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Is thelocal.com a Scam? Security Check Results - The Local Europe AB

thelocal.com Security Report Summary

thelocal.com received a security score of 66 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers The Local Europe AB's website security posture. The Local Europe AB operates in the Media industry in Sweden.

The Local Europe AB operates a professional English-language news website focused on European news, travel, politics, and practical guides. Established in 2010 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, it targets English-speaking residents and expatriates across Europe. The business model combines advertising, membership subscriptions, and job listings, positioning it as a reputable media outlet in its niche. The website features a modern, responsive design with comprehensive content and clear navigation, supported by a robust technical infrastructure including CMS, analytics, and membership management platforms. Technically, the site employs a variety of modern web technologies such as Google Tag Manager, Piano.io for membership/paywall, Cxense for content personalization, and MailerLite for newsletters. The site is well-optimized for mobile devices and SEO, though some accessibility features could be enhanced. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforced and cookie consent mechanisms in place, but explicit security headers and incident response information are not publicly detailed. The absence of WHOIS domain registration data is a notable anomaly that impacts domain trustworthiness, although the website content and business information appear legitimate and professional. Privacy policies and cookie consent comply with GDPR, reflecting a commitment to user data protection. Overall, the site presents a low risk profile but would benefit from improved transparency in domain registration and security policies.

The security scan identified 30 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: JavaScript, Google Tag Manager, Piano.io (paywall/membership), Cxense (content personalization), Consentmanager.net (cookie consent), MailerLite (newsletter), Google DoubleClick (ads), Bootstrap CSS.

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 thelocal.com Safe? Security Analysis for The Local Europe AB

https://thelocal.com

Check if thelocal.com is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

MediaSwedenmedium
JavaScriptGoogle Tag ManagerPiano.io (paywall/membership)Cxense (content personalization)Consentmanager.net (cookie consent)+3 more
Analyzed 11/1/2025Completed 8:25:55 AM4mo ago
66
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Media avg (58)

10,000+

Domains scanned

500+

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SEQ SIA

Lastadijas 12 k-3, Riga, Latvia, LV-1050

Reg. No. 40203410806 • VAT LV40203410806

Support: guard@offseq.com+371 2256 5353

AI Summary

The Local Europe AB operates a professional English-language news website focused on European news, travel, politics, and practical guides. Established in 2010 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, it targets English-speaking residents and expatriates across Europe. The business model combines advertising, membership subscriptions, and job listings, positioning it as a reputable media outlet in its niche. The website features a modern, responsive design with comprehensive content and clear navigation, supported by a robust technical infrastructure including CMS, analytics, and membership management platforms. Technically, the site employs a variety of modern web technologies such as Google Tag Manager, Piano.io for membership/paywall, Cxense for content personalization, and MailerLite for newsletters. The site is well-optimized for mobile devices and SEO, though some accessibility features could be enhanced. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforced and cookie consent mechanisms in place, but explicit security headers and incident response information are not publicly detailed. The absence of WHOIS domain registration data is a notable anomaly that impacts domain trustworthiness, although the website content and business information appear legitimate and professional. Privacy policies and cookie consent comply with GDPR, reflecting a commitment to user data protection. Overall, the site presents a low risk profile but would benefit from improved transparency in domain registration and security policies.

Detected Technologies

JavaScriptGoogle Tag ManagerPiano.io (paywall/membership)Cxense (content personalization)Consentmanager.net (cookie consent)MailerLite (newsletter)Google DoubleClick (ads)Bootstrap CSS

8 urgent findings need attention

8 high

Continuous monitoring

Keep thelocal.com under constant watch

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

8 findings

15/100

GDPR Compliance

No critical findings yet

100/100

NIS2 Compliance

8 findings

17/100

Email Security

5 findings

80/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

The Local Europe AB holds a solid market position as a specialized English-language news provider for European expatriates and residents. Its competitive advantage lies in localized, practical content combined with a membership model that fosters reader loyalty and recurring revenue. The company leverages partnerships with payment processors and customer support platforms to streamline operations. Growth indicators include active content updates, diversified revenue streams, and a strong social media presence. Strategic observations suggest opportunities in expanding accessibility compliance and enhancing security transparency to further strengthen market trust.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Company Registration

Legal Name:

The Local Europe AB

VAT Number:

SE556667-4023

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website demonstrates a mature security posture with HTTPS enforced and a comprehensive cookie consent mechanism aligned with GDPR. Use of third-party services is managed with consent, and no exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected in the HTML. However, the lack of explicit security headers such as Content-Security-Policy and absence of publicly available incident response or security policy documents represent compliance gaps. The missing WHOIS data raises concerns about domain registration transparency. Overall, the security maturity is good but could be improved by formalizing security policies and incident response channels.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement and verify comprehensive security headers including CSP, HSTS, and X-Frame-Options to enhance protection against common web attacks.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

The Local Europe AB

Description:

Latest news, travel, politics, money, jobs and more. Get guides on property, second homes, visas, language, taxes from The Local's journalists.

Key Services:
News articlesPractical guidesMembership accessJob listingsAdvertising services
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
JavaScriptGoogle Tag ManagerPiano.io (paywall/membership)Cxense (content personalization)Consentmanager.net (cookie consent)MailerLite (newsletter)Google DoubleClick (ads)Bootstrap CSS
Frameworks:
Bootstrap
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

basic

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
85/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Cookie consent banner with opt-in/out
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of secure third-party services

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google Analytics (via GTM)Cxense
Tracking Level:extensive
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Ad Networks:
Google DoubleClickProtag
Tracking Pixels:
Cxense
Marketing Tools:
MailerLitePiano.io
Transparency Level:good

Website Quality Assessment

Design Quality:excellent
User Experience:good
Content Relevance:excellent
Navigation Clarity:good
Professionalism:excellent
Trustworthiness:high

Key Observations

1

Website is a professional news media outlet targeting English speakers in Europe.

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

15/100
Score

Missing Strict-Transport-Security header

HIGH

Forces HTTPS connections

Missing X-Frame-Options header

HIGH

Prevents clickjacking attacks

Missing X-Content-Type-Options header

MEDIUM

Prevents MIME type sniffing

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

100/100
Score
No issues found

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

80/100
Score

Complex SPF record

LOW

Too many include statements can cause lookup limits

Strict DMARC Alignment

LOW

Strict alignment may cause legitimate emails to fail

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 a mx include:_spf.mlsend.com include:_spf.mailersend.net include:_spf.google.com include:21539837.ppspf.net include:mail.zendesk.com -all
DNS Lookups:7/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:google(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:s1(1440-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:reject
Aggregate Reports:techology@thelocal.com

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

57/100
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

SSL Certificate Expires Within 90 Days

MEDIUM

SSL certificate expires in 78 days

HSTS Not Enabled

MEDIUM

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is not configured

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
24 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
low(133 days)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF

DNS Records

A Records:34.8.168.77
AAAA Records:2600:1901:0:30a3::
Name Servers:
ns-cloud-d1.googledomains.com
ns-cloud-d2.googledomains.com
ns-cloud-d3.googledomains.com
ns-cloud-d4.googledomains.com
MX Records:
1: aspmx.l.google.com
5: alt1.aspmx.l.google.com
5: alt2.aspmx.l.google.com
10: alt3.aspmx.l.google.com
10: alt4.aspmx.l.google.com
SOA:Serial: 1, TTL: 300s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:26ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 a mx include:_spf.mlsend.com include:_spf.mailersend.net include:_spf.google.com include:21539837.ppspf.net include:mail.zendesk.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 thelocal.com compare?

See how thelocal.com 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 modern technology stack with WordPress CMS, Bootstrap for responsive design, and multiple third-party integrations for analytics, advertising, and membership management. Performance is moderate with asynchronous loading of scripts and lazy loading of images. The site is mobile-optimized and SEO-friendly with proper meta tags and structured data. Technical debt appears low, but opportunities exist to improve accessibility and security header implementation. Hosting provider details are not explicit, suggesting potential for further infrastructure transparency.
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

Domainthelocal.com
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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