Warns you in advance of mailicious websites

AVG LinkScanner is a free tool to scans websites in real-time to warn you if a site could potentially damage or infect your Mac.

Originally part of the AVG Antivirus package on Windows, AVG LinkScanner can now be downloaded as an independent, free standalone app. AVG LinkScanner analyzes websites before you open them and blocks it if it finds any sign of potential danger. It can also detect phishing scams and stop the installation of fake plug-ins from untrusted websites.

The program offers to install its own toolbar in Firefox but it’s not really necessary as it only includes a couple of buttons and a Yahoo!-branded search fields. AVG LinkScanner scans websites, links and search results in real time, runs smoothly and doesn’t slow down your browsing speed.

There are some concerns with AVG LinkScanner however. One is that it seems to install files in the Root folder of your Mac which shouldn’t be necessary in such an app. It also doesn’t seem to mark hardly any sites as dangerous. This may be because while some sites are dangerous to Windows users, they’re not to Mac users.

AVG LinkScanner may give you psychological peace of mind although doubts remain over the installation and effectiveness