AVG wants to make sure you only visit malware-free sites

Nov 30, 2012 13:08 GMT  ·  By

Security vendor AVG has released a Safe Browser for iOS customers who are concerned about privacy and identity threats online. The free app is universal, suitable for both iPhone and iPad use, including the latest generation of iDevices.

AVG Safe Browser protects users from online scams and attacks, the security company says. These can occur on any platform with access to the web, regardless of its security strengths.

The browser will block access to sites that are known to be malicious or contain scams or malware. To do this, AVG Safe Browser uses a chunk of regularly-updated data provided by the company’s LinkScanner technology.

“This comes on top of the built-in mobile security provided by the operating system,” says AVG, referring to Apple’s rock-solid iOS.

Thanks to AVG’s Do Not Track technology, AVG Safe Browser can alert users about the sites tracking them online. Users can thus block the ad tracking.

“AVG believes that making users aware of online privacy is a logical extension to its leading security products. While tracking is not inherently bad, it can be used to collect and share data with third-party companies, a practice that consumers are growing increasingly concerned about and more aware of,” according to the company.

Do Not Track will be turned on by default, AVG says.

JR Smith, CEO of AVG Technologies, says his firm views the mobile space as “a strategic focus area.”

AVG has seen immense growth in this segment since the launch of its first mobile security product in 2010, according to Smith.

“We were the first to provide a free security app for Android devices and today we are very excited to announce a new sleeker and easier to use interface on our very popular Android AntiVirus product,” says Smith.

“Also today we are launching AVG Safe Browser for iOS, delivering against our multiplatform strategy. This new browser brings AVG’s LinkScanner and AVG Do Not Track technology to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch,” the CEO concludes.

AVG Safe Browser supports iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Download AVG Safe Browser iOS (Free)