Symantec has announced the official release of Norton Safe Web Beta, a plug-in for the Norton Internet Security 2009 solution. The product enables users to verify and avoid malicious websites as they navigate.

The tool informs people which of their search results are malware free and which are dangerous. Also, Norton Safe Web labels websites according to their threat level. The security solution warns of the threats a website contains before people navigate it. In case users are not convinced by the threat warnings accompanying certain websites and would rather ignore them, Symantec's product can offer a detailed site report. This, along with reviews provided by other end-users, can really help them decide if the advantages of navigating a website are that great compared with the dangers.

All these innovations are only available to the subscribers of the Norton Internet Security 2009 English Beta. Although the product is available with support for several languages, the plug-in has been developed only for U.S. users. The final English version of Norton Safe Web is expected to be launched this winter, while the localized versions have a while longer to go until the release.

"Our goal for Norton Safe Web is to provide users with the most up-to-date and accurate Web site ratings of any offering on the market," said Senior Vice President of Consumer Products Rowan Trollope. "We can do this by leveraging the millions of members of Norton Community Watch - a 'Neighborhood Watch' program that relies on the eyes and ears of the Norton user base to detect and report trouble. This trusted information helps us deliver rapid, precise analysis of the safety and security of Web sites."

Norton Safe Web Beta has been tested in the Softpedia labs and it is 100% malware free. The security tool can be downloaded here.