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Know the Risks
NAME and DOWNLOAD LINK: SiteAdvisor DESCRIPTION: Website Security Rating Plug-in SIZE: 467 KB/Internet Explorer, 40 KB/Firefox MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: For IE - Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, For Firefox - Windows XP, Linux and Mac OS X COMMENT: "SiteAdvisor is a consumer software company founded in April 2005 by a group of MIT engineers who wanted to make the Web safer for their family and friends. Having spent one too many holiday breaks trying to clean a mess of spam, adware, and spyware from our families' computers, we decided to take action." Tired of battling against the latest round of risks and nuisances you encounter on the Web? Get the information you need to make safer choices while browsing and searching. SiteAdvisor rates Websites by checking its constantly updated list for security risks. Websites are tested automatically and supplemented with user feedback, Website owners' comments and expert analysis. SiteAdvisor has cataloged 95% of the Web so far. 
SiteAdvisor's ratings take some of the mystery out of Web searching and browsing. SiteAdvisor quickly gives you color coded ratings with links to more information on such threats as spyware/adware, unwanted software, spam, phishing, pop-ups, online fraud and identity theft. Green for Safe. Yellow use Caution. Red for Warning. 
The SiteAdvisor button shows in your browser's toolbar and changes colors as it rates Websites. Hover over the button to see basic info or click to see a full analysis of the Website your visiting. SiteAdvisor can be disabled and you can access menu options by clicking the down arrow.
SiteAdvisor's ratings also appear with Google, Yahoo! and MSN search results. Hover over the ratings symbol for basic info and click for more details. 
If you visit a Website rated unsafe by SiteAdvisor, a warning balloon with basic information automatically appears. Click for a detailed analysis including info on online affiliations, downloads and email responses.
It's always nice to know where you're going and SiteAdvisor fills a need not addressed by other online security software. SiteAdvisor uses very little resources and didn't seem to slow down browsing or the return of search results. Since SiteAdvisor checks the Websites you visit against its online database, concerns about privacy might be an issue. SiteAdvisor states that it doesn't collect personally identifying info or user's IP addresses, but does maintain anonymous master logs of Websites for testing purposes. For more information read SiteAdvisor's Privacy Policy. The most common questions about SiteAdvisor's software and safety ratings can be found at the SiteAdvisor Support Center. New Features and improvements will be added in the coming months. Look for protective blocking of sites with red warnings, email tracking, and email and instant message link checking. |
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