McAfee SiteAdvisor
 | |
| File:SiteAdvisor Wesbite.png The McAfee SiteAdvisor Website showing the review for Wikipedia | |
| Developer(s) | McAfee |
|---|---|
| Initial release | April 2005 |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Website | http://www.siteadvisor.com/ |
SiteAdvisor is an Internet service that warns users when downloading software or filling out forms on a web site that may make them victims of malware or spam. The service was originally provided by SiteAdvisor, Inc, an MIT startup[1] first presented at CodeCon on February 10, 2006[2] and acquired by McAfee[3] on April 5, 2006.
SiteAdvisor Plus
A paid version of McAfee SiteAdvisor, McAfee SiteAdvisor Plus, has extra features. The functionality of SiteAdvisor can be accessed either through a Browser Plugin or by submitting a URL to the website.
Extra features of McAfee SiteAdvisor
- Rates email and IM links
- Indicates sites potentially harmful to your computer
- Alerts users to possibles phishing and identity theft scams
- Redirects you away from red and yellow sites (if protected mode is enabled).
Criticism
False positives
SiteAdvisor has received criticism for incorrectly flagging web sites with a caution or warning label.[4][5][6]
Communication and Accountability
In the event of a positive result website owners are not contacted. Although a dispute resolution service does exist, the final decision rests with McAfee.[7] In the event that a perceived threat is removed from a site the site's rating will return to Green through a process called 'ageingout'. Depending on the nature of the threat this process can take from 10 days to a year after the site is re-crawled, no strict timetable is provided.[8]
Awards
- Time magazine named SiteAdvisor.com among the 50 coolest websites of 2005.[9]
- Popular Science awarded SiteAdvisor the "Best of What's New" award in the Computing category for 2006.[10]
- PC World ranked SiteAdvisor at #15 in "The 100 Best Products of 2007."[11]
References
- ^ "McAfee acquires MIT startup SiteAdvisor at Digital..."
- ^ "CodeCon 2006 Program".
- ^ Dixon, Chris (2006-09-05). "Taking SiteAdvisor to the Next Level". Retrieved 2006-09-05.
- ^ "Malware Advisor". Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ "McAfee SiteAdvisor gives PCmag.com yellow warning rating". Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ "McAfee SiteAdvisor gives Bitsum Technologies a RED rating due to false alarm on developer utility". Retrieved 2008-12-01.
- ^ "What is the process for disputing my site's rating?" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-01-31.
- ^ "How long does it take for my site rating to change? Can I ask to be re-tested more quickly?" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-01-31.
- ^ "SiteAdvisor's entry in Time's 50 coolest websites of 2005". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
- ^ "SiteAdvisor's entry in Popular Science's Best of What's New 2006". Retrieved 2007-04-20.
- ^ "PC World's list of "The 100 Best Products of 2007"". Retrieved 2007-05-23.
External links
- Official SiteAdvisor Website
- Examples of SiteAdvisor reports:
- SiteAdvisor's report on Wikipedia (positive report)
- SiteAdvisor's report on My Web Search (cautionary report)
- SiteAdvisor's report on KaZaA (negative report)
- SiteAdvisor's report on VToolbox (positive report with verified website owner and review comments added)
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