Patent ID: 8869271

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving, from a client device in a network environment, a first network address to be evaluated; searching predetermined risk ratings in a memory element for a first predetermined risk rating associated with the first network address; configuring, when none of the predetermined risk ratings indicates the first network address is malicious, a first request to the first network address to prevent a redirection to another network address from being followed; sending the first request to the first network address; determining whether a first response to the first request indicates a first redirection from the first network address to a second network address; and searching the predetermined risk ratings for a second predetermined risk rating associated with the second network address if the first redirection from the first network address to the second network address is indicated in the first response, wherein, if the second predetermined risk rating is found and indicates the second network address is malicious, the first redirection is not followed and information is provided to the client device based on the second predetermined risk rating.