Norton Safe Web
Encyclopedia
Norton Safe Web is a service developed by Symantec Corporation that is designed to help users identify malicious websites. Safe Web delivers information about websites based on automated analysis and user feedback.
The software debuted as a public beta in 2008, and is now included in current versions of Norton Internet Security
and Norton 360
. A limited, standalone version of Safe Web, known as Safe Web Lite, is available as a freeware
. Safe Web operates as a web browser
plugin, and requires Internet Explorer 6
or Firefox 3 or later. Safe Web in Norton 2012 also supports Google Chrome. (lite)
To ensure that its site rating accurately reflects the current state of a site, Norton Safe Web performs frequent re-analysis of Web sites. Norton Safe Web employs a site rating aging algorithm which estimates how often the safety of a particular Web site will change. Some of the factors used in this analysis include the site's rating history, the site's reputation and associations, the number and types of threats detected on the site, the number of submissions received from Norton clients, and site traffic. In other words, unsafe sites that are more likely to have been cleaned up are re-analyzed often while those that might take longer to remove detected threats are re-analyzed less frequently. User reviews are also accepted, with contributors ranked by reputation. Should a site owner dispute the ranking of their site, they can submit a request for re-evaluation about after completing a validation process.
version 3.0 as a browser toolbar. It color codes search results returned by Yahoo!
, Google
, and Bing Search using green, yellow, or red. Hovering over a pop-up summary will bring up a summary of the findings, and include a link to the full report of the site. Safe Web will also prompt or interrupt access to malicious sites users try to access directly via the address bar.
sites, overlapping in functionality with Norton Internet Security and Norton 360. Using Norton 360 v3, PC Magazine
found discrepancies between Safe Web and Norton 360's built-in phishing protection. Symantec stated that phishing sites change rapidly, and one Norton service may be using older definitions than the other. Safe Web has also created some controversy among Windows Live! Plus users as it shows that the Windows Live! Plus website contains malware.
and Norton 360
and Safe Web Lite is that Safe Web Lite does not block malicious websites. However Norton AntiVirus updates it with Norton SafeWeb Statics when Norton SafeWeb Lite is installed on your computer.
The software debuted as a public beta in 2008, and is now included in current versions of Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
and Norton 360
Norton 360
Norton 360, developed by Symantec, is marketed as an "all-in-one" computer security suite. The package includes an antivirus, a personal firewall, a phishing protection program and a backup program...
. A limited, standalone version of Safe Web, known as Safe Web Lite, is available as a freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
. Safe Web operates as a web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
plugin, and requires Internet Explorer 6
Internet Explorer 6
Internet Explorer 6 is the sixth major revision of Internet Explorer, a web browser developed by Microsoft for Windows operating systems...
or Firefox 3 or later. Safe Web in Norton 2012 also supports Google Chrome. (lite)
Function
In addition to actively crawling and analyzing web sites, Norton Safe Web relies on feedback from users and Norton Community participants. When a drive-by download occurs at a web site, the suspicious URL is automatically reported to Norton Safe Web for analysis. The reported site is rated as unsafe if the analysis confirms that the download is malicious.To ensure that its site rating accurately reflects the current state of a site, Norton Safe Web performs frequent re-analysis of Web sites. Norton Safe Web employs a site rating aging algorithm which estimates how often the safety of a particular Web site will change. Some of the factors used in this analysis include the site's rating history, the site's reputation and associations, the number and types of threats detected on the site, the number of submissions received from Norton clients, and site traffic. In other words, unsafe sites that are more likely to have been cleaned up are re-analyzed often while those that might take longer to remove detected threats are re-analyzed less frequently. User reviews are also accepted, with contributors ranked by reputation. Should a site owner dispute the ranking of their site, they can submit a request for re-evaluation about after completing a validation process.
Incorporation
Safe Web is installed alongside Norton Internet Security 2009 and Norton 360Norton 360
Norton 360, developed by Symantec, is marketed as an "all-in-one" computer security suite. The package includes an antivirus, a personal firewall, a phishing protection program and a backup program...
version 3.0 as a browser toolbar. It color codes search results returned by Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, and Bing Search using green, yellow, or red. Hovering over a pop-up summary will bring up a summary of the findings, and include a link to the full report of the site. Safe Web will also prompt or interrupt access to malicious sites users try to access directly via the address bar.
Reception
Safe Web blocks phishingPhishing
Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT...
sites, overlapping in functionality with Norton Internet Security and Norton 360. Using Norton 360 v3, PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
found discrepancies between Safe Web and Norton 360's built-in phishing protection. Symantec stated that phishing sites change rapidly, and one Norton service may be using older definitions than the other. Safe Web has also created some controversy among Windows Live! Plus users as it shows that the Windows Live! Plus website contains malware.
Norton Safe Web Lite
A free version of the software, Safe Web Lite, is available free of charge. The primary difference between the version of Safe Web bundled with Norton Internet SecurityNorton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
and Norton 360
Norton 360
Norton 360, developed by Symantec, is marketed as an "all-in-one" computer security suite. The package includes an antivirus, a personal firewall, a phishing protection program and a backup program...
and Safe Web Lite is that Safe Web Lite does not block malicious websites. However Norton AntiVirus updates it with Norton SafeWeb Statics when Norton SafeWeb Lite is installed on your computer.