No matter how shrewd you are when it comes to Internet safety, we've all made mistakes = occasionally. 

No one is perfect if you forget to use 1 of the best VPNs, click on curious (or cheeky) ads, or follow potentially harmful links. This is why VPN provider IPVanish has developed a new tool that can be used for free. The company, owned by Ziff Davis, has added a free link checker tool today. Prevention is always better than cure, and link checker is an excellent way to avoid getting into trouble. 

It has never been really easy to check for links that you might have reason to suspect. All you need to be able to do is copy and paste (hopefully you don't need to explain how to do it). Just copy the

link and paste it into the taskbar on this page and you will see the answer immediately. Like some other IPVanish tools, it is completely free and does not require you to create an account. handy! 

This is the clever bit. Unlike other link scanners, IPVanish claims that the tool uses deep link analysis. The process involves using AI and machine learning to monitor as the tool sets up a "temporary cloud-hosted browser to navigate links, track redirects, and load external content such as ads and libraries.""

Alongside free tools like password generators, Internet speed testers and IP address checkers, IPVanish named it as a VPN service. 

Anyone looking for one of the best streaming VPNs should head elsewhere, but otherwise it's a very effective VPN and has a very high reputation.1 Interestingly, leading VPN provider NordVPN released a similar system, Threat Protection Pro, this week, so if you're an adept tech user, you're not particularly satisfied with the data on display and the number of devices covered in one subscription.

The service scans URLs and blocks access to malware and phishing attempts from these links. However, unlike IPVanish, this is all done automatically and there are a few more tricks on the proverbial sleeve. Threat Protection Pro limits third-party trackers (such as cookies) and automatically shortens urls to reduce similar trackers. However, a nordvpn subscription is required to enable these features. On the other hand, IPVanish's tools do not require you to create an account or jump over the hoop, but you have to manually check for suspicious links.