Idea for a website to prevent viruses

[Blobbenstein]

Would it be possible to have a website that acts like a person's computer, so that you could say type in the URL of a potentially dodgy website into this middle-man website, and you could access the website safely.?

The middle-man website would be the one threatened by any viruses, and all the end user would get was visual information, and other basic things.

Maybe one could run google through this middle man website.


I suppose ChromeBook runs a bit like this..

 

[Envy]

There are some sites that check the safety of a link, like urlvoid or safetyadvisor, but they aren't always perfect.

Some options to make it more safe to visit unknown sites would be to change in options so that they always ask for permission to use Flash or Java, or to use some form of noscript.

If you are paranoid, I guess you could rig up a virtual machine and do all your risky business on it.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I was just thinking earlier how dependent I am on my computer for shopping and email etc....and I don't want to jeopardise that because I went to some porn site.

 

[Envy]

I was just thinking earlier how dependent I am on my computer for shopping and email etc....and I don't want to jeopardise that because I went to some porn site.

My advice would be to use an adblock and only visit reputable porn sites then.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I use adblocker anyway...didn't know it stopped viruses..

sometimes I just google porn and go to those links.

 

[beancounter]

Would it be possible to have a website that acts like a person's computer, so that you could say type in the URL of a potentially dodgy website into this middle-man website, and you could access the website safely.?

The middle-man website would be the one threatened by any viruses, and all the end user would get was visual information, and other basic things.

Norton anti virus has a "safe search" feature in it's NIS product that's along the lines of what you're looking for.
http://us.norton.com/safe-search/promo

 

[Envy]

I use adblocker anyway...didn't know it stopped viruses..

sometimes I just google porn and go to those links.

Well, it doesn't prevent anything in itself, but it removes things that you probably don't want to click on.

That kind of browsing feels like someone who is new to the internet would do though. Maybe you go on google images and search for "breasts" as well?

 

[Blobbenstein]

I have been known to use google images....

 

[Second Summer]

I think something like this already exists, but for a different purpose:

Website developers sometimes use certain sites that can show them what their websites look like in different browsers, on mobile devices and so on. Usually, they just give you screenshots, but here is one that says it's interactive:
https://browserling.com/

For other such tools, just google "what does my website look like in" or similar ....