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AVG LinkScanner for Mac lets you know in advance if a Web site contains malicious threats. Already an enormously popular developer for the Windows antivirus category, AVG launches this bare-bones Mac version of its Link scanning technology to help prevent Mac users from visiting dangerous Web sites. As the only product AVG makes for Mac, this small program is not meant to sell you anything as there are no paid products from AVG for the Mac platform.
The Mac-like interface of LinkScanner lets you activate two types of protection. The Search Shield uses Web browser plug-ins that check search results when you perform a search on a popular search engine such as Google. An informative icon is displayed next to each result to give you information about the site before clicking a potentially dangerous link. The Surf Shield provides real-time protection by scanning Web sites in advance, and issues a warning and actually prevents you from surfing to known dangerous sites.
AVG LinkScanner is a solid program that will help protect Mac users from dangerous sites, but will have a hard time enticing a Mac audience that doesn't believe their Macs are vulnerable to online threats. As a free program that you can launch at start-up and works across all the popular Mac browsers, we think this software is a no-brainer for safer surfing. As Macs get more popular, they become a bigger target for virus writers, and having a solid line of defense in place on your Mac could never be construed as a bad idea.
Publisher's Description
From AVG Technologies USA:
AVG LinkScanner for Mac checks each Web page in real time before it opens on your Mac. If it sees trouble ahead, it stops you. It's quick and easy to install and won't get in your way. If the page is infected, it stops you from opening it. (This happens so quickly that you don't even notice it). AVG LinkScanner works in real time and checks for active threats before you land on a page. Search-Shield scans search results and places a safety rating next to each link so you know where it's safe to click. This applies when searching with Google, Yahoo! or Bing. AVG LinkScanner runs silently in the background--you won't even notice it until a threat is detected. Minimal use of system resources so it won't slow down your Mac.
What's new in this version: Support for Firefox 12.
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All versions:
3.1 starsout of 55 votes
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Current version:
2.0 starsout of 1 votes
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My rating:
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"Oh, you're protected..."
Version: AVG LinkScanner 12.0.1805
Pros
Great on Windows. Does a good job of providing a visual for a potentially unsafe site. However, not so much on the Mac (see my cons).
Cons
It works so well that I completely lost my ability to connect to the internet (Snow Leopard with the latest version of all browsers). Safari, Chrome, and Firefox all failed to connect to any website. The program couldn't even update itself. I spent 20 minute troubleshooting my entire home network, since every other device was functioning normally. No matter what website I tried to visit in any of the three mentioned browsers, I got "Waiting for ...."
Guess it's kind of hard to visit a malicious site when you can't load it in the first place.Summary
I think it is a great program and run it on my Windows computers. Unfortunately, now that we need to be more conscience of malware on the OS X platform, I guess this is not going to be one of my regular programs.
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