McAfee to launch URL shortener – no word yet on bloat

I am not fan of McAfee, or Norton, security products due to the fact I consider them to be some of the biggest purveyors of bloated software to inhabit the security software business. Now I realize that it is a little hard to fatten up an URL shortening service so hope remains that McAfee’s newest service, McAf.ee URL shortener, will be able to remain on a diet.

While it may seem a little strange to have a security company like McAfee’s branch out into this are is does kind of make sense when you think about. Given that as shortened URL proliferate throughout the web they are increasingly being used to direct innocent users to sites that serve up all kinds of malware.

It was this reasoning of keeping users safe that got McAfee’s going down this route.

To help ease the minds of those who may be clicking on shortened URLs, computer security firm McAfee is offering its own URL-shortening service called McAf.ee.

The service will shorten URLs right away–without scanning them to make sure that the linked-to site is secure–but when a user clicks on a McAf.ee link, the security firm will examine the destination to determine if it’s likely safe. The company will use some of the same databases it uses for its SiteAdvisor service and other security products to help ensure that the destination isn’t malicious or spammy.

In an interview (scroll down for podcast), McAfee Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Simon Hunt said, “It seemed to us pretty obvious that we could offer this kind of service with a level of confidence beyond just, ‘click here and hope.'” McAf.ee, he hopes, will be adopted by those who want to reassure users that their shortened links are safe to click on.

Source:CNET News