diff --git a/cookbook/integration/cookbookapp.py b/cookbook/integration/cookbookapp.py
index 898887d3..f22e9d45 100644
--- a/cookbook/integration/cookbookapp.py
+++ b/cookbook/integration/cookbookapp.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from gettext import gettext as _
 from io import BytesIO
 
 import requests
+import validators
 import yaml
 
 from cookbook.helper.ingredient_parser import IngredientParser
@@ -59,8 +60,10 @@ class CookBookApp(Integration):
 
         if len(images) > 0:
             try:
-                response = requests.get(images[0])
-                self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content))
+                url = images[0]
+                if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                    response = requests.get(url)
+                    self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content))
             except Exception as e:
                 print('failed to import image ', str(e))
 
diff --git a/cookbook/integration/cookmate.py b/cookbook/integration/cookmate.py
index fa1e9ce2..e804180a 100644
--- a/cookbook/integration/cookmate.py
+++ b/cookbook/integration/cookmate.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from io import BytesIO
 from gettext import gettext as _
 
 import requests
+import validators
 from lxml import etree
 
 from cookbook.helper.ingredient_parser import IngredientParser
@@ -64,7 +65,9 @@ class Cookmate(Integration):
 
         if recipe_xml.find('imageurl') is not None:
             try:
-                response = requests.get(recipe_xml.find('imageurl').text.strip())
+                url = recipe_xml.find('imageurl').text.strip()
+                if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                    response = requests.get(url)
                 self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content))
             except Exception as e:
                 print('failed to import image ', str(e))
diff --git a/cookbook/integration/recettetek.py b/cookbook/integration/recettetek.py
index 7eb93a8e..c774b3d5 100644
--- a/cookbook/integration/recettetek.py
+++ b/cookbook/integration/recettetek.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from io import BytesIO
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 
 import requests
+import validators
 
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
 from cookbook.helper.image_processing import get_filetype
@@ -123,11 +124,13 @@ class RecetteTek(Integration):
                         self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(import_zip.read(image_file_name)), filetype=get_filetype(image_file_name))
             else:
                 if file['originalPicture'] != '':
-                    response = requests.get(file['originalPicture'])
-                    if imghdr.what(BytesIO(response.content)) is not None:
-                        self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content), filetype=get_filetype(file['originalPicture']))
-                    else:
-                        raise Exception("Original image failed to download.")
+                    url = file['originalPicture']
+                    if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                        response = requests.get(url)
+                        if imghdr.what(BytesIO(response.content)) is not None:
+                            self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content), filetype=get_filetype(file['originalPicture']))
+                        else:
+                            raise Exception("Original image failed to download.")
         except Exception as e:
             print(recipe.name, ': failed to import image ', str(e))
 
diff --git a/cookbook/integration/recipesage.py b/cookbook/integration/recipesage.py
index 29bf0eb4..149c1c5d 100644
--- a/cookbook/integration/recipesage.py
+++ b/cookbook/integration/recipesage.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import json
 from io import BytesIO
 
 import requests
+import validators
 
 from cookbook.helper.ingredient_parser import IngredientParser
 from cookbook.integration.integration import Integration
@@ -51,8 +52,10 @@ class RecipeSage(Integration):
 
         if len(file['image']) > 0:
             try:
-                response = requests.get(file['image'][0])
-                self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content))
+                url = file['image'][0]
+                if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                    response = requests.get(url)
+                    self.import_recipe_image(recipe, BytesIO(response.content))
             except Exception as e:
                 print('failed to import image ', str(e))
 
diff --git a/cookbook/provider/dropbox.py b/cookbook/provider/dropbox.py
index ca6994b9..7d8dcc75 100644
--- a/cookbook/provider/dropbox.py
+++ b/cookbook/provider/dropbox.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import os
 from datetime import datetime
 
 import requests
+import validators
+
 from cookbook.models import Recipe, RecipeImport, SyncLog
 from cookbook.provider.provider import Provider
 
@@ -104,9 +106,11 @@ class Dropbox(Provider):
             recipe.link = Dropbox.get_share_link(recipe)
             recipe.save()
 
-        response = requests.get(recipe.link.replace('www.dropbox.', 'dl.dropboxusercontent.'))
+        url = recipe.link.replace('www.dropbox.', 'dl.dropboxusercontent.')
+        if validators.url(url, public=True):
+            response = requests.get(url)
 
-        return io.BytesIO(response.content)
+            return io.BytesIO(response.content)
 
     @staticmethod
     def rename_file(recipe, new_name):
diff --git a/cookbook/provider/nextcloud.py b/cookbook/provider/nextcloud.py
index e7b100df..9399e104 100644
--- a/cookbook/provider/nextcloud.py
+++ b/cookbook/provider/nextcloud.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import tempfile
 from datetime import datetime
 
 import requests
+import validators
 import webdav3.client as wc
 from cookbook.models import Recipe, RecipeImport, SyncLog
 from cookbook.provider.provider import Provider
@@ -92,20 +93,21 @@ class Nextcloud(Provider):
             "Content-Type": "application/json"
         }
 
-        r = requests.get(
-            url,
-            headers=headers,
-            auth=HTTPBasicAuth(
-                recipe.storage.username, recipe.storage.password
+        if validators.url(url, public=True):
+            r = requests.get(
+                url,
+                headers=headers,
+                auth=HTTPBasicAuth(
+                    recipe.storage.username, recipe.storage.password
+                )
             )
-        )
 
-        response_json = r.json()
-        for element in response_json['ocs']['data']:
-            if element['share_type'] == '3':
-                return element['url']
+            response_json = r.json()
+            for element in response_json['ocs']['data']:
+                if element['share_type'] == '3':
+                    return element['url']
 
-        return Nextcloud.create_share_link(recipe)
+            return Nextcloud.create_share_link(recipe)
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_file(recipe):
diff --git a/cookbook/views/api.py b/cookbook/views/api.py
index b07aaf35..3d1ec493 100644
--- a/cookbook/views/api.py
+++ b/cookbook/views/api.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import uuid
 from collections import OrderedDict
 
 import requests
+import validators
 from PIL import UnidentifiedImageError
 from annoying.decorators import ajax_request
 from annoying.functions import get_object_or_None
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.contrib.postgres.search import TrigramSimilarity
 from django.core.exceptions import FieldError, ValidationError
 from django.core.files import File
-from django.db.models import (Case, Count, Exists, F, IntegerField, OuterRef, ProtectedError, Q,
+from django.db.models import (Case, Count, Exists, OuterRef, ProtectedError, Q,
                               Subquery, Value, When)
 from django.db.models.fields.related import ForeignObjectRel
 from django.db.models.functions import Coalesce, Lower
@@ -24,7 +25,6 @@ from django.urls import reverse
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
 from django_scopes import scopes_disabled
 from icalendar import Calendar, Event
-from recipe_scrapers import NoSchemaFoundInWildMode, WebsiteNotImplementedError, scrape_me
 from requests.exceptions import MissingSchema
 from rest_framework import decorators, status, viewsets
 from rest_framework.exceptions import APIException, PermissionDenied
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from rest_framework.renderers import JSONRenderer, TemplateHTMLRenderer
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.viewsets import ViewSetMixin
 from treebeard.exceptions import InvalidMoveToDescendant, InvalidPosition, PathOverflow
+from validators import ValidationFailure
 
 from cookbook.helper.HelperFunctions import str2bool
 from cookbook.helper.image_processing import handle_image
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ from cookbook.helper.permission_helper import (CustomIsAdmin, CustomIsGuest, Cus
                                                group_required)
 from cookbook.helper.recipe_html_import import get_recipe_from_source
 from cookbook.helper.recipe_search import RecipeFacet, RecipeSearch, old_search
-from cookbook.helper.recipe_url_import import get_from_scraper
 from cookbook.helper.shopping_helper import RecipeShoppingEditor, shopping_helper
 from cookbook.models import (Automation, BookmarkletImport, CookLog, CustomFilter, ExportLog, Food,
                              FoodInheritField, ImportLog, Ingredient, Keyword, MealPlan, MealType,
@@ -774,16 +774,18 @@ class RecipeViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
         if serializer.is_valid():
             serializer.save()
             image = None
-            filetype = ".jpeg" # fall-back to .jpeg, even if wrong, at least users will know it's an image and most image viewers can open it correctly anyways
+            filetype = ".jpeg"  # fall-back to .jpeg, even if wrong, at least users will know it's an image and most image viewers can open it correctly anyways
 
             if 'image' in serializer.validated_data:
                 image = obj.image
                 filetype = mimetypes.guess_extension(serializer.validated_data['image'].content_type) or filetype
             elif 'image_url' in serializer.validated_data:
                 try:
-                    response = requests.get(serializer.validated_data['image_url'])
-                    image = File(io.BytesIO(response.content))
-                    filetype = mimetypes.guess_extension(response.headers['content-type']) or filetype
+                    url = serializer.validated_data['image_url']
+                    if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                        response = requests.get(url)
+                        image = File(io.BytesIO(response.content))
+                        filetype = mimetypes.guess_extension(response.headers['content-type']) or filetype
                 except UnidentifiedImageError as e:
                     print(e)
                     pass
@@ -1188,7 +1190,13 @@ def recipe_from_source(request):
     # in manual mode request complete page to return it later
     if url:
         try:
-            data = requests.get(url, headers=external_request_headers).content
+            if validators.url(url, public=True):
+                data = requests.get(url, headers=external_request_headers).content
+            else:
+                return JsonResponse({
+                    'error': True,
+                    'msg': _('Invalid Url')
+                }, status=400)
         except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
             return JsonResponse({
                 'error': True,
@@ -1199,6 +1207,7 @@ def recipe_from_source(request):
                 'error': True,
                 'msg': _('Bad URL Schema.')
             }, status=400)
+
     recipe_json, recipe_tree, recipe_html, recipe_images = get_recipe_from_source(data, url, request)
     if len(recipe_tree) == 0 and len(recipe_json) == 0:
         return JsonResponse({
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 08c729fe..5b9871c8 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -43,3 +43,4 @@ python-ldap==3.4.0
 django-auth-ldap==4.0.0
 pytest-factoryboy==2.1.0
 pyppeteer==1.0.2
+validators==0.19.0
\ No newline at end of file