How Safety Ratings Are Compiled - McAfee TSA00M005PAA - Total Protection Service Product Manual

Using Browser Protection and Web Filtering

How safety ratings are compiled

Safety report for each site
• The report includes a detailed description of test results and feedback submitted by users
and site owners.
• Users access safety reports to learn more about how the safety rating for a site was
calculated.
Browser protection supports these browsers:
• Microsoft Internet Explorer browser (version 6.0 with Service Pack 1 or later)
• Mozilla Firefox browser (version 2.0 or later)
NOTE: The only difference in functionality between the browsers is that Firefox does not allow
users to hide the SiteAdvisor menu button with the View | Toolbars command or check file
downloads.
Web filtering features
Some versions of Total Protection Service include the web filtering module, which provides
features that enable you to monitor and regulate browser activity on network computers.
• Control user access to websites and file downloads, based on their safety rating or type
of content.
• Create a list of authorized and prohibited sites, based on their URL or domain.
• Block user access to phishing pages.
• Customize the message that browser protection displays on computers that attempt
to access a blocked website.
Web filtering policy options also allow you to disable browser protection at the policy level or
from an individual client computer.
Web filtering features are described in more detail later in this section.
How safety ratings are compiled
A McAfee team derives safety ratings by testing a variety of criteria for each site and
evaluating the results to detect common threats.
Automated tests compile safety ratings for a website by:
• Downloading files and checking for viruses and potentially unwanted programs bundled
with the download.
• Entering contact information into signup forms and checking for resulting spam or a high
volume of non-spam emails sent by the site or its affiliates.
• Checking for excessive popup windows.
• Checking for attempts by the site to exploit browser vulnerabilities.
• Checking for deceptive or fraudulent practices employed by a site.
The team assimilates test results into a safety report that can also include:
• Feedback submitted by site owners, which might include descriptions of safety precautions
used by the site or responses to user feedback about the site.
• Feedback submitted by site users, which might include reports of phishing scams, bad
shopping experiences, and selling services that can be obtained without cost from
other sources.
• Additional analysis by McAfee professionals.
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McAfee Total Protection Service Product Guide