Exploit Prevention Labs Launches LinkScanner Browsing Tool

Exploit Prevention Labs on Monday rolled out new anti-fraud and anti-exploit browsing tools that aim to take on security giant McAfee and its SiteAdvisor rating system.

The Atlanta-based startup launched LinkScanner Lite and LinkScanner Pro, in free-of-charge and $29.95 packages, respectively, that provide real-time, automated protection against malicious Web sites, drive-by downloads, and other exploits. The pair of programs also scans sites delivered by Google, MSN, and Yahoo search results for Web-based threats. Initially, support is limited to Internet Explorer 6.0 and later, but the company says it is working on versions for Mozilla's Firefox.

"Trusted Web sites can't always be trusted, especially when they unknowingly harbor malicious hyperlinks," Roger Thompson, Exploit Prevention Labs' chief technology officer, said in a statement. "We've always protected against Web-based exploits that target unpatched security vulnerabilities, and now we're extending that protection to the other most prevalent threat delivery methods of phishing and social engineering."

Exploit unveiled its first product, SocketShield, in June. SocketShield has been discontinued in favor of LinkScanner Pro.

The new products target McAfee's SiteAdvisor as chief rival. SiteAdvisor, which began life as a search result site rating tool, was recently expanded in a $29.95 edition to include a link checker for URLs embedded in e-mail and instant messages, and other anti-malicious site features.

LinkScanner Lite and LinkScanner Pro are available immediately, and can be downloaded from the Exploit Prevention Labs' Web site. For a limited time, the Pro edition has been priced at $19.95 for a one-year license.