{"id":1225,"date":"2026-01-09T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T14:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/?p=1225"},"modified":"2025-12-23T10:49:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T15:49:10","slug":"the-hover-over-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/2026\/01\/09\/the-hover-over-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Hover Over Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">A <strong>hover over <\/strong>is what happens when you move your mouse cursor over an element on a screen\u2014like an icon, button, or word\u2014without actually clicking it.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">Instead of needing to click to get information, the hover action instantly triggers a temporary change. This change can be:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"5\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5,0,0\"><strong>Visual Feedback:<\/strong> The color of a button changes, an icon gets a highlight, or a link gets an underline.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5,1,0\"><strong>Informational Display:<\/strong> A small box of text, called a <strong>tooltip<\/strong>, appears right next to your cursor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"6\" \/>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"7\">Why Hover Over Is So Important<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">The hover over technique is a fundamental part of good digital design because it provides <strong>context<\/strong> and <strong>guidance<\/strong> <em>before<\/em> an action is taken.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"9\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\"><strong>It Reduces Guesswork:<\/strong> It tells you what an unfamiliar icon or abbreviation means, so you don&#8217;t have to click around to figure things out.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\"><strong>It Prevents Mistakes:<\/strong> By seeing a detailed description <em>before<\/em> clicking a &#8220;Delete&#8221; or &#8220;Submit&#8221; button, users are more confident and less likely to accidentally perform an irreversible action.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,2,0\"><strong>It Saves Space:<\/strong> Complex applications often use icons instead of long text labels to keep the interface clean. The hover over provides the full explanation only when you need it, avoiding clutter.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,3,0\"><strong>It Improves Accessibility: <\/strong>For users with certain cognitive or motor skill challenges, getting quick, clear information without requiring a click is highly beneficial.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"10\" \/>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"3\">Your First Line of Defense Against Phishing<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">One of the most critical uses of the hover over technique is to <strong>verify the safety of a link<\/strong> before you click it. This is your most powerful tool against <strong>phishing<\/strong>, which is when scammers use deceptive emails or websites to trick you into giving up personal information (like passwords or credit card numbers).<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">Scammers often disguise malicious links to look legitimate. For example, a scam link might display the text &#8220;<strong>Click here to log into PayPal<\/strong>,&#8221; but the actual destination is a fake, malicious website.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"6\">How to Verify a Link Using Hover Over:<\/h3>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\"><strong>Locate the Target:<\/strong> Find the link you want to check (in an email, on a website, etc.).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\"><strong>Perform the Hover Action (Desktop\/Laptop):<\/strong> Move your mouse cursor over the link and <strong>hold it perfectly still\u2014do not click!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,2,0\"><strong>Inspect the Status Bar:<\/strong> A small display box or line of text (often called the <strong>status bar<\/strong>) will appear in the <strong>bottom-left corner<\/strong>\u00a0your browser window. This text reveals the <strong>true, actual destination URL<\/strong> of the link.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,3,0\"><strong>Analyze the URL:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"7,3,1\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,3,1,0,0\"><strong>Good:<\/strong> If the link says &#8220;Log into Bank of America&#8221; and the status bar shows a URL starting with <code>https:\/\/www.bankofamerica.com\/...<\/code>, the link is safe.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,3,1,1,0\"><strong>Bad (Phishing):<\/strong> If the link says &#8220;Log into Bank of America&#8221; but the status bar shows a URL like <code>http:\/\/bankofamericasupport.xyz\/login.php<\/code>, <strong>DO NOT CLICK IT! <\/strong>The domain name is clearly fake, even if the text <em>looks<\/em> right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"8\">The Mobile Equivalent (Tap-and-Hold for Safety)<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">On a smartphone or tablet, the process is slightly different but achieves the same result:<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"><strong>Use Tap-and-Hold:<\/strong> Press and hold your finger on the suspicious link.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\"><strong>Inspect the Preview:<\/strong> A preview box or menu will pop up, which often displays the <strong>full, true URL <\/strong>at the top.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\"><strong>Cancel if Suspicious:<\/strong> If the URL in the preview does not exactly match the website it claims to be, lift your finger, close the preview, and delete the message.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\"><strong>Always remember:<\/strong> The text you <strong>see<\/strong> on the screen can be easily faked. The URL displayed when you <strong>hover<\/strong> (or tap-and-hold) is the <strong>real destination<\/strong>, and it is your most reliable security check.<\/p>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"10\" \/>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"11\">How to Use It Effectively<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\">Using the hover over technique is intuitive:<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"13\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,0,0\"><strong>Move Your Cursor: <\/strong>Simply glide your mouse cursor across the screen.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\"><strong>Look for the Pointer Change: <\/strong>Your cursor will often change shape (e.g., from a standard arrow to a <strong>hand pointer <\/strong>when you pass it over an interactive element, signaling that a hover state is available.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,2,0\"><strong>Pause Briefly: <\/strong>Hold the cursor still over the element for about one second.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,3,0\"><strong>Read the Feedback:<\/strong> The temporary text (tooltip) or visual highlight will appear, giving you the necessary information.<\/p>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"10\" \/>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"3\">What Hover Over Is Good For<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">Keep an eye out for hover over opportunities in these common scenarios:<\/p>\n<table data-path-to-node=\"5\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Element<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>The Hover Over Insight<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Buttons\/Actions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"5,1,1,0\">Shows a clear description of what the button does (e.g., hovering over a <strong>Save<\/strong> icon might display &#8220;<strong>Save Draft<\/strong>&#8220;).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Icons<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"5,2,1,0\">Provides the name and function of the icon.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Truncated Text<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"5,3,1,0\">If a name or title is cut off because it&#8217;s too long, hovering over it reveals the <strong>full, unedited text<\/strong>.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Abbreviations\/Acronyms<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"5,4,1,0\">Instantly explains what the initialism stands for (e.g., hovering over <strong>&#8220;ETA&#8221;<\/strong> displays &#8220;<strong>Estimated Time of Arrival<\/strong>&#8220;).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Charts\/Graphs<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"5,5,1,0\">Reveals the specific data point (the exact number or percentage) for a section of the visualization.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"10\" \/>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"3\">Hover vs. Touch: How to Access Information on Mobile Devices<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">The traditional <strong>&#8220;hover over&#8221;<\/strong> technique uses a mouse or trackpad to float a cursor over an element. On devices with touchscreens (like phones and tablets), you cannot &#8220;hover&#8221; in the same way.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">Instead, the equivalent gesture is <strong>Tap-and-Hold<\/strong> (also called <strong>Press and Hold<\/strong> or <strong>Long Press<\/strong>). This action triggers the same quick informational feedback you would get from a desktop hover.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"6\">How to Reveal Hidden Information on Mobile:<\/h3>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\"><strong>Identify the Element:<\/strong> Find the interactive element you are curious about (a link, an icon, a file name, etc.).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\"><strong>Use the Tap-and-Hold Gesture:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0,0\">Place your finger on the element.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,1,0\"><strong>Press and hold your finger down firmly <\/strong>for about one second. <strong>Do not lift your finger immediately.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,2,0\"><strong>Read the Feedback:<\/strong> A preview, a description, or a menu will pop up, giving you the extra information you need.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"8\"><strong>Common Example: Previewing a Link<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"9\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\"><strong>Desktop Hover:<\/strong> Moving your mouse cursor over a link displays the full URL in the browser&#8217;s status bar.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\"><strong>Mobile Tap-and-Hold:<\/strong> Pressing and holding a link on your iPhone or Android phone brings up a <strong>preview window<\/strong> of the linked webpage, allowing you to see where the link goes <em>before<\/em> you commit to navigating there.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">By using the <strong>Tap-and-Hold<\/strong> gesture, mobile users can effectively access all the hidden, contextual information that desktop users get with the hover-over technique.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0\"><strong>&#8220;A link without a hover check? That&#8217;s how horror movies start.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0\"><strong>\u2014<\/strong> Emily Harris<br \/>\nChief Information Security Officer<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-start=\"553\" data-end=\"653\">Want to Know More?<\/h2>\n<p>YouTube (Trevor Nace) | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ASxY2c1aIpo\">How To Check A Suspicious Link<\/a><\/p>\n<p>YouTube (AskLeo!) | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oZuz7QofGcE#:~:text=Comments&amp;text=Don't%20forget%20that%20if,My%20two%20cents.\">How to Hover Over a Link to Check It\u2019s Not a Scam<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Forbes | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/daveywinder\/2024\/11\/07\/gmail-users-beware-link-hovering-attacks-on-the-up\/\">Gmail Users Beware\u2014Link Hovering Attacks On The Up<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A hover over is what happens when you move your mouse cursor over an element on a screen\u2014like an icon, button, or word\u2014without actually clicking it. Instead of needing to click to get information, the hover action instantly triggers a temporary change. This change can be: Visual Feedback: The color of a button changes, an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":349,"featured_media":222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/349"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1225"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1229,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1225\/revisions\/1229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}