The Importance of Context in Content Filtering

Launching a search for “Breast Cancer Awareness” should not result in a flood of pornographic URLs, but if your filtering solution isn’t capable of analyzing context as well as words, that might be what happens. Filtering pornographic texts may focus only on the word “breast” and not on the context in which it is presented. It is important that your company’s Appropriate Use Policy (AUP) includes the specific definition of what constitutes Web sites that need to be blocked. Visiting the Breast Cancer Society’s home page would probably be allowed by most company AUPs. However, making sure that authorized sites get through and inappropriate sites get blocked, can be a very tricky business, especially if your filtering solution looks only at words and not context.

The Hardware Filtering Option

One way to ensure that your AUP is accurately enforced is to implement a hardware filtering solution that is able to handle both words and context. In addition, an appliance offers other advantages that make it the ideal choice to perform complex filtering processes that are fast, accurate and flexible.

One advantage is that an appliance-based filtering solution fits easily into your network’s topology while at the same time giving the company the flexibility of outstanding features. A hardware appliance is a dedicated and features pass by architecture that allows it to remain stable regardless of the load.

If load increases, the hardware appliance is infinitely scalable by simply adding another machine. Software filters are limited in both their performance, scalability and single points of failure.

Comprehensive Reporting

One of the most important components of successful Web filtering for any organization is the ability to generate relevant reports. You can get an instant snapshot of activity at your organization or produce management or compliance reports required by your organization. There is no better way to ensure that accuracy and reliability goals are being met. If you can find an appliance-based Web filtering solution that offers on-box reporting, you found the best product. With total on-box reporting you won’t have to purchase additional hardware or software that drives up your costs. In addition, you will be able to prove that inappropriate content is not reaching your employees and that appropriate content is allowed to get through. Also, reporting allows you to fulfill the requirements of your organization’s Acceptable Use and Security Policies and document your compliance.

The Importance of Human Review

Automatic URL database updates are essential for providing secure and timely content filtering. It is particularly critical that these database updates are vetted by more than just name identification. By employing 100% human-review coupled with weekly, daily or hourly updates, your company is protected from dangerous sites and objectionable content around the clock.. Using human-review, sites with questionable content are reviewed daily and added to the database. Conversely, if a site such as the Breast Cancer Society or a site handling fertility treatment information comes up for review,a human interface can approve the content for the database.

Medical Mistakes and Business Operations

The accurate and secure filtering of Web content has serious implications for many different organizations. In the case of Medical facilities it is important to know that hospitals and doctors’ offices are now governed by the HIPPA policy. This policy requires that no private medical data be distributed to anyone other than those precisely identified by the patient. If the internal or network security of a medical facility should be compromised, that facility would be in violation of HIPPA and subject to serious fines as well as the loss of patient confidence.

Pornography, phishing, spy ware, violent or racist websites may share similar words with valid websites, but they are negative and dangerous to the internal security of a company’s network and to their public reputation. By using an appliance based Web filtering solutions, companies can implement the necessary tools and resources required to protect their best interests no matter what the nature of their business. There are inherent limitations associated with software solutions especially when a firewall is involved. A software solution combined with a firewall means that eventually the general purpose CPU of the firewall will become bogged down with the double duty it will be forced to perform. In the worst-case scenario, the network is slowed down by the software filter and the firewall device, leading to compromised performance and network security.

Cyberspace can be treacherous, but it shouldn’t be frustrating and arbitrary. Software-based solutions that are inherently more complex and which employ heuristics rather than 100% human -review can only do so much. To ensure success, human interface is needed in order to judge context for content. The best solution for network security is a solution that is dedicated to providing the best service possible so that your organization can fulfill its interests and satisfaction.

While the danger of lost intellectual property and high-profile lawsuits float around in cyberspace, a hardware filtering solution keeps the dangers locked out while protecting access to vital content.

Posted in: internet filtering, internet filters, internet monitoring