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Security report for skatturinn.is

Ríkisskattstjóri · Government · Iceland

Medium risk. 5 critical or high findings in GDPR outside view and SSL/TLS.

Security score

73/100

Risk levelMedium

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

The website www.skatturinn.is serves as the official online presence of Ríkisskattstjóri, the Icelandic national tax and customs authority. It provides comprehensive information and services related to tax assessment, collection, customs duties, and enforcement. The site targets individuals, businesses, tax professionals, and government entities, offering detailed guidance, calculators, forms, and self-service portals. The content is primarily in Icelandic with an English section to accommodate international users. The site is well-structured, professionally designed, and rich in relevant content, reflecting a mature digital presence for a government entity. Technically, the website is built on the Eplica CMS platform and leverages modern JavaScript libraries including jQuery and GSAP for interactive elements. It integrates multiple analytics and tracking tools such as Google Analytics and Siteimprove, and features an IBM Watson Assistant chatbot localized in Icelandic. The site is mobile-optimized and accessible, with good SEO practices evident from meta tags and structured navigation. Performance is moderate, with asynchronous loading of scripts enhancing user experience. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS and avoids exposing sensitive data in its HTML content. However, no explicit security headers were detected in the provided data, suggesting room for improvement in HTTP security configurations. The use of third-party scripts necessitates ongoing vulnerability management. Privacy compliance is strong, with clear privacy and cookie policies and GDPR adherence. Contact information is available, enhancing trust and transparency. Overall, the website presents a low-risk profile with a high degree of professionalism and compliance. The main concern is the absence of WHOIS data, which is unusual for a government domain but may be due to Icelandic domain registration norms. Strategic recommendations include enhancing HTTP security headers, continuous monitoring of third-party scripts, and improving WHOIS transparency if possible to bolster trust further.

Scanned

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
35/ 100 · High
Checks completed
7of 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

5 findings rated critical or high. Fix these first.

  1. GDPR outside view

    These are the privacy signals visitors and data protection authorities look for under GDPR.

    • High

      No Privacy Policy found

      GDPR requires a clear and accessible privacy policy

      What to do: Add a comprehensive privacy policy page and link to it prominently

    • High

      No Cookie Policy found

      GDPR requires clear information about cookie usage

      What to do: Add a dedicated cookie policy explaining cookie usage and purposes

    • High

      No Cookie Consent Banner found

      GDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies

      What to do: Implement a cookie consent banner that appears on first visit

    • High

      Third-party services without privacy policy

      Detected services: Google Analytics, Cloudflare

      What to do: Document all third-party data sharing in your privacy policy

  2. SSL/TLS

    TLS encrypts the connection and proves the site is really yours. Weak or expiring certificates trigger browser warnings and put traffic at risk.

    • High

      Weak Protocols Supported

      Server supports weak protocols: TLSv1.1

      What to do: Disable TLS 1.0, TLS 1.1, and all SSL versions

      • CWE-327
      • OWASP A04:2025
      • ASVS V12.1.1

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

Keep watching skatturinn.is

This scan found 19 issues across 6 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

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

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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
67
Security headers
80
Email security
70
DNS health
85
Network security
100
GDPR outside view
35
Average
73

Not counted

  • 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
  • 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

Ríkisskattstjóri operates as Iceland's central tax and customs authority, holding a critical role in national revenue collection and regulatory enforcement. The website reflects a government-funded, essential public service business model focused on compliance facilitation and taxpayer support. Its market position is authoritative and monopolistic within Iceland's jurisdiction. The site supports multiple user segments including individuals, businesses, and tax professionals, offering tailored content and digital services such as tax calculators, electronic filing, and customs clearance tools. The presence of specialized sections for COVID-19 relief and detailed procedural guidance indicates responsiveness to current events and regulatory changes. Partnerships with related government domains and customs services form a cohesive ecosystem enhancing operational efficiency. The business demonstrates digital maturity and a commitment to transparency and user empowerment.

Security posture

The security posture of the website is solid with mandatory HTTPS enforcement and no visible leakage of sensitive information in the HTML content. The integration of a chatbot and multiple analytics tools is managed with asynchronous script loading, reducing performance impact and potential attack surface. However, the absence of explicit security headers such as Content Security Policy (CSP), HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS), and X-Frame-Options in the analyzed data suggests an opportunity to strengthen defenses against common web attacks like clickjacking and cross-site scripting. No vulnerabilities or outdated libraries were detected in the provided content. Privacy policies and GDPR compliance are well documented, indicating a mature approach to data protection. Incident response and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms are not explicitly found, which could be enhanced to improve security readiness and transparency.

Recommendations

  1. Implement comprehensive HTTP security headers including CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options to mitigate common web vulnerabilities.
  2. Establish and publicize a formal vulnerability disclosure policy and incident response contact channels to enhance security transparency and community engagement.
  3. Regularly audit and update third-party scripts and libraries to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.
  4. Improve WHOIS data transparency for the domain to reinforce legitimacy and trust, especially given the government nature of the site.
  5. Enhance accessibility features and mobile optimization further to ensure compliance with evolving standards and improve user experience.
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
Ríkisskattstjóri
Description
Skatturinn annast álagningu skatta, tolla og annarra gjalda auk þess að viðhafa eftirlit með réttmæti skattskila. Jafnframt starfrækir stofnunin sérstaka einingu sem fer með rannsóknir skattsvika og annarra skattalagabrota.
Key services
Tax assessment and collection, Customs duties and regulations, Taxpayer self-service portals, Tax investigations and enforcement, Business registration and records
Content quality
excellent
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
JavaScript, jQuery 2.2, GSAP TweenMax, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Siteimprove Analytics, ReadSpeaker, Watson Assistant Chat
Frameworks
Eplica CMS
Performance
moderate
Mobile
good
Accessibility
good
SEO
good

Security

Observed score
85/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of Google Tag Manager and analytics scripts asynchronously
  • Chatbot with localized language support

Analytics and tracking

Services
Google Analytics, Siteimprove Analytics
Tracking level
moderate
Privacy practices
good

Advertising

Tracking pixels
Siteimprove Analytics
Transparency
basic

Site quality

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

Key observations

  1. Website is fully accessible with rich content and navigation.
  2. Content is primarily in Icelandic with an English section for international users.
  3. Strong focus on tax, customs, and government services.
  4. Use of multiple analytics and tracking scripts with asynchronous loading.
  5. Presence of chatbot powered by IBM Watson Assistant with Icelandic localization.
  6. No signs of adult or questionable content.
  7. No exposed sensitive data or credentials in HTML.
  8. No visible security headers in provided data; recommend header audit.
  9. WHOIS data missing, which is unusual but may be normal for .is domains.
Technical notes

Notes

The website is powered by Eplica CMS, a specialized content management system, and uses a combination of JavaScript libraries including jQuery 2.2 and GSAP TweenMax for dynamic content and animations. It integrates Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics for tracking and performance monitoring, alongside Siteimprove Analytics for quality assurance. The IBM Watson Assistant chatbot provides interactive user support with localized language packs. The site loads scripts asynchronously to optimize performance. The HTML structure is well-formed with appropriate meta tags for SEO and social media sharing (Open Graph and Twitter cards). The site is mobile responsive and includes accessibility features such as skip links and ARIA roles. Performance is moderate, with potential for improvement by optimizing script loading and caching strategies. Hosting provider details are not explicitly found but the use of Eplica ISP hosted solution is indicated in comments. Overall, the technical infrastructure supports a robust and user-friendly government service portal.
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

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