A cloud web filter is the perfect solution for businesses and organizations who do not want the capital investment of a hardware web filter or the high maintenance overhead of a software web filter. A cloud web filter has the advantages of being quick to deploy and having an auto-configuration feature. All that is needed to start filtering the web from the cloud is a redirection of the DNS settings.
For larger businesses and organizations, a cloud web filter is equally as effective as hardware and software solutions for protecting network systems from online threats – sometimes more so. Any web filter has to have SSL inspection in order to be 100% effective, and filtering the web from the cloud can avoid the latency issues associated with other filtering solutions and reduce the load on the network.
Furthermore, using the option to integrate a cloud web filter with LDAP or Active Directory accelerates the creation and application of user policies. The minimal maintenance overhead releases IT resources to work on other important tasks, and – with a cloud web filter being infinitely scalable – IT managers never have to worry about purchasing new hardware or adding extra capacity.
Filtering the Web from the Cloud Enhances Security
Filtering the web from the cloud enhances security on both fixed networks and wireless networks. This is because cloud-based solutions tend to be more flexible and much easier to use than hardware or software solutions. Flexibility – in the form of granular filtering mechanisms – can ensure that network systems and their users are fully protected from online threats, provided the solutions are easy to use.
No matter how flexible any filtering solution is, it is only as good as how well it has been configured. The risk exists that complicated web filtering solutions will be configured too stringently and prohibit access to websites that are necessary for the business or organization to function effectively. Alternatively, once complaints have been received about accessibility and the filter settings relaxed, gateways could be left open for hackers and cybercriminals.
Typically, a cloud web filter allows you to monitor, control and protect your network and the users who connect to it via a web portal that administrators can connect to from any Internet-enabled device. Multiple locations can be managed from the same portal, which is much more than just a convenience if your business or organization has a nationwide network of WiFi hotspots.
SpamTitan´s Cloud Web Filter – WebTitan
SpamTitan´s solution for filtering the cloud from the web is WebTitan – an easy-to-use yet robust defense against online threats, offering an unmatched combination of coverage, accuracy and flexibility. WebTitan has three tiers of filters to protect network systems and optimize configuration settings:
- In the first tier, URIBL and SURBL filters compare requests to visit websites against lists of IP addresses where phishing emails are known to originate from. The filters also check for websites known to be harboring malware. If a match is found, the request to visit the website is denied.
- In the second tier, more than six billion web pages have been categorized into fifty-three different categories. Administrators can block access to any of these categories through the management portal with the click of a mouse.
- In the third tier, administrators have the opportunity to fine-tune the filter´s parameters by blocking access to websites by keyword, app, or file extension. A “whitelist” facility ensures access to business-critical websites, apps and files is not blocked by mistake.
In addition to the high degree of flexibility, WebTitan´s cloud web filter includes phishing protection, malicious URL detection and industry-leading ClamAV antivirus protection. The blacklists in the first tier of the cloud web filter are provided and updated by us, as are the category filters and the other security mechanisms.
All web activity can be viewed in real-time on the management portal, and administrators have a full suite of reporting options they can take advantage of to review historical web activity by user, category or time. This depth of information can help identify trends to further mitigate online threats and prevent user abuse of the network.
Try WebTitan Cloud or WebTitan Cloud for WiFi for Free
If you would like to know more about filtering the web from the cloud, or would like to experience the benefits of a cloud web filter, do not hesitate to get in touch and request a free trial of WebTitan Cloud, or – if you operate a wireless network – WebTitan Cloud for WiFi.
Our team of helpful Sales Technicians will be happy to answer your questions, guide you through the process of registering for your free trial and explain if necessary how to redirect your DNS. If you need any help navigating the portal´s interface, someone will always be on hand to help.
Being a worldwide organization that provides robust and effective security tools in 129 countries to protect tens of thousands of users from web-borne threats, you can always be sure of having any issues resolved quickly and satisfactorily when you protect your network systems with WebTitan from SpamTitan.
