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxwayst05.hub.nih.gov
10: nihcesxwayst06.hub.nih.gov
SOA:Serial: 829141, TTL: 900s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:94ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 ip4:128.231.90.64/26 ip4:165.112.13.0/26 ip4:156.40.79.128/25 ip4:128.231.89.192/28 ip4:165.112.69.16/28 ip4:165.112.194.0/25 ip6:2607:f220:0404:8104::0/64 ip6:2607:f220:402:1a01::0/64 ip6:2607:f220:404:12e::/64 ip6:2607:f220:402:12e::/64 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~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 nih.gov compare?

See how nih.gov 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 NIH website is built on Drupal 10, a modern and widely used CMS for government sites, ensuring robust content management and security features. Integration with Google Tag Manager and Verint SDK supports advanced analytics and user experience tracking. The site is mobile-optimized and accessible, following US Web Design System standards. Performance is moderate, likely due to rich content and multiple external resources. The site uses HTTPS exclusively, ensuring secure data transmission. Opportunities exist to enhance security headers and implement cookie consent mechanisms to meet evolving privacy regulations.
Professional PDF & Marketing Data

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PDF Report & Export

PDF download, email delivery, unlock code

39.90 €one-time • Incl. 21% VAT

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

Domainnih.gov
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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