Aladdin eSafe Secure Web Gateway Blocks 100 percent of Anonymous Proxies

(31/08/2007)

Anonymous proxies, or anonymizers, are Web sites that allow Internet users to connect to the Web through an external Web site, thereby bypassing any restrictions typically enforced on the local network.

This bypass mechanism, though originally designed for safe, anonymous Web surfing, proves extremely dangerous for businesses, schools and other organizations. It opens any computer to all malware that is usually filtered out by a gateway device, and malware is now free to enter the computer and the network – facing only traditional security measures that have proven ineffective against the new waves of malware threats.

Many using anonymous proxies simply want to access MySpace, YouTube and other restricted sites while at work and are completely unaware of the threat proxies pose to the organization. In a recent SearchSecurity.com poll, 27 percent of respondents said they would consider using anonymous proxies and 9 percent said they are already using them.

Since proxy servers frequently change URL addresses, it is impossible for URL filters to keep up with elusive proxy servers. The eSafe Anti-Anonymizer goes beyond traditional filtering methods to also proactively block anonymous proxies based on their site code and communications behavior – even if encrypted by SSL protocols. eSafe prevents users from leaving the protected network at any time, maintaining network integrity and increasing productivity, as well as ensuring regulatory compliance that is extremely important for government, healthcare, education and other industries. Existing eSafe customers were automatically updated to include the new anti-anonymizer technology in their eSafe product and add-on modules.

With 98 percent of U.S. schools blocking or limiting Web sites according to the CDW-G School Safety Index, more students are using anonymizers to work around the network gateway. School districts face a “triple threat” consisting of technically savvy students, limited IT and security budgets, and highly distributed networks. This opens school computers to vicious Web threats and inappropriate content, as shown by the Connecticut substitute teacher recently convicted of exposing a classroom of seventh graders to pornography through pop-ups on a widely-viewed classroom computer.

Aladdin Knowledge Systems (NASDAQ: ALDN), the leader in Software DRM, USB-based authentication, and secure Web gateways, today announced the first technology to block 100% of anonymous proxies. Part of the Aladdin eSafe secure Web gateway product, the anti-anonymizer technology takes advantage of innovative and proactive content security to filter out anonymizers that allow users to circumvent an Internet gateway and infect networks with malicious software. Now available to existing and new eSafe customers, the anti-anonymizer solution is being offered to customers as a component of all eSafe secure Web gateway sales, at no additional charge.

Using eSafe, Aladdin’s Content Security Response Team (CSRT) specialists blocked 100 percent of anonymizers in repeated lab tests, keeping computers free from viruses, spyware, worms and other malicious threats. Competitive products did not stand up to proxy threats, allowing users to leave the protected network. A comprehensive eSafe Anti-Anonymizer configuration includes the eSafe URL filtering module, AppliFilter and eSafe Web SSL.

“Anyone can subscribe to an anonymizer for $9.99 a month,” said Ofer Elzam, director of product management for Aladdin eSafe. “And that $9.99 subscription can bypass $100,000 in network protection. It’s an open invitation for hackers and cybercriminals to enter your organization’s network and take over. Aladdin is proud to provide the world’s only solution that is proven to consistently block all anonymizers. It’s a powerful illustration of Aladdin’s commitment to constant innovation and top-notch security for organizations.”

Aladdin eSafe protects against Web-based malware and zero-day threats through an in-line, wire-speed secure Web gateway featuring powerful anti-spyware, application level controls, and URL filtering. eSafe also controls spam and inspects SMTP and POP3 traffic though a proactive email security gateway.

Related topics:  Internet and Web security   Network Security 

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