Yahoo! technology to guard users against ‘dangerous’ web sites
Yahoo! is about to introduce new technology to its search engine that will warn users if they are going to click on a website that hosts spyware, spam and viruses. SearchScan makes use of security firm McAfee’s SiteAdvisor technology for warning users about potentially risky sites.
The service that is switched on by default gives an on-screen alert. “Our goal is protect users by letting them to make a more informed decision about the websites they visit,” stated Yahoo!’s Priyank Garg. Rival firm Google had introduced similar technology a couple of years ago.
Yahoo!’s service will caution users about three different types of risk:
- Browser exploits: Websites, which can install malware just by visiting the website, and harm a user’s computer. Any such websites or pages included in McAfee’s data will get removed from search results by default.
- Dangerous downloads: SearchScan will display warnings just next to search results for websites that offer dangerous software, such as spyware, adware or viruses.
- Unsolicited e-mail: SearchScan will also alert users to scanned websites that send unsolicited mails or inappropriately share e-mail addresses with third parties.
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