240:
NDR investigative journalism report was based on freely available sample data, and revealed that sensitive private information of more than 50 users could be retrieved. The information included websites visited, account names and email addresses, potentially revealing user illnesses, sexual preferences and drug consumption. The journalists also reconstructed a media company's confidential revenue data, and details about an ongoing police investigation.
42:
269:
In a blog post published on
December 19, 2016, WOT Services stated that they had upgraded their browser extension, and released it in the Google Chrome extension gallery. The upgraded version included "several major code updates in order to protect our user's privacy and an opt-out option from the
239:
reported the results of an investigation by in-house journalists, showing that WOT collected, recorded, analyzed and sold user-related data to third parties. The data obtained was traceable to WOT and could be assigned to specific individuals, despite WOT's claim that user data was anonymized. The
223:
In
November 2016, a German state media investigation found that WOT Services had secretly collected personal user details and sold or licensed this information to unidentified third-party businesses and entities for
135:
Its website user interface is available in four languages, namely, English, French, Portuguese and
Russian. Its website uses machine translation on the domain name scorecard webpages for logged-in users/commenters.
310:(United States) was filed against WOT and some of its forum members, demanding that WOT remove certain website ratings and associated comments cautioning about phishing scams. The court dismissed the case with
600:
270:
user
Settings, for users who do not wish to share data with us but still want to have easy access to WOT." In February 2017, Mozilla reinstated the MyWOT browsing tool in the Firefox add-on store.
215:
In 2016, it was revealed that WOT Services had made money by collecting browsing history data from its users and selling that usage data; it said that it anonymized the data before selling it.
298:. The extension rates websites based on their reputation score and provides end users with a red, yellow, or green indicator, with red meaning that the site has a poor reputation score.
109:), an online reputation and Internet safety service which shows indicators of trust about existing websites. The confidence level is based both on user ratings and on third-party
159:
invested in WOT Services and became a member of the board of directors. WOT Services is no longer a portfolio company of
Widenius's venture capital firm, OpenOcean.vc.
558:
738:
763:
654:
604:
228:
purposes. This activity breached the privacy rules and guidelines set by several browsers. As a result, the browser add-on was involuntarily removed from
152:. They launched the service officially in 2007, with Esa Suurio as CEO. Suurio was replaced in November 2009, and both founders left the company in 2014.
535:
243:
German media contacted WOT Services with the results of the investigation prior to publication of the report. WOT declined to comment on the findings.
967:
1018:
714:
394:
Vanetti, M.; Binaghi, E.; Ferrari, E.; Carminati, B.; Carullo, M. (February 2013). "A System to Filter
Unwanted Messages from OSN User Walls".
914:
507:
1013:
998:
941:
1003:
1008:
144:
WOT Services was founded in 2006 by Sami
Tolvanen and Timo Ala-Kleemola, who wrote the MyWOT software as post-graduates at the
1038:
1028:
1033:
132:
reviews, about to what extent websites are trustworthy, and respect user privacy, vendor reliability and child safety.
232:'s add-on store, and voluntarily removed from other browsers' add-on/extension stores. WOT was eventually reinstated.
813:
346:
717:[NDR report regarding 'Web of Trust' - Popular browser extension apparently spies on users] (in German).
1023:
543:
788:
626:
319:
311:
236:
197:
840:
125:
971:
688:
370:
461:
287:
255:
67:
421:
331:
266:, approximately one week after the extension was removed from the Google Chrome extension store.
715:"NDR-Bericht über 'Web of Trust' - Beliebte Browser-Erweiterung spioniert offenbar Nutzer aus"
687:[Browser extension gives away user data - 'Web of Trust' spies on users] (in German).
559:"The Journal — Panda Security, Against Intuition Offer Free 'Web of Trust' Browser Addon"
291:
225:
201:
945:
200:
investigation revealed that WOT Services sold user activity data collected from its apps and
864:
411:
403:
205:
156:
684:
601:"GlobalSign Partners with Web of Trust to Provide Reputation Data in the Website Passport"
341:
229:
718:
250:
add-on store. WOT subsequently removed its browsing tool for other browsers, including
175:
41:
992:
283:
251:
129:
425:
915:"Web of Trust, MyWOT/WOT: Website Reputation Rating; Versions; Add-ons for Firefox"
536:"Mail.Ru Group Launches New Browser Featuring Web of Trust Safe-Surfing Technology"
246:
A few days after the news story aired, Mozilla removed the browser add-on from the
118:
31:
17:
263:
171:
351:
259:
209:
183:
49:
739:"Millionen Surf-Profile: Daten stammen angeblich auch von Browser-Addon WOT"
179:
889:
407:
685:"Browser-Erweiterung gibt Daten weiter - 'Web of Trust' späht Nutzer aus"
512:
416:
336:
167:
122:
114:
764:"Daten zu Surfverhalten von Millionen Deutschen als "kostenlose Probe""
579:
315:
307:
279:
247:
163:
149:
145:
110:
187:
655:"Web of Trust browser extensions yanked after proving untrustworthy"
439:
295:
542:(Press release). Rocket Science PR. 8 August 2012. Archived from
482:
683:
Eckert, Svea; Klofta, Jasmin; Strozyk, Jan Lukas (2016-11-01).
508:"Facebook Security — Keeping You Safe from Scams and Spam"
193:
By
November 2013, WOT Services had over 100 million downloads.
789:"Web of Trust (WOT) Add-on taken down by Chrome & Firefox"
462:"The Register — MySQL daddy juices Finnish security firm"
942:"Safe Surfing Tool Web of Trust Sued over Community Warnings"
278:
WOT Services offers an add-on for web browsers including
81:
235:
On
November 1, 2016, German public broadcasting station
678:
676:
674:
814:"'Web Of Trust' Browser Extension Cannot Be Trusted"
865:"To the WOT community | Forum | WOT (Web of Trust)"
708:
706:
704:
627:"Web of Trust hits 100 million Downloads Milestone"
440:"Web of Trust (WOT) – Crowdsourced web safety"
396:
IEEE Transactions on
Knowledge and Data Engineering
76:
66:
58:
48:
970:. ArcticStartup. 13 December 2011. Archived from
258:. The WOT "Mobile Security & Protection"
8:
835:
833:
322:were issued by courts, to delete feedback.
40:
36:
648:
646:
644:
415:
944:. Helsinki: Vocus/PRWeb. Archived from
483:"Portfolio — Previous Investments"
362:
212:on which the software was distributed.
557:Schaffhauser, Dian (11 August 2009).
204:to third parties in violation of the
7:
460:Modine, Austin (17 February 2009).
162:WOT Services has partnerships with
25:
940:Perälä, Vesa (24 February 2011).
603:. 15 March 2012. Archived from
306:In February 2011, a lawsuit in
30:For the cryptography term, see
871:. WOT Services Ltd. 2016-11-06
1:
1019:Social engineering (security)
968:"WOT Wins Lawsuit In The US"
371:"2.3 Third-party blacklists"
148:University of Technology in
128:. The service also provides
1055:
1014:Computer security software
999:Free Firefox WebExtensions
921:. Mozilla. 6 February 2017
770:(in German). November 2016
745:(in German). November 2016
347:Website Reputation Ratings
29:
27:Website reputation service
1004:Internet Explorer add-ons
219:Sale of user-related data
39:
1009:Google Chrome extensions
841:"WOT Safe Browsing Tool"
320:preliminary injunctions
155:In 2009, MySQL founder
580:"Friends of PhishTank"
198:Norddeutscher Rundfunk
1039:Privacy controversies
1029:Reputation management
408:10.1109/TKDE.2011.230
948:on February 27, 2011
97:is the developer of
1034:Computational trust
607:on 18 December 2014
919:addons.mozilla.org
896:. 19 December 2016
713:gru (2016-11-01).
629:. 12 November 2013
332:McAfee SiteAdvisor
202:browser extensions
974:on 7 January 2012
352:Google SafeSearch
292:Internet Explorer
262:was removed from
226:data monetization
92:
91:
18:WOT: Web of Trust
16:(Redirected from
1046:
984:
983:
981:
979:
964:
958:
957:
955:
953:
937:
931:
930:
928:
926:
911:
905:
904:
902:
901:
886:
880:
879:
877:
876:
861:
855:
854:
852:
851:
837:
828:
827:
825:
824:
810:
804:
803:
801:
800:
785:
779:
778:
776:
775:
760:
754:
753:
751:
750:
735:
729:
728:
726:
725:
710:
699:
698:
696:
695:
680:
669:
668:
666:
665:
650:
639:
638:
636:
634:
623:
617:
616:
614:
612:
597:
591:
590:
588:
586:
576:
570:
569:
567:
565:
554:
548:
547:
532:
526:
525:
523:
521:
504:
498:
497:
495:
493:
479:
473:
472:
470:
468:
457:
451:
450:
448:
446:
436:
430:
429:
419:
391:
385:
384:
382:
381:
367:
206:privacy policies
157:Michael Widenius
88:
85:
83:
44:
37:
21:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1043:
1024:Review websites
989:
988:
987:
977:
975:
966:
965:
961:
951:
949:
939:
938:
934:
924:
922:
913:
912:
908:
899:
897:
888:
887:
883:
874:
872:
863:
862:
858:
849:
847:
839:
838:
831:
822:
820:
812:
811:
807:
798:
796:
787:
786:
782:
773:
771:
762:
761:
757:
748:
746:
737:
736:
732:
723:
721:
712:
711:
702:
693:
691:
682:
681:
672:
663:
661:
652:
651:
642:
632:
630:
625:
624:
620:
610:
608:
599:
598:
594:
584:
582:
578:
577:
573:
563:
561:
556:
555:
551:
546:on 28 May 2014.
534:
533:
529:
519:
517:
506:
505:
501:
491:
489:
481:
480:
476:
466:
464:
459:
458:
454:
444:
442:
438:
437:
433:
393:
392:
388:
379:
377:
375:WOT Help Center
369:
368:
364:
360:
342:Norton Safe Web
328:
304:
276:
230:Mozilla Firefox
221:
142:
101:(also known as
80:
59:Initial release
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1052:
1050:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
991:
990:
986:
985:
959:
932:
906:
881:
856:
845:Mozilla Addons
829:
805:
793:TWCN Tech News
780:
755:
730:
719:Spiegel Online
700:
670:
640:
618:
592:
571:
549:
527:
499:
474:
452:
431:
402:(2): 285–297.
386:
361:
359:
356:
355:
354:
349:
344:
339:
334:
327:
324:
303:
300:
275:
272:
220:
217:
176:Panda Security
141:
138:
90:
89:
78:
74:
73:
72:browser add-on
70:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
46:
45:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1051:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
996:
994:
973:
969:
963:
960:
947:
943:
936:
933:
920:
916:
910:
907:
895:
891:
890:"We're back!"
885:
882:
870:
869:www.mywot.com
866:
860:
857:
846:
842:
836:
834:
830:
819:
815:
809:
806:
794:
790:
784:
781:
769:
765:
759:
756:
744:
740:
734:
731:
720:
716:
709:
707:
705:
701:
690:
686:
679:
677:
675:
671:
660:
656:
649:
647:
645:
641:
628:
622:
619:
606:
602:
596:
593:
581:
575:
572:
560:
553:
550:
545:
541:
537:
531:
528:
516:. 12 May 2011
515:
514:
509:
503:
500:
488:
484:
478:
475:
463:
456:
453:
441:
435:
432:
427:
423:
418:
417:11383/1730593
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
390:
387:
376:
372:
366:
363:
357:
353:
350:
348:
345:
343:
340:
338:
335:
333:
330:
329:
325:
323:
321:
317:
313:
309:
301:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
284:Google Chrome
281:
273:
271:
267:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
244:
241:
238:
233:
231:
227:
218:
216:
213:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
191:
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
160:
158:
153:
151:
147:
139:
137:
133:
131:
127:
124:
120:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
96:
87:
79:
75:
71:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
51:
47:
43:
38:
33:
19:
976:. Retrieved
972:the original
962:
950:. Retrieved
946:the original
935:
923:. Retrieved
918:
909:
898:. Retrieved
893:
884:
873:. Retrieved
868:
859:
848:. Retrieved
844:
821:. Retrieved
817:
808:
797:. Retrieved
795:. 2016-11-05
792:
783:
772:. Retrieved
768:heise online
767:
758:
747:. Retrieved
743:heise online
742:
733:
722:. Retrieved
692:. Retrieved
662:. Retrieved
658:
631:. Retrieved
621:
609:. Retrieved
605:the original
595:
583:. Retrieved
574:
562:. Retrieved
552:
544:the original
539:
530:
518:. Retrieved
511:
502:
490:. Retrieved
486:
477:
465:. Retrieved
455:
443:. Retrieved
434:
399:
395:
389:
378:. Retrieved
374:
365:
305:
277:
268:
245:
242:
234:
222:
214:
195:
192:
172:Legit Script
161:
154:
143:
134:
130:crowdsourced
107:Web of Trust
106:
102:
98:
95:WOT Services
94:
93:
54:WOT Services
50:Developer(s)
32:Web of trust
978:22 December
653:Paul, Ian.
611:18 December
540:reuters.com
492:26 November
467:21 December
274:MyWOT addon
264:Google Play
170:, hpHosts,
993:Categories
952:5 November
900:2017-01-03
894:MyWOT Blog
875:2016-11-15
850:2016-11-20
823:2016-11-06
799:2016-11-06
774:2016-11-01
749:2016-11-01
724:2016-11-01
694:2016-11-01
689:Tagesschau
664:2016-11-20
633:28 January
445:3 November
380:2019-11-18
358:References
260:mobile app
210:app stores
184:GlobalSign
180:Phish tank
126:blacklists
487:OpenOcean
312:prejudice
659:PC World
513:Facebook
426:15338868
337:Netcraft
326:See also
302:Lawsuits
168:Facebook
115:phishing
925:26 June
318:, some
316:Germany
308:Florida
280:Firefox
248:Firefox
208:of the
196:A 2016
164:Mail.ru
150:Finland
146:Tampere
140:History
111:malware
77:Website
585:31 May
564:31 May
520:31 May
424:
252:Chrome
188:TRUSTe
84:.mywot
818:PCMAG
422:S2CID
314:. In
296:Baidu
288:Opera
256:Opera
99:MyWOT
980:2011
954:2016
927:2017
635:2015
613:2014
587:2014
566:2014
522:2014
494:2016
469:2014
447:2016
294:and
254:and
186:and
123:spam
121:and
119:scam
105:and
86:.com
68:Type
62:2007
412:hdl
404:doi
237:NDR
103:WOT
82:www
995::
917:.
892:.
867:.
843:.
832:^
816:.
791:.
766:.
741:.
703:^
673:^
657:.
643:^
538:.
510:.
485:.
420:.
410:.
400:25
398:.
373:.
290:,
286:,
282:,
190:.
182:,
178:,
174:,
166:,
117:,
113:,
982:.
956:.
929:.
903:.
878:.
853:.
826:.
802:.
777:.
752:.
727:.
697:.
667:.
637:.
615:.
589:.
568:.
524:.
496:.
471:.
449:.
428:.
414::
406::
383:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
