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Is plosmedicine.org a Scam? Security Check Results - Public Library of Science (PLOS)

plosmedicine.org Security Report Summary

plosmedicine.org received a security score of 72 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers Public Library of Science (PLOS)'s website security posture. Public Library of Science (PLOS) operates in the Healthcare industry in United States.

PLOS Medicine is a leading open-access medical journal operated by the Public Library of Science, a reputable non-profit academic publisher based in the United States. The website serves as a platform for disseminating peer-reviewed medical research and commentary, targeting researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals globally. The business model focuses on open-access publishing, supported by article processing charges and institutional funding, positioning PLOS Medicine as a key player in the academic publishing industry. Technically, the website employs a modern technology stack including jQuery, Foundation framework, and integrates analytics and marketing tools such as Google Analytics, New Relic, and HubSpot. The site demonstrates good performance, mobile optimization, and accessibility, reflecting a mature digital infrastructure suitable for its audience. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, implements multiple security headers, and maintains secure cookie consent mechanisms. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. However, the absence of a public vulnerability disclosure policy and incident response contact information suggests areas for improvement in transparency and security readiness. Overall, the website is professional, trustworthy, and compliant with privacy regulations including GDPR. The domain WHOIS data is privacy protected but consistent with the organization's branding and reputation. The risk profile is low, with recommendations focusing on enhancing security policies and disclosure practices to further strengthen trust and compliance.

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

Technologies detected: jQuery, Foundation framework, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, New Relic, HubSpot.

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 plosmedicine.org Safe? Security Analysis for Public Library of Science (PLOS)

https://plosmedicine.org

Check if plosmedicine.org is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

HealthcareUnited Stateslarge
jQueryFoundation frameworkGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerNew Relic+1 more
Analyzed 10/31/2025Completed 7:24:49 PM5mo ago
72
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Healthcare avg (65)

10,000+

Domains scanned

500+

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Reg. No. 40203410806 • VAT LV40203410806

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AI Summary

PLOS Medicine is a leading open-access medical journal operated by the Public Library of Science, a reputable non-profit academic publisher based in the United States. The website serves as a platform for disseminating peer-reviewed medical research and commentary, targeting researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals globally. The business model focuses on open-access publishing, supported by article processing charges and institutional funding, positioning PLOS Medicine as a key player in the academic publishing industry. Technically, the website employs a modern technology stack including jQuery, Foundation framework, and integrates analytics and marketing tools such as Google Analytics, New Relic, and HubSpot. The site demonstrates good performance, mobile optimization, and accessibility, reflecting a mature digital infrastructure suitable for its audience. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS, implements multiple security headers, and maintains secure cookie consent mechanisms. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. However, the absence of a public vulnerability disclosure policy and incident response contact information suggests areas for improvement in transparency and security readiness. Overall, the website is professional, trustworthy, and compliant with privacy regulations including GDPR. The domain WHOIS data is privacy protected but consistent with the organization's branding and reputation. The risk profile is low, with recommendations focusing on enhancing security policies and disclosure practices to further strengthen trust and compliance.

Detected Technologies

jQueryFoundation frameworkGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerNew RelicHubSpot

6 urgent findings need attention

6 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

3 findings

70/100

GDPR Compliance

2 findings

83/100

NIS2 Compliance

8 findings

17/100

Email Security

5 findings

70/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

PLOS Medicine holds a strong market position as a premier open-access medical journal, leveraging the growing demand for freely accessible scientific knowledge. Its competitive advantage lies in its reputable brand, high-impact publications, and affiliation with the Public Library of Science. Revenue streams primarily come from article processing charges and institutional support, targeting academic and research institutions worldwide. The partnership ecosystem includes Crossref for DOI management and Google Scholar for citation indexing. Growth indicators include extensive use of digital marketing and analytics tools, reflecting a data-driven approach to audience engagement and content dissemination.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website exhibits a mature security posture with enforced HTTPS, comprehensive security headers, and secure handling of user consent for cookies. The integration of monitoring tools like New Relic indicates active performance and security monitoring. However, the lack of publicly available security policies, incident response contacts, and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms represents a compliance gap. These omissions could impact incident handling efficiency and stakeholder trust in the event of a security incident. The site currently shows no signs of vulnerabilities or suspicious activity, but adopting formal security governance documentation would enhance its security culture and readiness.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Publish a dedicated vulnerability disclosure policy and security.txt file to encourage responsible reporting of security issues.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Public Library of Science (PLOS)

Description:

PLOS Medicine is an open-access medical journal publishing research and commentary on global health and clinical medicine.

Key Services:
Publishing peer-reviewed medical research articlesProviding open access to medical knowledgeSupporting global health research dissemination
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
jQueryFoundation frameworkGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerNew RelicHubSpot
Frameworks:
Foundation
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
85/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Use of security headers
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Secure cookie consent mechanism

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsNew RelicHubSpot Analytics
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Ad Networks:
Google DoubleClick
Tracking Pixels:
HubSpotFacebook Ads PixelNew Relic
Marketing Tools:
HubSpot
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 no blocking or WAF challenge.

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

70/100
Score

Missing Content-Security-Policy header

HIGH

Controls resources the browser is allowed to load

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

83/100
Score

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 Policy85% confidence
Contact Information Found90% confidence
emailphone

🛡️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

70/100
Score

Complex SPF record

LOW

Too many include statements can cause lookup limits

DMARC not enforcing

MEDIUM

DMARC policy is set to "none"

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 mx a ip4:136.147.136.128 ip4:184.23.159.2 ip4:216.74.38.68 ip4:50.56.130.220 exists:%{i}._spf.mta.salesforce.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:sendgrid.net include:relay.kinstamailservice.com include:app.sgizmo.com include:stspg-custom er.com include:44092021.spf10.hubspotemail.net ~all
DNS Lookups:9/10
Policy:~all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:selector1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:s1(1440-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:none
Aggregate Reports:postmaster@plos.org
Forensic Reports:postmaster@plos.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

75/100
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

DMARC Policy Set to None

LOW

DMARC is configured but not enforcing any policy

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
25 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
low(165 days)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF

DNS Records

A Records:162.159.135.42, 162.159.134.42
AAAA Records:2606:4700:7::a29f:872a, 2606:4700:7::a29f:862a
Name Servers:
chad.ns.cloudflare.com
paloma.ns.cloudflare.com
MX Records:
0: plos-org.mail.protection.outlook.com
SOA:Serial: 2386398129, TTL: 1800s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:39ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 mx a ip4:136.147.136.128 ip4:184.23.159.2 ip4:216.74.38.68 ip4:50.56.130.220 exists:%{i}._spf.mta.salesforce.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:sendgrid.net include:relay.kinstamailservice.com include:app.sgizmo.com include:stspg-custom er.com include:44092021.spf10.hubspotemail.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

How does plosmedicine.org compare?

See how plosmedicine.org 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 a robust technical foundation using the Foundation front-end framework and jQuery for interactive elements. It integrates multiple third-party services for analytics (Google Analytics, New Relic), marketing (HubSpot), and advertising (Google DoubleClick). The site is optimized for mobile devices and accessibility, with good SEO practices evident in meta tags and structured data usage. Performance is moderate, with room for optimization in loading times. The CMS appears custom or proprietary, which may require dedicated maintenance resources. Overall, the technical infrastructure supports the business goals effectively but could benefit from modernization efforts to improve speed and scalability.
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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

Domainplosmedicine.org
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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