Opera Web Browser Gets Phishing Filter

Oslo, Norway-based Opera Software, maker of the Opera Web browser, on Monday released the most recent update to the software, dubbed Opera 9.1, and it includes a new phishing filter, the Associated Press reports via Forbes.com.

The browser’s phishing filter displays small warnings whenever users visit suspect sites that it thinks may attempt to steal a password or other confidential information.

A browser warning is sent to Opera users who visit sites listed as suspect on OpenDNS’ PhishTank project list, which can be found at PhishTank.com, according to the AP. Web surfers who think they’ve found a phishing site or message can submit information to PhishTank.com for examination by other users, the AP reports. Messages or sites determined by users to be potentially dangerous are then labeled as such, according to the AP.

Microsoft owns the browser space with its Internet Explorer (IE) software, trailed by Mozilla’s free, open-source browser Firefox. Various estimates put IE at between 80 percent and 90 percent market share, with Firefox somewhere between 7 percent and 15 percent share. The most current versions of the browsers, IE 7 and Firefox 2.0, both feature phishing filters.

Opera owns a larger chunk of the mobile browser market than the traditional Web browser space with its Opera Mini software.

Related Links:

• Study: Antiphishing Toolbars No Good

• Microsoft IE 7.0 Tops List of Antiphishing Tools

• Mozilla Firefox 2.0 Hits the Web

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Browser Released

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