Digital Resolve, the authority in transparent risk-based authentication, announced today a formal data provider agreement with Microsoft to provide data feeds from Digital Resolve's Trusted Server Technology.
These new feeds will help provide real-time, front-line protection for consumers against phishing attacks. Introduced in July 2005, Microsoft Phishing Filter helps protect millions of customers from phishing scams when they are browsing the Internet and is available via the new Windows Live Toolbar, which launched in final release last month, in Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP Service Pack 2, and in Windows Vista, both currently in beta testing.
"We were impressed with the quality of Digital Resolve's data feeds, and they have become an important addition to our rich network of data provider partners," said Alan Packer, Product Unit Manager of the Anti-Phishing Team at Microsoft Corp. "This agreement underscores Microsoft's goal of employing a broad range of data sources from both third parties and end-users to help protect customers from the threat of phishing."
Microsoft's Phishing Filter URL reputation service is part of the innovative Phishing Filter feature that will be available to millions of users of Windows Internet Explorer 7 and the Windows Live Toolbar.
The new data feed supplied to Microsoft as part of this new agreement comes from Digital Resolve's Trusted Server Technology which provides consumers with real-time, positive assurance that they are at a valid website. The technology utilizes patented data mining capabilities, which were developed in 1999 as the core building component of the company's patented IP Intelligence technology, to crawl the Internet 24 x 7, verifying the authenticity of financial services and e-commerce websites. This information is constantly monitored and updated within Trusted Server, which can be fed to web browsers and other desktop applications to safeguard consumers against rogue websites and protect the brand of legitimate online businesses.
"Protecting consumers is not the sole responsibility of any one industry segment," said Avivah Litan, Vice President and Distinguished Analyst, Gartner, Inc. "Making consumers feel safe when they are navigating the Internet should be a top priority for those players that have the greatest reach and can have the largest impact across the market. Bringing website authentication to the desktop is one way to help stop the damage from phishing attacks - before consumers are unknowingly lured in."