Is mcafee webadvisor safe

system · 2017-04-08T19:31:42.000Z

Hi I seem to just have this extension auto installed into my chrome, is it safe?

Eddy · 2017-04-08T19:42:29.000Z

https://home.mcafee.com/root/landingpage.aspx?lpname=get-it-now&affid=0&cid=170789&ctst=1

system · 2017-04-09T09:09:38.000Z

Is it safe though?

Pondus · 2017-04-09T09:25:48.000Z

AngryBug post:3:

Is it safe though?

Maybe you should contact Mcafee and ask if there security program is safe

There is also something called google
https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/1264/12-quick-tips-to-search-google-like-an-expert.aspx

DavidR · 2017-04-09T09:26:18.000Z

AngryBug post:3:

Is it safe though?

I would look at it differently you have got along without it unaware of its function and you haven’t missed it. Then along it comes without your knowledge and is installed, would you want that.

The web shield already takes care of your on-line protection, do you need anything more.

system · 2017-04-09T09:42:13.000Z

Ok, thanks I’ve just uninstalled it and avast has protection so it’s alright. One question, does avast protect you on internet explorer because that’s what I use instead of chrome

polonus · 2017-04-09T10:48:55.000Z

It might have been there dormant since the OEM installation when you bought your device.

Sometimes before installing a resident AV solution, like you have avast, all remnants of pre-installed AV should leave your device.
Else you might be in for such unwanted pop-up asking for making a back-up or installing a browser extension.

Some extensions could go along with avast’s like AOS goes well with Bitdefender’s TrafficLight and DrWeb’s url checker browser extensions. The overlapping detection might be helpful. AOS has large parts of the internet still as “terra incognita” and more of our world-wide users should help with feedback to avast development about webrep of visited sites etc.

But do not fully trust web rep as the WOT tragedy proved where it all could go drastically wrong (user data leaks to data slurpers by an interim CEO for sheer short term profit).

polonus

system · 2017-04-09T11:03:48.000Z

So I shouldn’t trust avast online?

DavidR · 2017-04-09T12:04:45.000Z

@ polonus
I don’t believe this is some dormant browser add-on as they generally don’t install browsers other than the default MS browser/s IE, Edge. I certainly don’t know of any manufacturer installing Chrome other than on Chromebooks. Not to mention the OP seems to know it wasn’t there before.

AngryBug post:1:

Hi I seem to just have this extension auto installed into my chrome, is it safe?

AngryBug post:8:

So I shouldn’t trust avast online?

@ AngryBug
The Web Shield is fine, if you also have the AOS browser extension possibly more so but it isn’t an absolute must have. I now have it on only one of my systems, more for testing than anything else.

Pondus · 2017-04-09T14:57:38.000Z

McAfee SiteAdvisor comes bundled with some programs / updates (cant remeber what, possible java update)

Anyway to avoid things like that, you may install Unchecky >> https://unchecky.com/

system · 2017-04-09T18:42:42.000Z

I think it comes with avg

midnight · 2017-04-09T20:14:46.000Z

I did have this installed on Firefox and the Iriduim Browsers but just read their privacy policy so unistalled it from both browsers. It used to be called mcafee site advisor and I used it to search.

Pondus · 2017-04-09T20:33:08.000Z

AngryBug post:11:

I think it comes with avg

;D

AVG has its own web reputation, and so does avast
I very much doubt they would bundle a program from the competition

polonus · 2017-04-09T20:54:11.000Z

Hi -midnight,

I myself do not have the extension either. It is always good to know what battles are being fought over (y)our endangered privacy,
like with McAfee’s SiteAdvisor. In 2004 it could not even been easily uninstalled from inside firefox (bug).

Especially as such extension services sometimes aren’t allowed by law to call an (adware) spade an (adware) spade, because of a legal dispute. Sometimes adware posing as something complletely and utterly different can still hold a strong judiciary position, if they sue AV for flagging them as spyware/adware/riskware.

Expert in this field, Benjamin Edelman, has found this out early on in life: http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/

On such a dispute with Search7 read here: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/28/7search_sues_mcafee/

And also where McAfee’s SiteAdvisor has become associated with certain Broadband Players (CDNs) as PlusNet for instance: https://www.plus.net/help/archive/other/plusnet-protect-user-guide/

So you see an adware related extension could rear it’s ugly head from almost anywhere to help sell your data to third party vendors.
This is not only a threat to your privacy, but also means a threat to the overall security of all global users of the Interwebs.

your avast forum-friend,

polonus (volunteer website security analyst and website error-hunter)

Coolmario88 · 2017-04-10T00:59:31.000Z

I wouldn’t recommend McAfee webadvisor, I used to use the product in my browser which was Internet Explorer back then. If you want something to tell you if a website is safe to visit or not use bitdefender trafficlight or common sense ;D

Staticguy · 2017-05-12T22:54:41.000Z

Is WOT good?

Eddy · 2017-05-12T23:06:41.000Z

Read the threat about WOT on this webboard.

polonus · 2017-05-13T14:50:11.000Z

@all,

All web rep is questionable in a sense, this especially when you believe all stories spread by main stream propaganda.

I use Avast 's web rep next to DrWeb’s URL checker, but then the latter is Saint Petersburg AV Software,
advised by Владимир Владимирович ;D
and, oh well, that famous person is frowned upon to-day in the USA.

Oh and I also like Bitdefender’s TrafficLight. Another good link: https://urlscan.io/result/9b551498-6146-488e-b347-8d2b667c4846#summary
Bottomline of the story, only trust what you have checked to be secure yourself.
This means that you need some insight in website security and not a lot of folks have that or have acquired that knowledge.

polonus (volunteer website security analyst and website error-hunter)

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