How to choose Web Filtering Software for Business

Most businesses allow their employees access to the Internet subject to acceptable use policies, but these can often be difficult to police.

Consequently, productivity can suffer due to cyber-slacking, workplace environments can become stressful if certain employees misuse their Internet privileges to view inappropriate content, and the business could even be prosecuted for facilitating illegal P2P file sharing if measures are not implemented to prevent it.

A solution to these issues is to implement an Internet content filter. Content filtering software for business enables businesses to regulate online content accessible by employees - resulting in improved productivity, a better working environment and more bandwidth availability. However, in order to be fully effective, content filter software for business must have SSL inspection.

The Importance of SSL Inspection

SSL inspection is a process that inspects the content of encrypted websites to ensure they comply with acceptable use policies. In recent years the number of encrypted websites has multiplied due to privacy protection and an understanding they receive a higher ranking in search engine results pages. More than half of the most visited web pages in the world are now encrypted.

Historically, encrypted websites could always be trusted to be malware free. Websites had to go through a stringent vetting process before receiving an SSL Certificate. However, due to hackers infiltrating the databases of Certification Authorities and web performance companies issuing SSL Certificates for free, there is no guarantee a website with an SSL Certificate is genuinely secure.

Content filtering software for business that lacks SSL inspection is unable to read the content of encrypted websites. Finding nothing that contravenes user policies, it allows access to any user requesting it. This gives hackers using stolen or free SSL certificates the opportunity to deliver malware payloads or execute phishing attacks via encrypted websites.

Consequently, content filtering software for business without SSL inspection does not provide complete protection against web-borne threats. Nor does it prevent employees visiting social media websites, gambling websites and online shopping websites - as these too are now all encrypted. For these reasons, content filter software for business must have SSL inspection in order to be fully effective.

The Importance of a Versatile Web Filter

Content filtering software for business with SSL inspection needs to be versatile. This is because the process of decrypting secure websites, reading their content and re-encrypting them can be resource intensive on CPUs. The process can place a considerable strain on large networks when hundreds of users are attempting to access the Internet at the same time.

The solution to this potential issue is to “whitelist” the most frequently-visited secure websites. By whitelisting websites that can be trusted, the content filtering software for business will not attempt to examine their contents - minimizing the amount of resources used by the software and eliminating the strain on the network.

Whitelisting can also be used to allow access to web applications that might otherwise by blocked by general user policies. For example, marketing personnel may need to access Facebook Chat in the course of their duties, but businesses would rather not allow total access to Facebook. The process for whitelisting web pages and applications is easy, and can be apply by user, user group, or business-wide.

Other filtering mechanisms can also be applied by user, user group or business-wide by dividing users into groups and applying different policies to each group depending on their roles. For example, a business may feel it is not appropriate for employees to deal with personal banking issues during working hours, but need to provide access to online banking websites for personnel working in finance.

SpamTitan´s Content Filtering Software for Business

SpamTitan´s content filtering software for business is WebTitan - a content filtering solution with SSL inspection that has been developed over many years with ease-of-use and versatility as its priorities. WebTitan provides complete protection against web-borne threats and helps enforce acceptable use policies to prevent cyber-slacking, create a better working environment and free bandwidth.

Our content filtering software for business is available in a choice of three deployment options, has an auto-configure function for quick set-up, and is easy to manage via a secure management portal accessible from any Internet-connected device. Larger businesses may also be interested in WebTitan´s AD/LDAP integration that expedites acceptable use policy creation and application.

In addition to filtering online content, WebTitan includes phishing protection and malicious URL detection as standard, antivirus protection from Clam AV, and can block file downloads according to their extension. Our content filter software for business is supported by a comprehensive suite of reporting options and an industry-leading team of Sales Technicians.

To find out more WebTitan, or to ask a question about content filtering software for business, do not hesitate to contact us. If you have an interest in completely protecting your network against web-borne threats, we will invite you to take advantage of a free fourteen day trial of the most suitable WebTitan content filtering software for business for your specific circumstances.