BitDefender TrafficLight (BETA): Social Web Security, Re-invented

[sg09]

What started as a research project on in-the-cloud security for browsers is now seeing the light of day as the TrafficLight Beta from BitDefender.

Prospective testers will undoubtedly be struck by the utter lack of new browser toolbars, following installation. It's alright, it's all part of the new approach, says project manager Alexandru Balan: "the team went all- out and moved everything to the protocol level. TrafficLight is browser- agnostic and will soon be OS-agnostic. That's because everything, from filtering to presenting the interface, happens to the HTTP traffic. The only task left to the browser is to render the end result - a safe browsing experience."

The new application adds green - meaning safe, yellow - suspicious or red, i.e. harmful signs next to links in results pages or on social networking sites. Testers that insist on clicking the red ones will be rewarded with bigger stop signs and a choice to proceed to viewing the rogue page with all the known harmful elements removed.

There may not be much left, of course and it may not be particularly wise to do so, but the option's there. Phishing attempts and virus-infected pages can be blocked in this manner.

For those using other operating systems (or even just work computers running Windows but with no administration rights), BitDefender is also releasing a string of browser extensions. These have limited functionality, for instance they do not scan downloaded files for viruses, neither do they tag links found in social networking websites, but should work with any OS.

Via
http://www.malwarecity.com/blog/soci...nted-1040.html


Requirements

Operating system:
Microsoft Windows XP SP2,
Windows Vista SP2,
Windows 7
Memory:
512 MB (Windows XP)
1 GB (Windows Vista and Windows 7)
Browsers:
Internet Explorer 7+,
Opera,
Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome,
Safari

Homepage
http://trafficlight.bitdefender.com/

Features



http://trafficlight.bitdefender.com/features.html

Screenshot



Download
You may download the universal installer here
http:// download.bitdefender.com /npd/trafficlight/WebInstaller. exe
or, checkout the Chrome extension here
https:// chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/ cfnpidifppmenkapgihekkeednfoenal

IMO it is much like AVG link scanner by nature. An useful thing in it is that you will find a button to shorten the webpage link with saf.li . I am trying this in chrome and it is NOT like another toolbar that consumes browser space; you will find a button to open the toolbar view.

[CogitoTesting]

Thanks for the info and I will try it later; by what I have read thus far, TrafficLight has the potential to be a great product.

[Nevis]

thx for the info ... looks good

[JoeBlack40]

Thank you.Installed on Chrome and seems super OK.I hope the protection is super OK too,even if it's in a beta.

[sg09]

I wish someone could test it with some real world exploits even though its not right to expect too much from this first beta...

[m00nbl00d]

Finally a viable alternative to AVG LinkScanner, once it matures. But, I don't see any mentions that it will prevent web browser based exploits. It only mentions it will scan the pages you visit for malware and phishing attempts each and every time you access them to avoid the threat of legitimate but recently compromised websites.

I'm guessing that to prevent exploits, it will be relying on its Proactive feature.

I dislike one thing, though and one I do not understand. Why do they state is browser-agnostic, if it provides an extension for Chrome **

Apparently, they support these browsers

Internet Explorer 7+, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari

as the info you provided shows.

-edit-

It will actually go beyond what LinkScanner does. LinkScanner does not block known malware/unknown malware; not directly anyway. BitDefender's tool will also function as a web antivirus.

My understanding is that something like AVG LinkScanner coupled with TrafficLight and a DNS service provider such as ClearCloud DNS (GFI/Sunbelt), would be worth having for some people, just like relatives.

-edit-

** It seems that Firefox and Safari extensions are not available yet. So, will the installer also install for Opera?

Again, how does this make it not being browser dependent ?

-edit-

Sorry! I missed one tiny detail.

The installer supports all browsers! The fact they were also providing extensions made me not see it. lol

[m00nbl00d]

OK. I downloaded the installer, which I didn't notice it was a web installer. I gave it permissions to access the Internet through the firewall for ports 80 and 443, but it fails to download the setup files.

I wonder why no offline installer, though.

It does ask the user whether or not he/she wants to permit https scanning, and no information will be sent to BitDefender, if users opt to leave this option enabled.

Well, I couldn't install it.

[sg09]

I like this part

Testers that insist on clicking the red ones will be rewarded with bigger stop signs and a choice to proceed to viewing the rogue page with all the known harmful elements removed.

[m00nbl00d]

I missed the fact it extracted temp files, and one also named webinstaller.exe, which will require Internet access, as well.

I'll try it again later on, and see how it goes.

[sg09]

Originally Posted by m00nbl00d

I missed the fact it extracted temp files, and one also named webinstaller.exe, which will require Internet access, as well.

I'll try it again later on, and see how it goes.

Yeh, webinstaller worked fine with me.




Working fine with IE9, FF3.6x Opera 11, chrome 10.

[InfinityAz]

Nice find, looks interesting. Couple of screenshots:

1. Blocked warning




2. Settings

[InfinityAz]

One more image. No toolbar visible only a little tab to access settings, etc.

[sg09]

Thanks for the screenies InfinityAZ. I wish there could be an option to submit falsely detected page.

[m00nbl00d]

Thanks for the screenshots. I like the fact it allows to choose which feature to enable/disable.

[sg09]

Options menu looks different if you use the web installer.

[SweX]

Just a thought.
The "take me to safety" and "Let me in anyway I take the risk" buttons on the
block page are very close to eachother, too close IMO. Otherwise it looks good and could become a popular product!

[m00nbl00d]

Originally Posted by SweX

Just a thought.
The "take me to safety" and "Let me in anyway I take the risk" buttons on the
block page are very close to eachother, too close IMO.

You make a very good point. They should be separated from each other by a secure distance.

[m00nbl00d]

Arggh...

I finally was able to make the installer connect. I also had to set rules in AppLocker.

I got the offline installer now. But, it fails to install under Sandboxie, because it will require to install a service.

[Syobon]

BitDefender Bloatware, reinvented

[J_L]

Isn't this more like an AV's Web Shield than LinkScanner, since it scans HTTP traffic?

I'm gonna try the Chrome extension on my Ubuntu netbook.

[J_L]

Seems to work fine on Chromium. Not sure about this part though: a choice to proceed to viewing the rogue page with all the known harmful elements removed.

[slider916]

Traffic light doesn't show up for me on IE9.
Is there another way to access the settings?

Has anyone taken notice if the DNS server addresses were changed? Hosts file?

[m00nbl00d]

Originally Posted by InfinityAz

One more image. No toolbar visible only a little tab to access settings, etc.

Attachment 225837

I can't make it load with Chromium Incognito mode. Your example is the extension, correct? I enabled it for Incognito, and it runs in the background, but that little tab doesn't appear.

[m00nbl00d]

Originally Posted by J_L

Isn't this more like an AV's Web Shield than LinkScanner, since it scans HTTP traffic?

I'm gonna try the Chrome extension on my Ubuntu netbook.

Except for LinkScanner's Search-Shield, LinkScanner's Surf-Shield scans HTTP traffic.

By the way, only the installer will provide all features. The extensions, just like Chrome extension will only offer phishing protection and ratings, if I still recall.