Most Web Users Unable to Spot Spyware, McAfee SiteAdvisor Survey Finds

McAfee(R) SiteAdvisor (http://www.siteadvisor.com), which is pioneering Web safety by testing and rating nearly every trafficked site on the Internet has news for Internet users who think Web sites with clean, appealing graphics and national advertisers on the home page are always safe: "Think again." According to the first-ever Spyware Quiz conducted by SiteAdvisor, a staggering 97% of Internet users are just one click away from infecting their PCs with spyware, adware or some other kind of unwanted software. Even though the threat of spyware has received extensive media coverage, just 3% of the 14,000-plus consumers who took SiteAdvisor's spyware quiz received perfect scores.

The survey challenged Web surfers to test their ability to detect which sites in a number of popular categories were free of adware or spyware. The examples in the quiz are taken from more than three million Web sites which SiteAdvisor has independently tested and rated for Web safety issues like spyware and spam. The first part of the quiz presented users with pairs of sites and asked them to pick which one of the pair was safe. The second part presented a series of file sharing software sites and asked which ones were spyware and adware free. The test has been available since March.

Among the survey's most sobering conclusions:

-- Based on their choices, a majority of users (65%) would have been

infected with adware or spyware many times over

-- The presence of national advertisers and a clean, uncluttered design

seem to trick respondents into thinking a site is safe

-- Even users with a high "Spyware IQ" have a nearly 100% chance of

visiting a dangerous site during 30 days of typical online searching

and browsing activity

-- Users often miss the fine print that allows a dangerous Web site to

claim it installs unwanted software legally

Sites were selected from popular categories -- screensavers, smileys, free games, song lyrics, and file-sharing applications -- all of which are also notorious for distributing spyware, adware and other unwanted programs. The quiz was specifically designed to determine how adept users are at visually detecting the potential for intrusive downloads on a site.

"We know it's not easy to judge a site's safety just by looking at it, but that's the point: Bad sites are often very good at providing an aura of safety," said Chris Dixon, who heads McAfee's SiteAdvisor development. "No matter how knowledgeable or perceptive you are, you can't rely on your instincts alone. Another important take-away that people sometimes forget is that there ARE safe sites, even in these often abused categories."

The percentage of correct responses by category broke down as follows:

Percent of Consumers Able to Correctly Determine a Web Site's Safety:

-- Lyrics Sites: 28%

-- File sharing Sites: 59%

-- Screensaver Sites: 62%

-- Free games Sites: 68%

-- Smileys Sites: 75%

Quiz takers did particularly poorly on the pair of lyrics sites. One possible reason -- the unsafe site had advertising from well-known brands like Circuit City and Monster.com that may have served to legitimize it.

McAfee's SiteAdvisor is pioneering Web Safety by testing and rating, on an ongoing basis, nearly every site on the Internet. SiteAdvisor's software clearly identifies potentially dangerous Web sites that have engaged in 'social engineering' attacks such as spyware, adware, spam and online scams. The easy-to-use software summarizes these findings with intuitive red, yellow, and green icons that empower online users to stay safe as they search, browse, and transact online.

To take McAfee's SiteAdvisor Spyware quiz, go to http://www.siteadvisor.com/spywarequiz .

SiteAdvisor's free Web safety software for Internet Explorer and Firefox is available for download at http://www.siteadvisor.com .

About McAfee, Inc.

McAfee Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California and the global leader in intrusion prevention and risk management, delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that secure systems and networks around the world. With its unmatched security expertise and commitment to innovation, McAfee empowers home users, businesses, the public sector, and service providers with the ability to block attacks, prevent disruptions, and continuously track and improve their security. http://www.mcafee.com

NOTE: McAfee, SecurityAlliance is a registered trademark of McAfee, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries. McAfee Red in connection with security is distinctive of McAfee brand products. All other registered and unregistered trademarks herein are the sole property of their respective owners.

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