Method and system for screening remote site connections and filtering data ...

1. A computer-implemented method of screening remote site connections, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at a server from a plurality of end-users, data based on a plurality of end-user assessments of particular remote sites, each end-user being associated with a specific client machine which is in communication with the server;

(b) the server generating assessment scores based on the data;

(c) the server transmitting the assessment scores to the client machines; and

(d) each specific client machine selectively taking protective action against ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the protective action prevents the specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

4. A computer-implemented method of screening remote site connections, the method comprising:

(a) each of a plurality of client machine users creating a first list of remote sites which the user trusts;

(b) each of the plurality of client machine users creating a second list of remote sites which the user does not trust;

(c) receiving from each of the client machines and storing in a database the first and second lists;

(d) aggregating and assessing the first and second lists to generate a community aggregate trust assessment; and

(e) each specific client machine selectively taking protective action against ones of the particular remote sites based on one or more of (i) the first list created by the specific client machine, (ii) the second list created by the specific client machine, and (iii) the community aggregate trust assessment.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the protective action prevents the specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that are on the second list or have an undesirable aggregate trust assessment.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that are on the second list or have an undesirable aggregate trust assessment.

7. A computer-implemented method of screening remote site connections, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at a server from a plurality of end-users, data based on a plurality of end-user assessments of particular remote sites, each end-user being associated with a specific client machine which is in communication with the server;

(b) for each particular remote site, the server generating assessment scores based on the number of the end-users who trust the particular remote site, and the number of the end-users who do not trust the particular remote site;

(c) the server transmitting the assessment scores to the client machines; and

(d) each specific client machine selectively taking protective action against ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the protective action prevents the specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

10. A system for screening remote site connections, the system comprising:

(a) a plurality of client machines; and

(b) a server in communication with the client machines, the server receiving data based on a plurality of end-user assessments of particular remote sites, each end-user being associated with a specific one of the client machines, wherein:

(i) the server generates assessment scores based on the data;

(ii) the server transmits the assessment scores to the client machines; and

(iii) each specific client machine selectively takes protective action against ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the protective action prevents the specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

13. A system for screening remote site connections, the system comprising:

(a) a plurality of client machines; and

(b) a server in communication with the client machines, wherein:

(i) the server receives from each specific client machine a first list of remote sites which a user of the specific client machine trusts and a second list of remote sites which the user does not trust;

(ii) the server aggregates and assesses the first and second lists to generate a community aggregate trust assessment; and

(iii) each specific client machine selectively takes protective action against ones of the particular remote sites based on one or more of (I) the first list created by the specific client machine, (II) the second list created by the specific client machine, and (III) the community aggregate trust assessment.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the protective action prevents each specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that are on the second list or have an undesirable aggregate trust assessment.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that are on the second list or have an undesirable aggregate trust assessment.

16. A system for screening remote site connections, the system comprising:

(a) a plurality of client machines; and

(b) a server in communication with the client machines, the server receiving data based on a plurality of end-user assessments of particular remote sites, each end-user being associated with a specific one of the client machines, wherein:

(i) the server generates assessment scores based on the number of the end-users who trust the particular remote site, and the number of the end-users who do not trust the particular remote site;

(ii) the server transmits the assessment scores to the client machines; and

(iii) each specific client machine selectively takes protective action against ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the protective action prevents the specific client machine from connecting to the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the protective action filters specific content or instructions received from the ones of the particular remote sites that have an undesirable assessment score generated by the server.