Skip to main content

Is hope.ac.uk a Scam? Security Check Results - Liverpool Hope University

hope.ac.uk Security Report Summary

hope.ac.uk received a security score of 74 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers Liverpool Hope University's website security posture. Liverpool Hope University operates in the Education industry in United Kingdom.

Liverpool Hope University is a well-established higher education institution based in Liverpool, UK, offering a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. The university targets both domestic and international students and provides comprehensive student support services including accommodation and career guidance. The website reflects a professional and consistent brand image with excellent content quality and user experience. Technically, the site employs modern web technologies such as jQuery, Owl Carousel, and integrates multiple analytics and advertising platforms, managed with user consent via a robust cookie consent mechanism. Security posture is moderate with evidence of Cloudflare Bot Management and cookie consent controls, but lacks visible security headers and WHOIS transparency. Overall, the website is trustworthy and well-maintained, though domain registration details are unavailable, which slightly reduces registration trust confidence.

The security scan identified 26 findings across security headers, SSL/TLS, DNS health, email security, GDPR compliance, and NIS2 compliance analysis modules.

Technologies detected: jQuery, Owl Carousel, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Snap Pixel, CookieYes Consent Management, Cloudflare Bot Management.

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 business-context intelligence. Each report provides domain-specific findings, risk scores, and actionable recommendations.

hope.ac.uk favicon

Is hope.ac.uk Safe? Security Analysis for Liverpool Hope University

http://hope.ac.uk

Check if hope.ac.uk is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

EducationUnited Kingdommedium
jQueryOwl CarouselGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsFacebook Pixel+3 more
Analyzed Completed
74
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Education avg (55)

GDPR-aligned

Data handling

EU

Hosting region

EveryPay

Secure checkout

Instant

Reports delivered

Professional Report

Unlock the full report for hope.ac.uk

Professional PDF, email delivery, and optional intelligence add-ons. One-time purchase, lifetime access.

Optional add-ons

via BREACH

Your order

Full Report
PDF · email delivery · lifetime access
39.90
Total
Incl. 21% VAT
39.90
Already purchased? Enter unlock code
VisaMastercardApple PayGoogle Payvia EveryPay
SEQ SIA
Reg. No. 40203410806 · VAT LV40203410806

AI Summary

Liverpool Hope University is a well-established higher education institution based in Liverpool, UK, offering a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. The university targets both domestic and international students and provides comprehensive student support services including accommodation and career guidance. The website reflects a professional and consistent brand image with excellent content quality and user experience. Technically, the site employs modern web technologies such as jQuery, Owl Carousel, and integrates multiple analytics and advertising platforms, managed with user consent via a robust cookie consent mechanism. Security posture is moderate with evidence of Cloudflare Bot Management and cookie consent controls, but lacks visible security headers and WHOIS transparency. Overall, the website is trustworthy and well-maintained, though domain registration details are unavailable, which slightly reduces registration trust confidence.

Detected Technologies

jQueryOwl CarouselGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsFacebook PixelSnap PixelCookieYes Consent ManagementCloudflare Bot Management

3 urgent findings need attention

3 high

Continuous monitoring

Keep hope.ac.uk 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

25 €
per month · billed securely via EveryPay
Less than 1 € / day — cheaper than a single incident response hour

Cancel anytime. Alerts sent to the contacts you choose. Unlock the full report to view historical timelines and alerts.

Purchase to access the monitoring timeline, JSON diffs, alert history, and PDF export for hope.ac.uk.

Security Headers

4 findings

75/100

GDPR Compliance

2 findings

83/100

NIS2 Compliance

6 findings

47/100

Email Security

4 findings

80/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

The university operates in the education sector, focusing on delivering academic programs and research opportunities. Its business model is centered on tuition fees, scholarships, apprenticeships, and international student recruitment. The website indicates a medium-sized institution with a strong local and international presence. Partnerships with UCAS, international study centers, and student unions are evident. The university leverages digital marketing and analytics tools to optimize recruitment and engagement. The absence of direct contact emails and phone numbers suggests a preference for controlled communication channels such as contact forms. The institution maintains a comprehensive cookie and privacy policy, indicating awareness of regulatory compliance.

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The security posture is moderate with HTTPS implied but not explicitly confirmed. The presence of Cloudflare Bot Management cookies and cookie consent mechanisms indicates proactive bot mitigation and privacy compliance. However, the lack of visible security headers and no disclosed incident response or vulnerability disclosure policies suggests room for improvement. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected in the HTML content. The extensive use of third-party tracking scripts requires ongoing monitoring to mitigate supply chain risks. Overall, the site demonstrates a reasonable security baseline appropriate for an educational institution but would benefit from enhanced security header implementation and transparency in security policies.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Implement and enforce security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security to enhance protection against common web attacks.

Observations

Comprehensive website and business-context analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Liverpool Hope University

Description:

A vibrant university in Liverpool, dedicated to delivering exceptional undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for students from the UK and internationally.

Key Services:
Undergraduate coursesPostgraduate taught coursesPostgraduate researchApprenticeshipsInternational student supportStudent accommodationResearch programs
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
jQueryOwl CarouselGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsFacebook PixelSnap PixelCookieYes Consent ManagementCloudflare Bot Management
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
75/100
Best Practices:
  • Use of Cloudflare Bot Management cookie
  • Cookie consent with granular controls
  • No exposed personal data in HTML

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerFacebook PixelMicrosoft Clarity
Tracking Level:extensive
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Ad Networks:
DoubleClickSnapchatLinkedInTikTok
Tracking Pixels:
Facebook PixelSnap PixelMicrosoft Clarity
Marketing Tools:
TaboolaStackAdaptSpotify Pixel
Transparency Level:good

Website Quality Assessment

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

Key Observations

1

Website is fully accessible with rich content and navigation.

Get this report delivered to your inbox

Receive a summary of the hope.ac.uk security findings by email. Quick and easy to share with decision makers.

🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

75/100
Score

Weak Strict-Transport-Security configuration

LOW

Current value: "max-age=15552000 ; includeSubDomains"

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

83/100
Score

No Data Protection Officer mentioned

LOW

Large organizations may need to designate a DPO under GDPR

Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant

MEDIUM

Privacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements

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

47/100
Score

No vulnerability disclosure policy

MEDIUM

NIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure

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

Need this report as a PDF?

Download the complete hope.ac.uk security analysis as a professional PDF. Share it with your team, clients, or stakeholders.

📧Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

80/100
Score

DMARC Partial Enforcement

LOW

DMARC only applies to 25% of messages

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 ip4:5.44.24.4 ip4:5.61.115.80/28 ip4:23.249.208.0/20 ip4:23.251.224.0/19 ip4:3.229.143.16 ip4:34.198.56.55 ip4:52.4.161.124 ip4:52.82.172.0/22 ip4:54.240.0.0/17 ip4:69.169.224.0/20 ip4:76.223.128.0/19 ip4:76.223.176.0/20 ip4:83.217.246.64/26 ip4:83.231.158.128/26 ip4:91.186.188.0/26 ip4:91.186.188.128/26 ip4:91.186.188.231 ip4:95.172.90.143 ip4:95.172.90.156 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:spf1.hope.ac.uk include:_spf.mlsend.com include:_spf.elasticemail.com -all
DNS Lookups:5/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:default(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:google(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:k2(1416-bit rsa)
Selector:s1(1440-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:quarantine(25% enforcement)
Subdomain Policy:none
Aggregate Reports:[email protected]
Forensic Reports:[email protected]

🏆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 68 days

Short HSTS Max-Age

LOW

HSTS max-age is less than 1 year

Mixed Content Detected

MEDIUM

2 resources loaded over insecure HTTP

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

75/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

Domain Transfer Lock Not Enabled

MEDIUM

Domain can be transferred without authorization

Domain Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
30 years(mature)
Protection Level
none
Suspicious Indicators Detected
  • No domain protection locks enabled

DNS Records

A Records:194.81.34.162
Name Servers:
ns10.ja.netDNS only
ns11.ja.netDNS only
ns12.ja.netDNS only
MX Records:
5: alt1.aspmx.l.google.com
10: alt3.aspmx.l.google.com
10: alt4.aspmx.l.google.com
1: aspmx.l.google.com
5: alt2.aspmx.l.google.com
SOA:Serial: 2014031323, TTL: 3600s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:46ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 ip4:5.44.24.4 ip4:5.61.115.80/28 ip4:23.249.208.0/20 ip4:23.251.224.0/19 ip4:3.229.143.16 ip4:34.198.56.55 ip4:52.4.161.124 ip4:52.82.172.0/22 ip4:54.240.0.0/17 ip4:69.169.224.0/20 ip4:76.223.128.0/19 ip4:76.223.176.0/20 ip4:83.217.246.64/26 ip4:83.231.158.128/26 ip4:91.186.188.0/26 ip4:91.186.188.128/26 ip4:91.186.188.231 ip4:95.172.90.143 ip4:95.172.90.156 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:spf1.hope.ac.uk include:_spf.mlsend.com include:_spf.elasticemail.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 hope.ac.uk compare?

See how hope.ac.uk 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 uses a combination of jQuery, Owl Carousel, and multiple analytics and advertising scripts including Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, and Microsoft Clarity. CookieYes is used for cookie consent management, indicating compliance with privacy regulations. Hosting appears to be behind Cloudflare, providing bot management and CDN services. The site is mobile responsive with good navigation clarity and SEO optimization. However, no CMS or specific backend technology was identified from the HTML content. Performance is moderate, likely influenced by multiple third-party scripts. There is no evidence of outdated or vulnerable libraries in the provided data. The site structure is well-organized with extensive menu hierarchies supporting user navigation.
Professional Report

Download the hope.ac.uk report as PDF

Get the complete analysis in a shareable PDF format, delivered instantly to your email with lifetime access.

Optional add-ons

via BREACH

Your order

Full Report
PDF · email delivery · lifetime access
39.90
Total
Incl. 21% VAT
39.90
Already purchased? Enter unlock code
VisaMastercardApple PayGoogle Payvia EveryPay
SEQ SIA
Reg. No. 40203410806 · VAT LV40203410806

Scan your own website

Liked the hope.ac.uk report? Run the same comprehensive security analysis on your domain — free, instant, and no sign-up required.

Or browse our directory of >10,000 scanned websites.

⭐ Verified Community Reviews

What others say about hope.ac.uk

Share your experience to help others make informed decisions. We verify every review by email and publish it once our moderation team approves it.

Overall rating
Select a rating
4000 characters remaining

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

Community rating

out of 5

0 reviews published

Loading reviews…

How did we do?

Your feedback directly shapes our roadmap. Rate the quality of this report, leave an optional comment, and let us know if you want our security specialists 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.

Analyze Another Website