Browser Defender anyone?

If Browser Defender checks for malicious active content, real time, then site advisor and web scanner won't provide a protection as good as Browser Defender.

The only other tool that would work that way, would be LinkScanner Pro, which is a paid product. But, that now, is part of AVG 8 Free. For those interested in such technology, take your chance with it. (Sorry for this little off-topic. Hope you guys don't mind.)

Site Advisor bases it's ratings in a database. If now it rates a site red, the site may already have no real active malicious content. On the other hand, if it rates a site green, it may not be that safe already.

If I well recall... I've seen a review, sometime ago, in ZDNET, mentioning that the free version of Site Advisor was slowerly updated, compared with their paid version, because some ratings wheren't the same for some sites. (Makes sense, after all they do have a paid version. Otherwise, why a paid one, if the free is the same??)

Regards

 

But isn't your webguard supposed to check for malicious content on webpages real-time? How is that different from what BD does, except for the rating of every individual download off course, which to my knowledge no AV does.

 

Does Browser Defender real check real time?

I just made a comparison with both online services of Browser Defender and LinkScanner (www.explabs.com).

Browser Defender reports this - http://www.browserdefender.com/lookup/view/id/virusremover2008-offer.com/

while

LinkScanner reports this - http://linkscanner.explabs.com/link...Labs.com&CS=http://virusremover2008-offer.com

I guess Browser Defender also bases protection on a database?

Regards

 

If the antivirus checks for exploits and other attacks (Real attacks and not just detect some malware that won't harm your system, just by visiting the web site.), then it may protect. Otherwise, it won't.



Regards

 

Okay, so, like I've thought for some time now, it stands between Browser Defender and LinkScanner Pro (as you can supposedly get it through AVG8 Free, or is the tool in any AVG product not as comprehensive as the stand-alone software?). Which one would you vote for? I would vote for LinkScanner since it supports my Opera Web-browser, but does it support it with the search-shield as well, e.g. rating sites? Probably also because it seems more mature and that it's proven itself previously when trialing LinkScanner Pro, even if it was some time ago.

 

I know this is a browser defender thread, but I've been using the Dr.Web link scanner and wanted to see if the above rogue program VirusRemover 2008 was detected.

Dr.Web gave the site the ok to visit, but when I right-clicked and scanned the download link with Dr.Web, you see the following warning:

 

The ratings won't appear in Opera searches, but since it works in the background, it will still protect you. Ratings a matter of conscience, I think. The important is that, if the domain, does have real malicious active content, that any tool you use, protects you from entering it, either by accidentally clicking on a link or being redirected from a safe domain to a malicious domain.

That's what I hope from such tool, not if it rates something green or not. I admit that is nice to see on our searches the ratings. It will prevent us from entering those domains, in the first place. But, IMO, not the most important.

About the differences between the stand alone version of LinkScanner Pro and the one in AVG 8 products. Well, I enjoy much more the stand alone version. The stand alone version allows the user to check domain (rather than going to the online service). Allows us to see which IP is being blocked. Allows us to to choose if we wish to be alerted for blocked domains.

But, they do the same.

For what I know, AVG is working on a stand alone version of LinkScanner Pro, under the AVG brand, which will come out next March. Let's see and wait if it's going to be free.

Regards

 

Thx for the answer! Now that would be really cool (if it was released as free software). By next March, you mean March of 2010 or actually 2009?

 

2009.

 

Well in that case I'll say IMO it's the premier link-checker for IE and Firefox.Perhaps Opera users (myself included) will be catered for in the future as this is still quite a new application.

 

Since it uses the definitions of it's anti-malware products,along with heuristics,TC etc. then it works on all sites.It scans them all in real time which gives it a huge advantage over any product relying upon a static rating.

 

It has real-time scanning for exploits such as drive-by downloads:

Quote from site:

Protection from exploits

ThreatExpert defines exploit sites as those sites which host a piece of code that takes advantage of an existing software vulnerability, which in turn can silently download malicious software.

The Browser Defender toolbar offers protection from exploit sites by detecting them in real-time and displaying warnings depending on the threat posed.
Exploit Detections

When Browser Defender detects an exploit or if you attempt to access a bad URL (in our list), Browser Defender will block access to the site and instead display a blocking page, shown below:

 

did any boddy test this browser defenser againts the link test i posted?to see how works?

 

Where?

Edit: Found it.

 

I use FF 3.0.6.

I can see the warnings when I do a Google search but when I go to a bad site I don't get a blocking page as per 'Help" page where it shows the blocking page in action with IE.

Is this usual for FF?

Ian

 

yes, it wont block the page, it will just tell u its bad (IMO this is good) ur choice to go into the site or not, browserdefender has done its job and told u its good/bad.

 

Ok, thanks.

I have the small toolbar showing and used https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3571 to move the BD toolbar below Groowe to focus my attention.

 

I disabled the Browser Defender toolbar, I hate toolbars

 

me too

 

What if the user, accidentally, clicks on the link? It should prevent the users from entering the site (giving them an option to still enter, afterwards).

That's why I also hate the way LinkScanner Lite (the free version works). I guess that's why AVG started to include the Pro version in AVG 8 Free.

To those using Browser Defender...

It may also happen that on a rating, you see a green one, and as soon as you click it, you get redirected to a domain with active malicious content.

Will Browser Defender prevent the user from accessing that domain?



Regards

Edit: Never mind my question. If it won't block access, then it won't. Stupid question.

 

It does slow down the browsing, at least with FF.

 

browser defender gives u a warning, i dont see how u can click on the wrong link wen thers a big red shield beside it when u do a google search or w/e... wen u hover over links the toolbar will also tell u if the link is bad before u click it.(the big toolbar either changes orange or red or stays green.) unless u ignore both these warning then you'll be fine, if not, then the user is hopeless anyways...

 

Do you have an old machine? Everything is fine here with FF + Browser Defender

 

One of my systems is a laptop, and always make use of the touchpad (Makes sense to me, I guess.), and after a time of using it and typing, well, it's natural that my fingers start to sweat (human nature), which in turn will make the touchpad slipplery. It happened that once, while using FF, I clicked on a link rated red...

Sometimes, it also happens that when I use the right click button, my fingers slip and I enter sites I meant not to.

Bottom line: Accidents do happen and all fronts need to be covered.

Also, just because a rating is green, that won't mean something bad won't happen, like being redirected to a domain containing active malicious content. If the tool you use prevents access, then it will prevent you from being redirected to that domain. It is what most makes sense...

For what I could test, Browser Defender bases it's protection on a database. So, if it rates a domain green and if you enter it, and get redirected to a malicious domain, and if that malicious domain is already on the database, then Browser Defender will prevent the user from accessing it, hence preventing any possible nasty damage to the system, for example.

It makes all sense.


Regards

 

I think it's pretty good at what it does but I had problems with it running with Sandboxie and IE8. It really slowed down the browsing. Then a light went off and I said to myself, do I really need this if I'm running my browser in Sandboxie? I don't think so.

Ice