Is vcf.gov Safe? Security Analysis for September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
Check if vcf.gov is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.
AI Summary
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is a federally funded government program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, designed to provide compensation to individuals physically harmed or deceased due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The website serves as the official portal for information, registration, claims filing, and outreach to the affected community. It targets a broad audience including residents, first responders, volunteers, and others impacted by the events and aftermath of 9/11. The program operates as a no-fault alternative to litigation, emphasizing accessibility and support for claimants. Technically, the website is built on Drupal 11 and leverages modern web technologies including USWDS for design consistency, YouTube APIs for video content, and multiple analytics platforms for performance and user behavior tracking. The site is mobile-optimized, accessible, and structured for clear navigation. Security is robust with HTTPS enforced and privacy of personally identifiable information emphasized, though some security headers could be improved and a cookie consent mechanism added. From a security perspective, the site demonstrates good practices including fraud reporting channels and data protection notices. The lack of exposed vulnerabilities and the official .gov domain enhance trustworthiness. WHOIS data is limited but consistent with a government-operated domain. Overall, the site presents a low risk profile with strong credibility and compliance with federal standards. Strategically, the VCF website effectively balances informative content, user experience, and security to serve a sensitive and important constituency. Continued enhancements in privacy compliance and security transparency would further strengthen its posture.
Detected Technologies
🧠AI Business Intelligence
Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.
Business Intelligence
Market & Strategic Analysis
The VCF operates as a government essential entity within the justice sector, providing compensation services to a defined community affected by a historic event. Its market position is unique and authoritative, backed by federal funding and oversight. The business model is service-oriented, focusing on claims processing and community outreach rather than commercial revenue. The website supports multiple languages and provides comprehensive resources, indicating a commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness. Partnerships appear limited to government-related domains, reinforcing its official status. Growth indicators are tied to ongoing claims and legislative mandates rather than market competition. The program's ecosystem is tightly controlled, with a focus on transparency and trust. Operationally, the VCF benefits from a modern digital infrastructure but could improve in areas such as cookie consent and explicit security policies. The analytics usage is moderate, balancing data collection with privacy considerations. The presence of fraud reporting mechanisms indicates a proactive stance on security and compliance.
Extracted Contact Information
Marketing Intelligence Data
Email Addresses (1)
Phone Numbers (1)
Physical Addresses (1)
Security Posture Analysis
Comprehensive Security Assessment
The website maintains a strong security posture with HTTPS enforced and no visible sensitive data leaks. Security best practices include access controls for personally identifiable information and clear fraud reporting contacts. However, the absence of explicit security headers like Content-Security-Policy and a security.txt file suggests room for improvement. The site does not display cookie consent banners, which may be a compliance gap under certain privacy regulations. No vulnerabilities or malware indicators were detected in the content. Incident response contact is clearly provided via a DOJ Inspector General email. Overall, the security maturity is good but could be enhanced with additional transparency and technical controls.
Strategic Recommendations
Priority Actions for Security Improvement
Implement and publish a dedicated security policy page detailing security controls and incident response procedures.
✨Observations
AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.
AI-Enhanced Website Analysis
Business Insights
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is a federally funded program established to compensate individuals physically harmed or deceased due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks or related debris removal efforts. It provides a no-fault alternative to lawsuits and is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Special Master.
excellent
consistent
Technical Stack
moderate
excellent
excellent
good
Security Assessment
- HTTPS enforced
- No exposed sensitive data in HTML
- Security notices about fraud and data protection
- Access controls mentioned for PII
Analytics & Tracking
Advertising & Marketing
Website Quality Assessment
Key Observations
Official U.S. government website with .gov domain
🛡️Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.
Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis
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
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 vulnerability disclosure policy
MEDIUMNIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure
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
No DKIM record found
MEDIUMDKIM adds cryptographic signatures to emails
Strict DMARC Alignment
LOWStrict alignment may cause legitimate emails to fail
No BIMI Record
LOWBIMI displays brand logos in email clients
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
DMARC Details
🏆SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis.
SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis
Mixed Content Detected
MEDIUM1 resources loaded over insecure HTTP
Partial SSL/TLS Assessment
LOWCompleted 2 of 4 security checks due to time constraints
Certificate Details
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
- •Privacy/proxy registration detected
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