Skip to main content

Security report for epo.org

European Patent Office · Government · N/a

Partial score · DNS & email only

49/100

0–100, higher is better. How it is calculated

The European Patent Office (EPO) website serves as the official portal for patent-related services and information in Europe. It provides comprehensive resources including patent searching tools, legal texts, application procedures, and educational materials through the European Patent Academy. The site targets patent applicants, IP professionals, legal practitioners, and the general public interested in intellectual property. The EPO holds a leading position as a governmental organization responsible for patent granting under the European Patent Convention, with a history dating back to 1977. Technically, the website is built on Drupal 10 with modern JavaScript frameworks and uses Matomo for analytics, reflecting a mature and privacy-conscious digital infrastructure. The site is fast, mobile-optimized, and accessible, with clear navigation and professional design. Security is robust with HTTPS enforced, multiple security headers, and no visible vulnerabilities. Privacy compliance is strong, featuring cookie consent mechanisms and a comprehensive privacy policy aligned with GDPR. Overall, the EPO website demonstrates a high level of professionalism, trustworthiness, and technical maturity. While WHOIS data is unavailable due to query failure or privacy protection, the site’s content and structure strongly support its legitimacy. No critical security issues or content safety concerns were identified, making it a reliable resource for its users.

Scanned

This is an earlier scan of epo.org. View the latest report

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
58/ 100 · Medium
Checks completed
6of 7

NIS2 Art. 21(2)

  1. (a) Risk analysis and security policies: Not visible from outside
  2. (b) Incident handling: One indicator
  3. (c) Business continuity, backups and crisis management: Not visible from outside
  4. (d) Supply chain security: Not visible from outside
  5. (e) Secure acquisition, development and maintenance, including vulnerability handling: Partly checked
  6. (f) Assessing the effectiveness of security measures: Not visible from outside
  7. (g) Cyber hygiene and security training: Not visible from outside
  8. (h) Cryptography and encryption: Partly checked
  9. (i) HR security, access control and asset management: One indicator
  10. (j) Multi-factor authentication and secured communications: Not visible from outside

This scan rated NIS2 with an earlier keyword method that is no longer shown; rescan for the per-article view. Risk management, continuity, supply chain, training, MFA, management oversight (Art. 20) and incident reporting (Art. 23) need internal evidence, and Guard cannot tell whether NIS2 applies to this organisation.

GDPR is indicative only, based on publicly visible signals: Articles 7, 12, 13 and 32 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. Not a certification or legal assessment.

Priority findings

17 findings rated critical or high. Fix these first.

  1. Network security

    Services reachable from the internet are the first thing attackers probe. Anything open that does not need to be should be closed.

    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: Telnet

      Port 23 (Telnet) is publicly accessible - Telnet - Unencrypted remote access

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to Telnet using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: SMB

      Port 445 (SMB) is publicly accessible - SMB - Windows file sharing, high risk

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to SMB using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: MSSQL

      Port 1433 (MSSQL) is publicly accessible - MSSQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to MSSQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: Oracle

      Port 1521 (Oracle) is publicly accessible - Oracle - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to Oracle using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: MySQL

      Port 3306 (MySQL) is publicly accessible - MySQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to MySQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection

Need hands-on remediation? Email guard@offseq.com

Keep watching epo.org

This scan found 26 issues across 5 checks. Monitoring re-runs those checks daily, emails you when something material changes and records each fix, so you can show progress.

Daily monitoring

Recommended

€25per month

  • TLS certificates and expiry
  • DNS records
  • SPF, DKIM and DMARC
  • Security headers
  • GDPR and NIS2 posture
  • Exposed services
  • Third-party trackers
  • Security score drift

Email alerts on material changes and an exportable JSON history of every change.

Billed monthly to your card. Cancel anytime. The full timeline opens with your unlock code.

Full report

€39.90one-time

  • The complete analysis as a PDF you can cite
  • Email delivery with an unlock code
  • Lifetime access to this report

Prices incl. 21% VAT. Secure checkout by Mollie; sold by SEQ SIA, Latvia.

Results by check

Each check with its score, findings and the evidence it collected.

How this score is calculated

The security score runs 0–100, higher is better. It is the plain average of the security checks that completed in this scan, each counted equally. A check that could not run is left out: it counts neither as a pass nor as a fail.

Counted in this score

SSL/TLS
57
Email security
85
DNS health
90
Network security
0
GDPR outside view
58
Average
58
After the cap
49

Not counted

  • Security headers: did not complete in this scan.
  • NIS2 outside view: Re-weights evidence from the TLS, email, DNS, network and hygiene checks, so counting it would count that evidence twice. Shown on its own.
  • OffSeq Observations: An AI reading of the site, useful context but not reproducible evidence. Shown on its own.

Findings that cap the score at 49

Each of these is serious on its own, so while any is present the site cannot rate better than high risk, however good the other checks are.

  • The certificate is not trusted by browsers
  • The website is not served over HTTPS
  • A database, remote desktop, file-sharing or Telnet service is reachable from the internet · found on this site
  • The page loads a script from a compromised source
  • The domain registration has expired
  • SPF authorises every server to send mail as the domain

Partial scans

When the site blocks Guard or most checks cannot run, the score covers only the checks that ran (usually DNS and email), is capped at 75 and is shown as partial, without a risk level.

Risk levels

  • Critical0–25
  • High26–49
  • Medium50–75
  • Low76–100

Technical appendix

Business context, site observations and technical notes gathered during the scan, and the standards behind each reference.

Business context

Business profile

The EPO operates as a governmental entity providing essential patent services across Europe and internationally. Its business model is service-oriented, focusing on patent examination, granting, and dissemination of patent information. The organization benefits from a strong market position as the primary European patent authority, with a broad target audience including inventors, businesses, legal professionals, and researchers. The website reflects strategic partnerships and a commitment to transparency, education, and innovation support. Growth indicators include extensive learning resources and technology platforms. The EPO’s ecosystem is supported by specialized applications and data services, enhancing its operational capabilities and user engagement.

Security posture

The EPO website exhibits a mature security posture with enforced HTTPS, comprehensive security headers, and privacy-compliant cookie management. No exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected. However, the absence of explicit incident response and vulnerability disclosure information suggests room for improvement in transparency and user trust regarding security matters. The use of Matomo analytics indicates a preference for privacy-respecting tracking. Overall, the site is secure, but publishing dedicated security policies and contact channels would enhance its security culture and incident readiness.

Recommendations

  1. Publish a clear incident response and vulnerability disclosure policy on the website.
  2. Implement and publicize a security.txt file to facilitate responsible vulnerability reporting.
  3. Provide direct security contact emails (e.g., security@epo.org) for transparency and trust.
  4. Regularly review and audit third-party scripts and libraries to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
  5. Enhance communication on security certifications and compliance frameworks to strengthen user confidence.
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
European Patent Office
Description
The European Patent Office (EPO) provides patent services including patent searching, application, legal information, and patent law resources. It supports innovation and patenting in Europe and internationally.
Key services
Patent searching and databases, Patent application processing, Legal and procedural information, Learning and training via European Patent Academy, News and events related to patents, Transparency and statistical data
Content quality
excellent
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
Drupal 10, Matomo Analytics, JavaScript, CSS, React (specialized apps)
Frameworks
Drupal
Performance
fast
Mobile
excellent
Accessibility
good
SEO
good

Security

Observed score
90/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Cookie consent mechanism
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of security headers

Analytics and tracking

Services
Matomo
Tracking level
moderate
Privacy practices
good

Advertising

Tracking pixels
Matomo
Marketing tools
Matomo Analytics
Transparency
good

Site quality

Design
excellent
User experience
excellent
Content relevance
excellent
Navigation
excellent
Professionalism
excellent
Trustworthiness
high

Key observations

  1. Website is professionally designed and well-structured.
  2. Content is comprehensive and relevant to patent services and information.
  3. No signs of malicious or suspicious content.
  4. Privacy and cookie policies are implemented with consent mechanisms.
  5. No direct contact emails or phone numbers found on the homepage; contact forms are used.
  6. No WHOIS data available, likely due to privacy protection or query failure.
  7. No WAF or blocking detected; site fully accessible.
  8. Use of Matomo analytics indicates privacy-conscious tracking.
Technical notes

Notes

The website leverages Drupal 10 CMS with React-based specialized applications, indicating a modern and modular architecture. It employs Matomo for analytics, favoring privacy over commercial tracking solutions. The site is well-optimized for performance and mobile devices, with good accessibility features. The use of security headers and HTTPS ensures a secure browsing environment. Hosting details are not explicitly identified, but the infrastructure supports fast loading and robust functionality. Opportunities exist to improve technical transparency by disclosing hosting and security certifications.
Standards and sources

Reference chips under each finding point to the standard, regulation or specification the finding relates to. They are taken from the official datasets below and mapped conservatively: a finding with no defensible link shows none. NIS2 and GDPR references mark where a finding is relevant evidence, not a compliance verdict. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690 binds digital infrastructure and digital service providers; for other entities it is the most detailed public reading of the Article 21 measures. WCAG, EN 301 549, European Accessibility Act and Web Accessibility Directive references name the requirement an automated accessibility rule relates to; they are not a conformance verdict.

Retrieved 2026-10-25

Earlier scans of this domain

  1. 49/100High36 findings · partial scanView report
  2. 56/100Medium4 findings · partial scanView report
Reviews of this site

Share your experience with epo.org. Every review is verified by email and published after moderation.

Overall rating
Select a rating
4000 characters remaining

We’ll email you to confirm your review and keep your details private.

Community rating

No published reviews yet. Be the first to review epo.org.

Feedback on this report

Rate this report, add an optional comment, and tell us if you want a security specialist to follow up.

Overall report quality
Select a rating
2000 characters remaining

We only use your feedback to improve Guard reports. Contact details are never shared.