Solution for Content Control Filtering

Configuring a solution for content control filtering on your network is a move you should strongly consider as it will assist your group in fighting cyber attacks.

Installing a tool like this will lead to many other benefits for your business including increased productivity, improved security and avoiding regulatory fines. It works by allowing you to manage the range of web material that can be viewed by you employees. Inappropriate content can be disable and forbidden but exceptions can also be. For instance you may want to turn off access to social media platforms for all departments apart from the marketing department.

When you are planning your purchase and consider what you might need there a number of minimum requirements that you should have.

Minimum Requirements for Content Control Filtering Solution

1. Category Filters: These can be used to prevent access to inappropriate website categories including pornography, gambling, online shopping and social media platforms. You can pick and choose which categories to allow or forbid access to.
2. URIBL and SURBL filtering: This will allow requested website addresses to be held up against those included on all blacklists of sites that have a history linked with hosting or harbouring spam email sources.
3. Keyword filters: These filters can be configured to restrict access to webp ages that are assigned a specific keyword such as betting, XXX or online shopping. Using this will also allow you you see to it that staff are adhering to your Internet usage code of conduct.
4. Black- and whitelisting: You can use established blacklists of know offensive websites that can be used to install malware on your system to block access to a range of websites. Additionally some websites that would be important for your business that may be blocked by the blacklists can then be whitelisted, This will allow them to be accessed and viewed by certain individuals or groups of employees.
5. Granularity: You should be able to chop and change the setting as you need to so there is no obstruction to work within your group. Content filters can be quite sensitive, which works well for managing access to malicious web content but this can prove a hindrance when you need access on a special occasion. An example of this would be when you require to purchase something online for business but online shopping is forbidden.

If you are using a managed service provider (MSP) then you need to identify a content control filtering solution for MSPs that can be used across the line, grow with your business and be adjusted to meet all requirements no matter how much they change over time. The ideal solution for this would be a solution that is hosted in the cloud. This offers a number of advantages including no hardware investment, automatic updates, adaptable to your needs, ease of management and control.

You should strongly consider configuring a gateway solution for the management of your best content control filtering solution. This will make a range APIs for backend integration available or you can also set a bespoke configuration for the needs of your business.