Is theconversation.com Safe? Security Analysis for The Conversation
Check if theconversation.com is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.
AI Summary
The Conversation is a well-established media platform founded in 2003, specializing in publishing in-depth academic and research-based news and analysis. It targets academics, researchers, and the general public interested in informed commentary on global issues. The platform operates multiple regional editions, including Europe, and maintains a strong market position as a reputable source of scholarly journalism. Technically, the website leverages modern web technologies such as Next.js and React, integrates consent management via Didomi, and uses Google Analytics and Tag Manager for analytics and tracking. The site is well-optimized for performance, mobile responsiveness, and accessibility, reflecting a mature digital infrastructure. Security-wise, the site enforces HTTPS and uses cookie consent mechanisms, but lacks DNSSEC and explicit security policies or incident response contacts. No vulnerabilities or suspicious domains were detected. Privacy compliance is strong with clear GDPR-aligned policies and consent banners. Overall, the website demonstrates a high level of professionalism, trustworthiness, and content quality, suitable for its academic and media audience.
Detected Technologies
🧠AI Business Intelligence
Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.
Business Intelligence
Market & Strategic Analysis
The Conversation operates as a media publishing platform with a business model centered on delivering curated academic content and research news. Its competitive advantage lies in its editorial rigor and academic authorship, appealing to a niche audience valuing credible and research-backed information. Revenue streams likely include advertising, sponsored content, and newsletter subscriptions. The platform's partnership ecosystem includes social media channels such as Facebook for content distribution. Growth indicators include multiple regional editions and a large content repository. Strategic observations suggest opportunities to enhance security transparency and incident response readiness to further strengthen trust.
Security Posture Analysis
Comprehensive Security Assessment
The website exhibits a solid security posture with HTTPS enforced and cookie consent mechanisms in place, reflecting compliance with privacy regulations. However, the absence of DNSSEC and a publicly available security policy or incident response contacts indicates areas for improvement. No exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected in the analyzed content. The use of third-party scripts like Google Tag Manager and Didomi is standard but requires ongoing monitoring for vulnerabilities. The lack of a security.txt file or vulnerability disclosure policy may limit external security engagement. Overall, the security maturity is good but could benefit from enhanced transparency and DNS security.
Strategic Recommendations
Priority Actions for Security Improvement
Enable DNSSEC on the domain to improve DNS security and prevent spoofing.
✨Observations
AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.
AI-Enhanced Website Analysis
Business Insights
The Conversation
Curated by professional editors, The Conversation offers informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our world. Plus a Plain English guide to the latest developments and discoveries from the university and research sector.
excellent
consistent
Technical Stack
fast
excellent
good
good
Security Assessment
- HTTPS enforced
- Cookie consent with opt-in/out
- No exposed sensitive data in HTML
- Use of modern JavaScript frameworks
Analytics & Tracking
Advertising & Marketing
Website Quality Assessment
Key Observations
Website is fully accessible with rich content and no blocking detected.
🛡️Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.
Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis
Missing X-Content-Type-Options header
MEDIUMPrevents MIME type sniffing
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)
Missing Referrer-Policy header
LOWControls referrer information sent with requests
Missing Permissions-Policy header
MEDIUMControls browser features and APIs
👤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
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
📧Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.
Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation
Complex SPF record
LOWToo many include statements can cause lookup limits
No MTA-STS Policy
MEDIUMMTA-STS enforces TLS for email delivery
No TLS-RPT Record
LOWTLS-RPT provides reporting for email TLS issues
SPF Details
DKIM Selectors Found
DMARC 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
SSL Certificate Expires Within 90 Days
MEDIUMSSL certificate expires in 68 days
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 Delete Lock Not Enabled
LOWDomain can be deleted without additional verification
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