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Is ncl.ac.uk a Scam? Security Check Results - Newcastle University

ncl.ac.uk Security Report Summary

ncl.ac.uk received a security score of 72 out of 100 in Guard's comprehensive security analysis, classified as "Moderate Risk". This report covers Newcastle University's website security posture. Newcastle University operates in the Education industry in United Kingdom.

Newcastle University is a prestigious UK-based research-led university, ranked among the world's top 150 and a founding member of the Russell Group. It offers higher education and research services targeting students, academics, and researchers globally. The website reflects a mature digital presence with comprehensive content, clear navigation, and professional branding consistent with its academic stature. The university leverages modern web technologies including TerminalFOUR CMS, Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Cloudflare for performance, analytics, and security. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforcement, security headers, and bot detection mechanisms in place. Privacy compliance is robust, featuring detailed privacy and cookie policies with user consent mechanisms and a designated Data Protection Officer contact. However, public security policies and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms are not evident, representing an area for improvement. Overall, the website is trustworthy, professionally maintained, and aligned with the university's reputation.

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 3.7.1, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics (gtag.js), Microsoft Power BI, HubSpot, Cookiebot, Hotjar, Cloudflare, YouTube iframe API, TerminalFOUR CMS.

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.

N

Is ncl.ac.uk Safe? Security Analysis for Newcastle University

http://ncl.ac.uk

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

EducationUnited Kingdomlarge
jQuery 3.7.1Google Tag ManagerGoogle Analytics (gtag.js)Microsoft Power BIHubSpot+5 more
Analyzed Completed
72
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

Above Education avg (55)

GDPR-aligned

Data handling

EU

Hosting region

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AI Summary

Newcastle University is a prestigious UK-based research-led university, ranked among the world's top 150 and a founding member of the Russell Group. It offers higher education and research services targeting students, academics, and researchers globally. The website reflects a mature digital presence with comprehensive content, clear navigation, and professional branding consistent with its academic stature. The university leverages modern web technologies including TerminalFOUR CMS, Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Cloudflare for performance, analytics, and security. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforcement, security headers, and bot detection mechanisms in place. Privacy compliance is robust, featuring detailed privacy and cookie policies with user consent mechanisms and a designated Data Protection Officer contact. However, public security policies and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms are not evident, representing an area for improvement. Overall, the website is trustworthy, professionally maintained, and aligned with the university's reputation.

Detected Technologies

jQuery 3.7.1Google Tag ManagerGoogle Analytics (gtag.js)Microsoft Power BIHubSpotCookiebotHotjarCloudflareYouTube iframe APITerminalFOUR CMS

7 urgent findings need attention

7 high

Continuous monitoring

Keep ncl.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

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Security Headers

5 findings

45/100

GDPR Compliance

1 finding

95/100

NIS2 Compliance

7 findings

25/100

Email Security

3 findings

88/100

🧠AI Business Intelligence

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

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

Newcastle University operates as a large educational institution focused on research and teaching. Its market position as a Russell Group member and top global university provides competitive advantages in attracting students and research funding. The business model centers on tuition, research grants, and community engagement. The website supports this by providing extensive information and services for prospective and current students, researchers, and partners. The university maintains partnerships with major technology and marketing platforms such as Microsoft, HubSpot, and LinkedIn, enhancing its digital ecosystem. Growth indicators include active use of analytics and marketing tools, and a strong brand presence. Strategic observations suggest continued investment in digital infrastructure and compliance will support sustained market leadership.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website demonstrates a mature security posture with enforced HTTPS, comprehensive security headers, and bot mitigation via Cloudflare and Datadome. Cookies are managed with explicit consent, and CSRF protections are evident. No critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected in the analysis. However, the absence of publicly available security policies, incident response plans, and vulnerability disclosure programs indicates gaps in transparency and readiness. Compliance with GDPR is supported by a clear privacy policy and a named Data Protection Officer. Enhancing public security documentation and establishing a formal vulnerability disclosure channel would strengthen the security culture and stakeholder trust.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Publish a formal security policy and incident response plan accessible on the website.

Observations

Comprehensive website and business-context analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Newcastle University

Description:

Discover Newcastle University, one of the UK’s top rated research universities and a founding member of the Russell group, located in a vibrant and inclusive student city.

Key Services:
Higher educationResearchStudent servicesCommunity engagement
Content Quality:

excellent

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
jQuery 3.7.1Google Tag ManagerGoogle Analytics (gtag.js)Microsoft Power BIHubSpotCookiebotHotjarCloudflareYouTube iframe APITerminalFOUR CMS
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

good

SEO:

good

Security Assessment

Security Score:
85/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Use of security headers
  • Cookie consent mechanism
  • Bot detection via Cloudflare and Datadome
  • CSRF protection cookies

Analytics & Tracking

Services:
Google AnalyticsHotjarHubSpot
Tracking Level:moderate
Privacy Compliance:good

Advertising & Marketing

Tracking Pixels:
HubSpotHotjarCookiebot
Marketing Tools:
HubSpotCookiebotHotjar
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 professionally designed and well maintained

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🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

45/100
Score

Missing X-Frame-Options header

HIGH

Prevents clickjacking attacks

Missing Content-Security-Policy header

HIGH

Controls resources the browser is allowed to load

Missing X-XSS-Protection header

MEDIUM

Legacy XSS protection (deprecated but still recommended)

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

95/100
Score

No Data Protection Officer mentioned

LOW

Large organizations may need to designate a DPO under GDPR

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

25/100
Score

No information security framework found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures

No vulnerability disclosure policy

MEDIUM

NIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure

No security policy documentation found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity governance and risk management

No incident response procedures found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented incident response and business continuity plans

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

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📧Email Security

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

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

88/100
Score

Complex SPF record

LOW

Too many include statements can cause lookup limits

No DMARC reporting

LOW

DMARC aggregate reports not configured

No BIMI Record

LOW

BIMI displays brand logos in email clients

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 include:_spf2.ncl.ac.uk include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:wpm.flywire.com include:spf.mandrillapp.com include:5025575.spf07.hubspotemail.net include:servers.mcsv.net include:tcmailservice.targetconnect.net include:_spf.explore-blue.com include:spf-eu.exlibrisgroup.com -all
DNS Lookups:9/10
Policy:-all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:k1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:selector1(1296-bit rsa)
Selector:selector2(1416-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:quarantine
MTA-STS Details
Mode:enforce
Max Age:14 days

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

64/100
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

HSTS Missing includeSubDomains

LOW

HSTS header does not include subdomains

Mixed Content Detected

MEDIUM

4 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

70/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

CAA Records Not Configured

LOW

Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA) records not found

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:128.240.216.85
Name Servers:
ns0.ncl.ac.ukDNS only
ns1.ncl.ac.ukDNS only
ns4.ja.netDNS only
MX Records:
10: ncl-ac-uk.mail.protection.outlook.com
SOA:Serial: 2025100367, TTL: 900s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:63ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:_spf2.ncl.ac.uk include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:wpm.flywire.com include:spf.mandrillapp.com include:5025575.spf07.hubspotemail.net include:servers.mcsv.net include:tcmailservice.targetconnect.net include:_spf.explore-blue.com include:spf-eu.exlibrisgroup.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 ncl.ac.uk compare?

See how ncl.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 is built on the TerminalFOUR CMS platform, utilizing modern JavaScript libraries such as jQuery 3.7.1 and integrates multiple third-party services including Google Tag Manager, HubSpot, Hotjar, and Microsoft Power BI. Hosting and security are augmented by Cloudflare services, providing CDN and bot mitigation. The site demonstrates good mobile optimization, accessibility, and SEO practices. Performance is moderate, with opportunities to optimize loading times further. The technical stack is well maintained, but continuous monitoring and modernization are recommended to reduce technical debt and maintain resilience against emerging threats.
Professional Report

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

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