Facebook has entered into an alliance with Websense to create a cloud platform that will protect users from links that lead them to malware and malicious sites.
When a Facebook user clicks on a link, that link will be checked against the Websense database. If Websense determines the link is malicious, the user will see a page that offers the choice to continue at their own risk, return to the previous screen, or get more information on why it was flagged as suspicious.
“Facebook cares deeply about protecting users from potentially malicious content on the internet,” said Dan Rubinstein, Facebook product manager for Site Integrity.
“We are excited about our partnership with Websense to provide industry-leading tools to help our users protect themselves.”
Malware identification on behalf of social networkers
The new Facebook security service is powered by the WebsenseThreatSeeker Cloud, an advanced classification and malware identification platform.
Within the ThreatSeeker Cloud, the web content is analysed in real time by Websense’s proprietary Advanced Classification Engine (ACE) technology, which prevents data loss and malware exposure by identifying complex online threats and content.
“Websense has been analysing and classifying the internet for more than 15 years, and now all Facebook users will be protected by the same core technology that is used in the market-leading Websense TRITON enterprise security solutions,” said Dan Hubbard, Websense CTO.
“Every day, Websense Security Labs works to discover, investigate and report on advanced internet threats that are designed to circumvent antivirus products. By providing real-time protection from malware, spyware, inappropriate content, data leaks and spam, we make it safe for people and businesses to use the web.”
