Free e-mail toolbar searches for spam
Internet users are about to get a new tool in the fight against spam and fraudulent e-mail. On Monday, security vendor CipherTrust plans to release what it's billing as the first "reputation toolbar" for e-mail clients.
Web surfers can already download browser plug-ins like the Netcraft toolbar or SiteAdviser, which evaluate the trustworthiness of the Web sites they visit, but the CipherTrust TrustedSource Toolbar is the first such product designed for e-mail clients, according to the company.
"It provides you with an extra layer of trust to the e-mail you're getting in your inbox," said Alex Hernandez, director of advanced product development with CipherTrust.
The toolbar will be free for users of Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes e-mail software, CipherTrust said. It will be available on the CipherTrust Research Portal, a new community Web site for those interested in spam, phishing and virus information, which is also set to launch Monday.
The lightweight software is designed to run a query against CipherTrust's servers when a user clicks on an e-mail. After CipherTrust analyzes the message's trustworthiness, the toolbar will flash a red, yellow or green icon. A red, "frowny face" icon designates spam or a phishing attack, while a green "happy face" means that the message comes from a reputable sender.
