Don't even try reading Playboy online or shopping at Amazon.com if your boss is putting in the new version of Kerio WinRoute. Kerio Technologies says the new version can stop either Website from reaching your desk computer, thanks to expanding it to filter viruses, file types, and Web content.
"In the private sector, where Internet access has become a commonplace communication resource, corporations are facing constant challenges to keep their employees productive and away from shopping sites…while trying to limit their legal liabilities from employee exposure to objectionable content," Kerio said in an announcement.
The new WinRoute works by way of a keyword-based rating system which gives basic filtering. But the company also added a URL database search option, it said, the better to "minimize false positives" - and do it without needing 50 MB or more for the installation package. That's where Cobion A.G. in Germany came in, with its OrangeFilter content filter embedded into the WinRoute firewall to scan and filter "counter-productive or offensive content."
"The Internet gateway is the most logical place to enforce company-wide content filter policies and we made it a priority in Kerio WinRoute Firewall," said Kerio marketing director Dusan Vitek. "Cobion's OrangeFilter gives our customers the ability to selectively filter 58 different categories covering pretty much any contentious topic. We chose Cobion simply because it was the most comprehensive system and we're certain that even very creative users will have hard time bypassing the filter."
The basic WinRoute, with antivirus plug-ins, sells for $299; with McAfee integrated antivirus programming, $479. OrangeFilter starts at $249.
Kerio said 70 percent of all cyberporn page hits happen between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with A.C. Neilsen showing similar activity timeframes for online shopping. "Not only can such sites pose severe legal problems," Kerio said, "they can also be a source of spyware, viruses, or Trojan horses that can threaten company data."
WinRoute is touted as able to block individuals and groups from getting into several categories of Websites other than porn or online shopping or chat. "Combining a firewall and content filter provides total control over what employees are allowed to do and what they are allowed to see," the company said
But it doesn't store Cobion's broad URL database at the client company's location. Instead, Kerio said, it sends "a micro hash of the URL" to Cobion servers and a page request to the desired Web server, and if the page turns up in the Cobion database the user gets a WinRoute message that the page was restricted.
"The cooperation we have done with Kerio will provide security to networks, ensuring that users are protected from inappropriate Internet material and systems aren't compromised," said Cobion chief executive officer Jorg Lamprecht. "We look forward to working closely with Kerio on a range of customer focused projects."
