Cyberattacks like phishing and drive-by downloads have become increasingly common in recent years due to their growing sophistication, making it all the more important that people protect themselves while browsing online. Although antivirus software programs and other similar cybersecurity tools do a good job of preventing bad actors from breaching someone’s system directly, browser-based safety tools like Guardio excel at helping users avoid more covert forms of malware.
What Are Browser-Based Safety Tools?
Browser-based safety tools are unique in that they provide real-time protection through multiple methods, most of which alert users to whether a website may be unsafe to interact with. This approach addresses certain forms of cyberattacks that security measures like antivirus programs cannot.
For example, most browser-based safety tools offer a “safe search” function that indicates whether a website link is safe to interact with and, if not, why.
In doing so, these tools protect users against cyberattacks that use social engineering tactics, such as phishing, to trick them into clicking a link or opening an attachment. Since phishing attacks are often designed to bypass standard antivirus programs, the best defense against them is to not interact with them at all, but this is easier said than done without information that can help gauge whether a given interaction is trustworthy.
The same principle applies to drive-by downloads, which the tech education site Cyberly defines as “a type of cyberattack in which malware is downloaded and installed on a user’s computer without their knowledge or consent, typically when they visit a compromised or malicious website.” Notably, drive-by downloads can sometimes take place even if a victim accesses a compromised site but doesn’t interact with any part of it once there.
Given their covert nature, drive-by downloads can bypass most cybersecurity measures by exploiting flaws in web browsers or plugins, thereby placing responsibility on the victim to not interact with potentially compromised sites. With a browser-based security tool, users can browse online knowing they have the information they need to determine if a website is safe to interact with before doing so.
Guardio and Other Examples of Browser-Based Security Tools
Although all browser-based security tools work toward the same end–to protect users from phishing scams and unsafe websites–the ways in which they do so can differ substantially.
Among the most dynamic of these tools is Guardio, a program that uses a Cloud-centric approach to provide real-time malicious site blocking, phishing protection, browser cleanup, and breach monitoring, all without slowing down performance.
One of Guardio’s most unique functions is its use of client-side detection models. These models use techniques such as deep learning to help protect users against “soft” threats, including phishing, scams, and malvertising, by detecting visual elements on fraudulent websites. In doing so, the tool is able to provide immediate mitigation without compromising privacy or security.
Another popular tool is Avast Online Security, a browser extension that specializes in providing users with reputation ratings to let them know whether a given website is suspicious. Although the platform is sometimes aggressive with ad tracking, its use of public information to inform users is generally considered to outweigh this issue. Avast also offers a Privacy Advisor tool to give users more information as to how they can protect their privacy on social media sites.
Like other browser-based security tools, Bitdefender TrafficLight protects users against malware and phishing attempts by examining and blocking suspicious pages they visit. Bitdefender further supports these operations by scanning URLs, checking blacklists, and analyzing page behavior in real time.
The Norton Safe Web Extension hosts a number of features, several of which target phishing attacks and give users information about a website’s reputation before interacting with it. One of Norton Safe Web’s latest additions is their Intrusion Protection System (IPS), a program that fills in holes created by bugs in operating systems, browsers, and applications–useful for mitigating the risk of falling victim to a drive-by download.
Lastly, McAfee WebAdvisor flags unsafe websites and helps users avoid phishing scams by alerting users before they click dangerous links via a color-coded system. Links with a green tick are deemed “Safe,” while a yellow exclamation mark indicates that a link is “Suspicious.” Links listed alongside a red “X” are considered “Unsafe.” If necessary, the program redirects users away from red and yellow sites when Protected Mode is enabled.
Obtaining Security Without Compromising Speed
Most browser-based security tools overlap in their offerings to some degree, an indicator that those approaches work and remain popular. Some tools have some advantages over others; however, it is worthwhile to look into each program’s nuances. A Cloud-centric security tool, for instance, will typically consume fewer resources and therefore have less impact on performance than tools that do not use the same technology.
Regardless of a user’s preferences, enabling a browser-based security tool can help users avoid interacting with websites or attachments that contain malware, protecting them in ways other cybersecurity tools cannot. The internet remains an invaluable resource, but as life becomes increasingly digital, people will need to keep pace as best they can with changes as they come to keep themselves safe.
Disclaimer: GeekWire newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content..
