Is noirlab.edu Safe? Security Analysis for NSF NOIRLab (U.S. National Science Foundation National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory)
Check if noirlab.edu is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.
AI Summary
NSF NOIRLab is a U.S. government-funded national center dedicated to ground-based nighttime optical and infrared astronomy. Operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the NSF, it provides world-class astronomical research facilities, public education, and scientific data services. The website reflects a mature, well-established organization with a strong focus on scientific outreach and community engagement. Technically, the site uses modern web technologies including Bootstrap and Matomo analytics, and is well-structured for accessibility and SEO. Security posture is good with HTTPS enforced and no exposed sensitive data, though improvements can be made by adding security headers and formal security policies. Privacy compliance is partial, with a privacy policy present but no cookie consent mechanism despite analytics usage. Overall, the domain registration and website content are consistent and legitimate, supporting a high trust level.
Detected Technologies
🧠AI Business Intelligence
Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.
Business Intelligence
Market & Strategic Analysis
The organization holds a leading position in U.S. optical and infrared astronomy, supported by NSF funding and operated by AURA. Its business model is non-commercial, focusing on research, education, and public outreach. The website targets multiple audiences including the general public, scientists, and internal users. The extensive content, social media presence, and detailed program descriptions indicate a robust partnership ecosystem and a commitment to transparency and community engagement. Growth indicators include active news, announcements, and educational programs. The partnership with NSF and AURA strengthens its credibility and operational stability.
Extracted Contact Information
Marketing Intelligence Data
Email Addresses (1)
Phone Numbers (1)
Physical Addresses (1)
Security Posture Analysis
Comprehensive Security Assessment
The website demonstrates a good security baseline with HTTPS and disabling cookies in analytics to enhance privacy. However, the absence of security headers such as Content-Security-Policy and lack of published security or incident response policies represent gaps in security maturity. No vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected in the HTML content. The site would benefit from formalizing its security posture with published policies and implementing additional HTTP security headers to mitigate risks. Incident response readiness is not publicly documented, which could impact trust in case of security incidents.
Strategic Recommendations
Priority Actions for Security Improvement
Implement HTTP security headers including Content-Security-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security.
✨Observations
AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.
AI-Enhanced Website Analysis
Business Insights
NSF NOIRLab (U.S. National Science Foundation National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory)
NSF NOIRLab is the U.S. national center for ground-based, nighttime optical astronomy, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).
excellent
consistent
Technical Stack
moderate
good
good
good
Security Assessment
- HTTPS usage
- Disabling cookies in Matomo analytics
- No exposed sensitive data in HTML
Analytics & Tracking
Advertising & Marketing
Website Quality Assessment
Key Observations
Website is professionally designed with comprehensive content about astronomy research and public outreach.
🛡️Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.
Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis
Missing Strict-Transport-Security header
HIGHForces HTTPS connections
Missing X-Frame-Options header
HIGHPrevents clickjacking attacks
Missing Content-Security-Policy header
HIGHControls resources the browser is allowed to load
Missing X-XSS-Protection header
MEDIUMLegacy XSS protection (deprecated but still recommended)
Weak Referrer-Policy configuration
LOWCurrent value: "same-origin"
Missing Permissions-Policy header
MEDIUMControls browser features and APIs
Sensitive data may be cached
LOWCache-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
No Cookie Policy found
HIGHGDPR requires clear information about cookie usage
No Cookie Consent Banner found
HIGHGDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies
No Data Protection Officer mentioned
LOWLarge organizations may need to designate a DPO under GDPR
Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant
MEDIUMPrivacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements
GDPR Compliance Analysis
🛡️NIS2 Compliance
Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.
NIS2 Compliance
Network & Information Security Directive
No information security framework found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures
No vulnerability disclosure policy
MEDIUMNIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure
No security policy documentation found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented cybersecurity governance and risk management
No incident response procedures found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented incident response and business continuity plans
No business continuity planning found
MEDIUMNIS2 emphasizes operational resilience and business continuity
No security contact information
HIGHNIS2 requires clear incident reporting channels
No vulnerability reporting mechanism
MEDIUMClear vulnerability reporting supports coordinated disclosure
No NIS2 reference found
LOWConsider explicitly mentioning NIS2 compliance efforts
Critical sector without clear security compliance
HIGHDetected sectors: energy, transport, banking, digital
📧Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.
Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation
No BIMI Record
LOWBIMI displays brand logos in email clients
SPF Details
DKIM Selectors Found
DMARC Details
MTA-STS Details
🏆SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis.
SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis
Weak Protocols Supported
HIGHServer supports weak protocols: TLSv1.1
OCSP Stapling Not Enabled
LOWOCSP stapling improves performance and privacy
Certificate Transparency Not Implemented
LOWCertificate is not logged in Certificate Transparency logs
Partial SSL/TLS Assessment
LOWCompleted 3 of 4 security checks due to time constraints
Protocol Support
OCSP Status
📊DNS Health
DNS configuration and security assessment.
DNS Health
DNS configuration and security assessment
DNSSEC Not Enabled
MEDIUMDNSSEC is not configured for this domain
CAA Records Not Configured
LOWCertificate Authority Authorization (CAA) records not found
Domain Registration Details
DNS Records
DNSSEC Status
DNS Performance
SPF Analysis
⚡Network Security
Port scanning and network exposure analysis.
Network Security
Port scanning and network exposure analysis
Good Network Security Posture
LOWNo unnecessary services detected on common risky ports
🔧Technical Analysis
Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.
Technical Analysis
Comprehensive security assessment findings