If until now, the toolbar had included functions like: fast access to certain options and services, a search engine or even a pop-up blocker, now Netcraft launches a more complex version of the toolbar able to block phishing attacks.

The tool blocks access to sites known for phishing attacks used by hackers to get their hands on your private information. The toolbar had already an Internet Explorer compatible version, now they've released also a FireFox one.

Netcraft publishes every month a statistic detailing the situation of Web pages, the traffic they record, new Internet or HTTP service providers. It was expected that a company that has access to this type of information to have knowledge of the sites that launch such attacks and to provide users with reports on sites rated as dangerous, but also to block the access to the sites in question.

For an improved efficiency, users will have to contribute with information about the sites that launch such attacks. One of the commands of this tool allows the user to signal the existence of a suspect page; by filling a form, users may also report a site on the Netcraft's official web site.

Netcraft validates the reports and includes the address in a database used by the toolbar to block the access. The toolbar is free and can be implemented by any user.