GFI WebMonitor for ISA Server gives administrators control over corporate web usage

(07/09/2007)

The Internet is an important business-to-business (B2B) resource but uncontrolled and unmonitored access could lead to lower productivity when employees waste time browsing non-work related material. Research carried out by IDC shows that up to 40% of employee Internet activity is non-work related and this includes the downloading of music files, usage of social sites like Facebook or eCommerce sites like eBay and browsing the web for personal entertainment.

Access to the Internet also increases the risk of viruses, spyware and unauthorized software being downloaded. Such activity can lead to malicious software active on companies’ systems, leading to security breaches and data loss.

A practical method of mitigating these unwanted aspects of the corporate Internet connection would be to deploy GFI WebMonitor. The latest version of GFI WebMonitor for ISA Server gives administrators comprehensive control over corporate web usage and what employees are downloading from the Internet. GFI WebMonitor 4 boosts employee productivity and increases security whilst maintaining optimum use of the Internet as a business tool.

This solution grants the administrator full control over Internet resources to create a secure online experience, to proactively counter risks of vicarious liability and, in turn, to set higher efficiency levels.

GFI WebMonitor for ISA Server is available in three editions, offering administrators a specific or holistic web management solution. These are: the WebFilter Edition; the WebSecurity Edition and the UnifiedProtection Edition, a suite that delivers a secure browsing experience through the use of multiple anti-virus engines, increases productivity through the WebGrade URL Filter and drives implementation of user web policies through granular download control policies.

WebFilter Edition
The WebFilter Edition of GFI WebMonitor for ISA Server comes with WebGrade, a 100% human-reviewed site categorization database and web filtering technology that gives administrators control over what sites users can browse and block access to websites in particular categories, such as adult, online gaming, P2P and travel websites. The WebFilter Edition permits real-time web monitoring of all corporate web activity and also bandwidth monitoring. Administrators are also able to proactively enforce company policy on a per-user basis to filter out unwanted web usage.

WebSecurity Edition
The WebSecurity Edition provides the tools needed to create download control policies and monitor what files employees are downloading from the web and to block particular file-types such as mp3s. GFI WebMonitor increases the probability of detecting viruses since it uses multiple virus scanning engines to scan all downloaded files. The WebSecurity Edition also reduces the potential risks of social engineering by blocking access to phishing websites through the use of an auto-updatable database of phishing URLs. In so doing administrators are also lowering the risk of data-leakage from within the company.

UnifiedProtection Edition
Other features common to both editions include monitoring of which websites users are browsing and what files are being downloaded; monitoring and blocking of those applications that connect to their home pages to download updates; the ability to track download and upload traffic and URL hits over time; allow exceptions through the use of whitelists and blacklists; and controlled access to the configuration and monitoring interfaces.

“GFI WebMonitor delivers three major benefits that previously were available only to customers with enterprise-level budgets. First, GFI WebMonitor on an ISA Server can deliver a secure browsing experience for employees by protecting them against viruses, spyware and fraudulent websites. Second, it can enhance productivity by controlling access to websites such as adult and bandwidth hungry sites and, third, it aids the implementation of company security policies through Active Directory integrated features,” David Vella, Director of Product Management at GFI said.

“We are offering excellent performance, benefits and functionality at a price that is affordable for SMBs. At the same time, the product is easy to use and requires the administrator to spend less time configuring and maintaining the system,” he added.

A free trial of the three editions of GFI WebMonitor is available for download from http://www.gfi.com/downloads/downloads.aspx?pid=webmon&lid=en. Clients who would like to purchase either edition can do so through any of GFI’s authorized resellers. Full pricing details can be found at the GFI website.

Related topics:  Computer and PC Security   Internet and Web security   Network Security   Virus, Worm, Email security, spyware and malware 

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