SmoothGuardian is an add-on web security module for SmoothWall firewalls and cannot be purchased independently (If you are looking for a standalone web filtering solution please see Network Guardian). It incorporates SmoothWall's exclusively dynamic and intelligent approach to web content filtering alongside anti-spyware, anti-virus and browser exploit prevention.
Objectionable Content
Block pornography and objectionable content. Dynamic Content Analysis is the key technology that makes Guardian so much more effective than other filtering products. The Dynamic Content Analysis filter scans every web page for words and phrases from numerous categories of objectionable content, including pornography, violence, drugs, racial hatred and gambling. Any page containing unsuitable content will be blocked, even if it comes from a reputable source such as a major news site or search engine.
Employee Productivity
Allowing your staff to surf unsupervised can be costly. Guardian ensures that employees use their time productively by controlling access to non work-related sites, such as sport, gaming, social networking and shopping. Time-based controls also mean managers can allow reasonable access to such sites at break times and outside of core working hours. To calculate the annual cost of casual web surfing to your company click here.
Web Security and Anti-Virus
Protect against web-borne spyware, viruses and browser exploits.
Due to better email security, attackers are increasingly turning to the web as the most effective way of delivering malware. Hacking a blog or other poorly protected website to introduce JavaScript, Applets or ActiveX controls is a common technique. Every unprotected visitor to the site will be infected with their spyware, viruses or Trojans. Guardian is the solution - anti-virus scanning all downloads and blocking potentially malicious code except from a list of trusted sites.
Instant Messaging
Control the use of Instant Messaging applications such as MSN, AOL and ICQ.
As a fast and often more efficient alternative to email, instant messaging use is growing every day. However, when unmonitored it can encourage misuse, time-wasting and expose organizations to significant legal risks. Guardian incorporates tools to help managers block, monitor, log or censor IM conversations, so that misuse can be minimized and its advantages can be more easily evaluated.
Reporting
Monitor Internet behavior and resource utilization.
A comprehensive selection of in-built reports includes most visited sites, user activity, attempted access to blocked pages, bandwidth utilization and performance. Managers can use the new template facility to create, store and schedule their own customized reports in PDF, HTML and Excel formats, or export to Crystal Reports®. A powerful drill-down facility allows summary report information to be explored down to the underlying data.
User Authentication
Determine filtering policies and provide user level reporting.
Of Guardian's many user authentication systems, NTLM is the most popular because it transparently passes the users' Windows login information to Guardian. Subsequent interrogation of a Microsoft Active Directory®, Novell eDirectory™, LDAP or RADIUS authentication system establishes the user identity, whereupon Guardian maps their group membership to the appropriate content filtering policies.