Monday, November 19, 2007
ContentProtect Security Appliance Awarded GCN Reviewers Choice Award - GCN (Government Computer News)

Excerpt:

We are pleased to announce that our ContentProtect Security Appliance was recently tested with 5 other Web content filtering appliances and came out on top. From the article: "The ContentProtect (CP) 100 from ContentWatch is a combination security appliance that includes bandwidth management, antivirus and spyware applications, and peer-to-peer control in addition to Web filtering. All of this comes in one box that is easy to use and not too hard on the budget... We were pleased with the precision with which it handled our tricky Web site list. It was not fooled by any of the potential false positives and managed to stop nearly everything else. It even blocked a Java-based program from connecting to play online board games, which no other appliance in the review managed to do."

Monday, January 29, 2007
Preventing System Abuse - CRN

Excerpt:

A guide to deploying a flexible, accurate content-filtering solution.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Top Security Companies Align to Support Consumer Launch of Windows Vista - Microsoft

Excerpt:

Anti-virus and family safety solutions bolster built-in security of newest version of Windows

REDMOND, Wash. - January 17, 2007 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that leading security providers are committing to delivering fully tested and compatible versions of their consumer and small-business security solutions by Jan. 30, when the Windows VistaTM operating system becomes generally available on new PCs and in retail stores around the world. In addition, today many independent software vendors pledged to deliver a wide range of innovative applications and services designed to further enable safer online experiences for families and home users in time for the consumer launch.

Throughout the development of Windows Vista, Microsoft has worked closely with security partners to provide technical support resources, access to application testing and compatibility labs, and developer training and certification programs. These efforts help industry partners provide consumers with numerous security and safety software and services to choose from to help make their computing experiences safer from the moment they begin using Windows Vista.

"A more secure computing experience, including protection from online threats, viruses and hackers, is more important than ever before, for businesses and consumers alike," said Ben Fathi, corporate vice president of the Security Technology Unit at Microsoft. "Windows Vista is the most secure operating system we've ever built, and our security partners continue to play a vital role in adding layers of protection onto the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) platform. With all of us working together, we can help people feel safer and more confident when using their PCs."

Windows Vista is built to provide in-depth defense against existing and emerging digital threats. Microsoft started by designing Windows Vista using the Security Development Lifecycle, an education, design and testing process that helps minimize security bugs in the operating system's underlying code. New built-in security features such as Windows Defender, User Account Control, an improved Windows Firewall, Parental Controls, and Windows Internet Explorer(R) 7 Protected Mode and Phishing Filter provide additional layers of protection. Microsoft's industry partners add the final layer by building security solutions on top of the Windows platform. Partner security offerings that are scheduled to be available on Jan. 30 include a range of anti-virus, anti-malware and family safety solutions.

Companies committing to the availability of consumer and small-business security solutions for Windows Vista by Jan. 30 include these:

• CA Inc.'s CA Anti-Virus 2007 provides protection against viruses, worms and Trojan horse programs that can invade through e-mail attachments, downloads, instant messages and the Web. CA Anti-Virus 2007 was one of the first security solutions available to Windows Vista beta users, providing anti-virus protection to more than 160,000 beta participants.
• ContentWatch Inc.'s top-rated Internet filtering software features a patent-pending, dynamic contextual analyzer that filters Internet content in real time. ContentWatch's software also includes powerful remote management, monitoring and reporting, time management, and instant messaging management tools to help parents monitor children's Internet activity - even from work or while traveling.
• GRISOFT, maker of AVG security solutions, has made available AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 and AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 in both commercial and free versions, as well as AVG Anti-Malware 7.5, comprising anti-virus and anti-spyware protection with full support for the Windows Vista operating system, downloadable at http://www.grisoft.com.
• IMSafer Inc. offers the first service to alert parents when their children are involved in inappropriate online communications, providing parental notification of language that may be indicative of a potential sexual predator, and enabling parents to anonymously share and view community feedback about contacts they think may be inappropriate. Support for Windows Vista includes all the existing IMSafer functionality, plus logging and reporting to the Windows Vista Parental Controls control panel and a freely downloadable wizard to help parents set up Parental Controls in Windows Vista.
• Kaspersky Lab will make available Kaspersky(R) Anti-Virus and Kaspersky Internet Security, offering premium virus, spyware, hacker and spam protection with anti-malware updates every hour and exceptionally low impact on Windows Vista systems resources.
• McAfee Inc.'s award-winning consumer software includes VirusScan Plus 2007; McAfee PC Protection Plus 2007; McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007 with 8 in 1 protection for a consumer's identity, PC and online experience; McAfee Total Protection 2007; McAfee(R) Wireless Protection 2007; McAfee SiteAdvisor, the world's first safe search and browse technology; and McAfee SiteAdvisor Plus, which prevents consumers from browsing to risky sites.
• Microsoft Windows LiveTM OneCareTM evolving, all-in-one PC care service will provide Windows Vista customers with unified, real-time anti-virus and anti-spyware protection and assist them with other important consumer PC protection and maintenance needs including data backup, the activation of anti-phishing protection (anti-phishing features require Windows Internet Explorer 7), automatic updates when they are online and the management of firewall policies when its latest version is launched on Jan. 30. Because OneCare is a subscription service, as new features are developed and released they will automatically be available to subscribers. The subscription service will be available at http://onecare.live.com and retail centers in the U.S. and 16 countries worldwide.
• Panda Software International is announcing Panda Antivirus 2007, the lightest anti-virus solution in the company's consumer product lineup, which uses minimal system resources, and Panda ClientShield, a global protection solution for workstations in corporate environments. In addition, the company is announcing Panda Internet Security 2007 Identity Protect to help protect online transactions and confidential data.
• PixAlert, providers of intelligent image auditing and monitoring solutions for home and business use, has made its advanced PC protection and real-time image-monitoring solution, SafeScreen, available in Windows Vista. SafeScreen actively blocks unsuitable images from all sources (including the Internet, DVDs and cell phones), helping to protect the family from unwelcome content.
• SafeBrowse.com's Safe Eyes parental control software, winner of PC Magazine's Editor's Choice award, provides a range of customizable features for Windows Vista, including content control, time limits and instant message monitoring. With Safe Eyes software, families can enjoy all the benefits of the Internet without the worry.
• Symantec Corp. today announced that the world's first comprehensive transaction security solution, Norton Confidential, and the award-winning Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus, will be Windows Vista-compatible at the consumer launch date.
• Trend Micro Inc.'s Internet security with TrendSecure safeguards computers, home networks and personal identities. The comprehensive software and services help prevent malicious attacks and reduces time-consuming interruptions. TrendSecure, a set of online services, provides extended protection, at home or on the go. Trend MicroTM AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware offers essential protection against viruses, worms, Trojan horse programs and spyware.

  Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

  ---

  Microsoft, Windows Vista, OneCare, Windows, Windows Live and Internet Explorer are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

  The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

  Addendum

  "The enhanced security features of Windows Vista work hand in hand with CA Anti-Virus 2007 to help protect consumers from current and emerging Internet threats. This potent combination of protection features helps make our customers' Internet experience safer and more secure than ever." - David Luft, Senior Vice President, Product Development, CA

  "AVG is ready for the Windows Vista launch, and we are excited to be one of the first security software vendors to announce Windows Vista support to users globally. By our working together with Microsoft and in advance of the launch, customers will benefit with more secure features for a better PC and online experience." - Larry Bridwell, Vice President, Global Security Strategies, GRISOFT

  "McAfee is excited to support its customers with Windows Vista compatibility. The threat landscape has moved well beyond traditional viruses, requiring consumers to have identity theft protection, safe search and browse technology, and protection from rootkits and stealth technologies. With our Windows Vista-compatible products, and the software-as-a-service model McAfee pioneered eight years ago, consumers are better protected from a wide range of threats 24x7." - Marc Solomon, Director of Product Management, McAfee

  "When the Windows Vista operating system and Windows Live OneCare PC care service are combined, they work better together to provide consumers with automatic protection and PC maintenance, so they can get the most out of their computers and help keep them running well." - Ryan Hamlin, General Manager, Technology Care and Safety Group, Microsoft

  "With our Windows Vista-compatible versions of Panda Antivirus 2007 for home users, and Panda ClientShield for workstations, we aim to enhance protection against Internet threats from the moment users access the new platform." - Jaime Herrero, Director of Consumer Marketing, Panda Software International

  "We are pleased to have worked closely with Microsoft during the beta program of Windows Vista by ensuring that customers receive reliable malware protection from our TrendLabs researchers. Windows Vista customers can rely on Trend Micro's long-standing security expertise to help protect their systems, just as we've safeguarded users of Windows client operating systems for nearly two decades." - Lane Bess, Global General Manager, Consumer Products and Services, Trend Micro

  "ContentWatch is pleased to work with Microsoft in offering a state-of-the-art parental control solution to Windows Vista customers. Both Microsoft and ContentWatch have a greater mission of keeping families safe online. Through our integration with Windows Vista parental controls, customers now benefit by having additional options to help protect their children and family members online." - Jack Sunderlage, President and CEO, ContentWatch

  "We founded IMSafer because we felt there was a significant gap between how parental control software works and how kids use computers. Microsoft shared our concern and is bringing parental controls to the masses with Windows Vista. We were able use its parental control APIs to expand on the functionality Microsoft provides, to give parents more security when their children are using instant messaging and social networks to develop online relationships." - Brandon Watson, Founder and CEO, IMSafer

  "We are delighted to be part of Microsoft's Family Safety efforts that for the first time dramatically improves family protection by working at the operating system level. SafeScreen is ideally suited to work with Windows Vista as it helps prevent families from being exposed to unwanted images that are increasingly getting onto home PCs from the Internet, DVDs and cell phones. By using the most advanced screen interception and audit technology developed for the corporate environment, SafeScreen obscures pornographic images as they appear and also allows parents to scan their PCs and review and remove unsuitable material." - John Nolan, CEO, PixAlert

  "With its proven, state-of-the-art parental controls, Safe Eyes will powerfully complement the Family Safety Settings features available on Windows Vista. Our two companies share a strong commitment to providing parents with the best tools to manage their children's computer use and help keep them safe online." - Forrest Collier, Safe Eyes Creator and CEO, SafeBrowse

  Thursday, April 6, 2006
  A Security Feature May Need Tinkering - New York Times

  Tuesday, March 21, 2006
  A New Way To Protect Your Children and Yourself From Internet Porn - Edgefielddaily.com

  Excerpt:

  A New Way To Protect Your Children and

  Yourself From Internet Porn

  Freddy Petersen
  EdgfieldDaily.com Columnist
  March 21, 2006

  We all know the Internet is a vast wealth of information and opportunity. We use the web daily to keep up on news, connect with friends, family and co-workers. Search engine research has all but replaced the library for gathering information for students and adults alike. Everything you need is just a simple mouse click away! All good things come with a price. The Internet is wide open to any and all who wish to be there and some of those people are up to no good.

  As the parent of a teenage son, every time I see him log on the Internet, I worry. It's not so much that he will deliberately look for things that he shouldn't be that troubles me; it's that predators and con artist seeking to snare the young and the weak are at the ready. As a web designer, I know the tactics predators, and even some so-called legitimate website designers, use to trick us into going to their sites; whether we intended to or not. The list of ways to fool us is as vast as the Internet itself.

  How can we protect our children and ourselves from this? Can it be done without denying legitimate sites? Readers of this column, friends and family, have asked over and over, "How can I keep my kids from seemingly harmless sites that have proven later to be trouble?" One parent told me she suspects her son will do word searches for, "those dirty sites." "How can I stop that from happening?" she worried. She also said, "He tells me he's not doing this type of search, I need to know if he is telling the truth or not!"

  Others have stated concerns about chat rooms and instant messaging. Our children have computers in their bedrooms; we need to know they're not getting into trouble when we're busy doing other things. How can we watch from the other side of the door?

  These tough questions and my own concerns as a parent convinced me to search for a solution. My search led me to several Internet filters. One stood out by far, ContentProtect.

  I contacted ContentProtect directly and spent some time speaking directly to the staff and found them to be very informed on Internet filtering, the issues we all face concerning our children's online safety. The staff at ContentProtect was extremely friendly, and willing to answer any question.

  ContentProtect explained that they were asked by a Porn company to develop products to reach potential customers. Instead they decided to develop a product that would help stop the porn company from reaching vulnerable people; that decision led to ContentProtect as we see it today.

  I've been using the software now for over three weeks with no problems whatsoever. I've tried several times to trick the software by searching for website names that were not obviously "Adult" oriented and ContentProtect caught every one. Among the key benefits are the reports I receive with inappropriate IM conversations, lists of inappropriate sites visited and date and time they were visited, and the ability to set times of day for my son to go online.

  I can even do all of this from work. I can choose remotely to allow him to visit a safe site if needed for a project or turn off Internet privileges from my office, should he attempt to violate our Internet standards while I am away.

  ContentProtect has developed a great product that answered many, if not all, of my needs as a parent concerned about my child on the Internet.

  Parents can have the peace of mind ContentProtect has provided me for the annual license fee of $39.95 for up to three home computers. (Correction: one license per computer in the home; after the purchase of the initial license additional licenses can be purchased at a 50% discount)

  Monday, February 27, 2006
  ContentWatch Controls Employees' Internet Access - NetworkWorld

  Excerpt:

  ContentWatch controls employees' Internet access

  BY LINDA MUSTHALER

  PDF Version

  Day after day, your office workers show up for work and turn on their PCs. They fire up a browser and head to the Internet to...do what? Get into your employee portal? Check on competitors' pricing? Buy a few songs on iTunes? Check last night's sports scores on ESPN.com? Download a few sexually explicit videos? How can you be sure what employees do with that high speed Internet access you provide for their business use?

  Employers want to believe the best of their employees - that workers would not abuse the resources provided to them at company expense. Most workers do deserve that trust and use their own good judgment in not spending company time or resources to visit Web sites that aren't truly job related.

  However, there are people who allow themselves to be distracted from work by spending too much time on inappropriate Web sites. Not only is this a productivity buster; it can also be a liability for your company. And, browsing of untrusted Web sites is a prime way to allow malware into your corporate network. For example, just one click on a porn site - even for the briefest peek - is a likely way to pick up a keystroke logger on the PC.

  The 2005 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey from American Management Association (AMA) and The ePolicy Institute shows that two-thirds of the 526 access to inappropriate sites, and three-quarters of the responding U.S companies now use software to block access to inappropriate sites, and three-quarters of the companies monitor their workers' web usage. This is agrowing trend; in 2001, just 27% of the companies blocked access to specific types of Web sites.

  Managing what employees do on the Internet and which Web sites they visit is a prudent practice. It can reduce corporate liability and enhance network security. Employee Internet management should be a part of every company's policy on the use of electronic assets and communication tools.

  ContentWatch offers an interesting Internet management tool called ContentProtect Professional. Unlike most Web filtering products that work by blacklisting specific URLs, ContentProtect uses a content analysis engine and your company ePolicy to analyze and categorize the content of a Web site requested by a user. If the content of the Web site appears to be inappropriate - based on the user's profile in your policy guidelines - the user will not be given access to the site.

  Profiles can differ from one employee to the next, giving the administrator the flexibility to determine access based on job function or position.

  Content analysis is a far more effective filtering technique than URL blocking, since it's practically impossible to keep track of the ever-changing URLs belonging to objectionable sites. What's more, the analysis doesn't add any significant lag time to calling up a Web site. The end user probably won't even notice the scan happening in the background before he accesses his site.

  The software also yields reports on what Web sites people are visiting, and for how long. It's useful to know if someone is popping into eBay for five minutes or spending hours a day there. The reports are an "early warning system" when there is a problem and an employee needs to be reminded of company policy.

  ContentProtect is aimed at small to midsized businesses. Annual licenses are in the $30 to $40 per seat range, depending on the quantity of licenses purchased. Because it is client-based, there's no investment to make in a server or appliance. The software can be in stalled on laptops and on the PCs belonging to remote workers.

  Lest you underestimate the value of a tool like ContentProtect, I'd like to tell you a very personal tale of woe. I wish my own company had had this product in place last summer. At the time, we had an employee who was falling behind in his work assignments, despite having ample time to complete them. An investigation of his e-mail, hard disk and Internet history files showed an extensive abuse of his Web browsing privileges. He visited many inappropriate sites and downloaded undesirable and illegal materials, putting the company at risk for viruses and malware as well as lawsuits. Because his actions were in complete conflict with company policy, he was let go.

  ContentProtect could have prevented this entire situation. The company would not have lost valuable time and money to an ineffective employee and would not have been exposed to critical risks. And, had the employee been doing his job instead of horsing around, he might still be with us today. We could have seen what he was doing and nipped it in the bud before it became a real problem.

  Unfortunately, this story isn't rare. The AMA/ePolicy Institute study revealed that a quarter of the firms in the survey have fired workers for misusing the Internet or e-mail.

  Internet management does not have to be complicated or expensive. ContentProtect costs literally pennies a day to add assurance that your employees are using the Internet wisely.

  ---

  Linda Musthaler is vice-president of Currid & Company. The firm researches information technology and how it can change the rules of business. Analysts focus on emerging technologies and methods by which organizations can obtain the best results from these innovations.

  Tuesday, July 5, 2005
  Harried IT Execs Are Being Hounded by... - ComputerWorld

  Friday, June 24, 2005
  Internet monitoring from afar coming soon - Mason City Globe Gazette

  Friday, June 17, 2005
  American Censors in China - eWeek

  Wednesday, June 8, 2005
  ContentWatch Delivers More Robust Internet Filtering - InfoWorld

  Monday, August 16, 2004
  In A New PC, Mickey Meets The Mouse - Time

  Friday, August 6, 2004
  Salt Lake firm adds its magic to Disney - Deseret News

  Thursday, August 5, 2004
  Whimsy on a Child's Desk With Signature Mouse Ears - New York Times

  ---

  Logos of news outlets displayed on this page are trademarks and property of their respective owners and their use here does not constitute an endorsement on their part.