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Network security through firewalls and filtering software has gotten pretty effective at blocking hackers and malware from accessing a network externally. These are still emerging threats, though, because of a new method of delivery social engineering. Social engineering depends on users initiating a connection themselves in some way, and this is the kind of access that filtering software controls. There are three major kinds of Internet threats:
- Inappropriate content is the most common threat. Inappropriate content can be a gateway to other problems on your network, such as malware, wasted time, and even legal liability.
- Spyware and viruses can harm network performance. Spyware embeds itself into a computer and gathers user information which it transmits to a third party, usually running multiple processes and increasing CPU load and network bandwidth. Viruses can be destructive in innumerable ways, from deleting files to hijacking mail servers to send spam. Malware can be uploaded from fringe sites.
- Phishing emulates legitimate sites to trick users into supplying username and passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information.
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Social engineering threats are difficult to resolve because these can appear as legitimate outbound web traffic, so networks are still vulnerable to malware, decreased bandwidth, and poor performance, and your company is faced with decreased productivity. Filtering software addresses these threats by putting rules on the content the users can access.
Filtering software identifies page content through methods like keyword scanning, image recognition, and protocol and port blocking. The filtering software integrated in the iPrism filtering appliance is more effective filtering software than any other because it combines the strongest aspects of other methods with industry-leading accuracy in identifying page content:
- The iGuard filtering software uses a URL database, which classifies each individual web page into one of 63 categories. Every page is human-reviewed, so context, images, and media are always accurately interpreted.
- URL-based blocking for fine-grained control over what pages are blocked. iGuard filtering software categorizes each web page independently; even if one page on a site is in a blocked category, other pages are allowed.
- Category-based blocking for easy configuration. The filtering software never has to be reconfigured or updated, even when new sites are brought online.
- iGuard filtering software uses Blacklisting, which allows for immediate administrative control to block sites.
- IM/P2P protocol monitoring and blocking are possible because iPrisms filtering software scans every packet of traffic, not just specific protocols or ports.
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