Clicking a link in your email might take a few extra seconds to load the URL — but that extra time could save you a lot of headaches.  

UAB is using Safe Links technology, which scans any incoming URLs for any malicious content within messages. This practice can help keep all our accounts safer.  

When you hover over links, you can see the Safe Links at work. You can see the original link and a special link with https://...safelinks.protection.outlook.com. When you click the link, Safe Links will quickly scan the URL to make sure it is safe for you to access.  

If the link is determined to be malicious or unsafe, you will be redirected to a protection page.  

Safe Links can also scan attachments in emails for viruses. This happens before it even reaches your inbox. If the attachment has a threat of malicious content, it will be removed. The email you receive will only be the body content, and you will receive a notification of what Safe Links has done to the correspondence.  

It’s not just Outlook that works with Safe Links; links and attachments sent in Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint also use the technology.  

To learn more about online security, visit the UAB IT website.