• Google Embeds Malware Warning

    Google Embeds Malware Warning

    Techtree News Staff, Aug 07, 2006 1951 hrs IST

    Google has launched a new feature that warns the users with a pop-up when they are about to visit a website hosting Spyware or other malicious program.

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Google has launched a new feature that warns the users with a pop-up when they are about to visit a website hosting spyware or other malicious program.

This new feature is a collaboration between Google and Stop Badware, a nonprofit organization backed by Google, Lenovo Group and Sun Microsystems.

Reportedly, the warning will be given to the Google search engine users when clicking on the website that has been identified as malicious by the Stop Badware. The warning will be displayed on an alert page with the option to go back to the results page or continue on to the questionable website.

Initially, the warnings will simply alert user of the danger but eventually, the alert page will contain detailed reports about the sites, which will be provided by researchers at Stop Badware.

In addition, this new feature is aimed at addressing a real problem of search engines displaying links to websites that download Spyware and Adware to the user's PC, thus exploiting the security vulnerabilities, scam the users and add them in the spam lists.
According to a report released in May 2006, on an average, 4 to 6 percent of websites host harmful content.

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Discussion Board
(13) Comments
Steve
,San Francisco, on Aug 08, 2006 05:26 AM
Does Google have any plans to expand this wonderful, but potentially censoring technology? For example, it's not a far stretch for Google to decide to warn users when they are visiting a page with "adult content" as some arbitrary nonprofit decides to tag as "adult". I applaud the concept of keeping us from danger, but I worry about who gets to define what is dangerous.
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Lavanian
,Hyderabad, on Aug 14, 2006 08:32 AM
Steve's got a point there. I have no issues as long as Google only warns me... but the choice whether to visit or not to visit - should firmly be in my hands!
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hanifkt
,india, on Aug 09, 2006 05:02 PM
Great dedication! No one has right to intrude in to others computers without explicit invitation. This must be the rule of the cyber world. Thanks and congratulations, hanifkt
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Davey
,Everett, Wa., on Aug 08, 2006 09:54 PM
Great idea! Now ifd they could only delete the spyware from the download.
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Suresh
,Mumbai, on Aug 08, 2006 10:28 AM
how to download ?
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sunil jain
,salem,tn,india, on Aug 08, 2006 10:27 AM
excellent feature,we thank you for addressing the issue & creating a healthy environment.but i hope you are not addressing the issue in any corporate interest.and what do we do if you are being biased,self motivated.then must we all look only through your eyes.how can you ensure that you make this whole process devoid of any other motivation other than that is obvious.
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Harinder Singh
,New Delhi, on Aug 08, 2006 10:06 AM
This is amazing. At last somebody is taking a step to identify the baddies and demarcate clean and dirty areas on the Web.
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Modugu Vikram R
,Hyderabad, on Aug 08, 2006 09:50 AM
It is wonderful.
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curt
,detroit lakes, on Aug 08, 2006 08:57 AM
good deal
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Anonymous
,Rialto, on Aug 08, 2006 02:54 AM
EXCELLENT IDEA!!! It's about time that we all collaborate against those common things which cause us ALL grief. They need to make sure that it's optional, so people like "Mahesh" can still create malicious software that could potentially hurt someone's machine.
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Mahesh
,Mumbai, on Aug 08, 2006 01:16 AM
This is a potentially bad feature as it is possibly open to misuse and many sites which share hosting can loose users just because some unknowm malware company issues a warning on Google.
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Nayla
,Belmont, on Aug 08, 2006 12:12 AM
Simply brilliant!
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Avi
,Bangalore, on Aug 07, 2006 11:55 PM
Great idea! Finally a boon to novice users...
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