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URL Defense FAQs

PLEASE NOTE: While ProofPoint’s URL Defense mitigates the threat of malicious links in email, it doesn’t guarantee that every link contained in the incoming, external email to @stanford.edu is safe to click. Please continue to exercise caution when inspecting URLs embedded in email.

Q: What will I see if a link is blocked?
A: The blocked page will look similar to this:
Q: How do I know if a URL is rewritten?
A: HTML emails with links will look unchanged so you can hover over the link and will see some thing similar to:
  • https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.google.com__;!!POPwgc47LqelFC4T6Q!PQnirYRJMr3228KhKFTmrcNHBBYLaHjr1HZZ77L
Q: What if you receive plain-text e-mails?
A: When URL Defense detects a hyperlink in a plain-text e-mail (non-HTML), it will rewrite the URL in plain text. In this case, you will see the rewritten URL directly in the body of the e-mail. E-mails with HTML or rich text are most common, so Plain-Text rewrites will occur infrequently.
Q: What if you forward an e-mail with a rewritten link?
A: Once URL Defense has rewritten a URL, if the message is forwarded or replied to, the URL will remain rewritten. Additional links added to the message being replied to or forwarded will not be rewritten.
Q: What if a link was wrongly blocked and you actually need access?
A: If a link is blocked, you can request the link be reviewed and the block removed if the website is not malicious. Please submit a ticket to the Information Security Office with the with the link in your email.
Q: Is there an exception process for some URLs to not be rewritten?
A: At this time there are no exceptions for URL re-writing, in order to protect University assets and create a secure email environment all URLs will be rewritten. Currently, domains that end in stanford.edu or zoom.us will not be rewritten.
Q: How long will the links work for?
A: The links will work indefinitely even if Stanford switches away from Proofpoint.
Q: Does Proofpoint track or log activity?
A: Proofpoint will log when someone clicks a link. That is the extent of logging. This information is accessible by the Information Security Office (ISO) to identify any account clicked on with a malicious link that previously was not considered malicious. This way, ISO can follow up with that individual to ensure their credentials are not compromised.
Q: Are links in attachments rewritten?
A: Links in attachments and encrypted messages will not be rewritten.
Q: Will URL Defense protect a URL that is safe at one-time but becomes compromised later?
A: Yes. Each time a URL is clicked, the status of that URL is verified before the redirect is allowed.
Q: Will URL Defense delay my emails?
A: No. Protected URLs are checked in real-time to determine the latest status.
Q: What should I do if I clicked on a link and the page is blocked?
A: If a page is blocked, you do not need to take any further action. It is also not neccessary to report this, unless you feel the page is blocked in error.
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