Starting today, a new security feature will be available for users who search the internet using Yahoo, as the company was joined by McAfee Inc. to offer a set of alerts on potentially dangerous web sites.

Once McAfee will identify a possibly dangerous web site access, the program will alert the user with a red exclamation point and a warning text.

"Our goal is to protect users by allowing them to make a more informed decision about the sites they visit," said Yahoo's Priyank Garg, as quoted by BBC News. Their decision was also influenced by researches which indicate that 4 out of 5 visits start with a search, and Yahoo will use the collaboration as an attempt to get higher numbers with their search module.

The program will be switched on by default and the notification will appear every time a dangerous web site will be found. This category includes sites which retain e-mail addresses for spam ads or in the case of potentially dangerous downloads, including adware with pop-up advertisements, spyware which tracks users’ actions and other malicious programs.

"Yahoo users have clearly told us that among the most important concerns for them are all these lurking threats on the Internet. They know the damage they can do but they don't know how to protect themselves," said Priyank Garg, director of product management for Yahoo's search division, according to the Associated Press.

The mechanics involved will separate the good links from the bad and users will not have to deal with the sites labeled as dangerous.

The two companies refused to give out any information about the financial terms of the collaboration.