Content filtering is a firewall add-on that specifies strings of characters to indicate undesirable content. If this content is matched, the firewall screens it out. The most commonly filtered pieces of content include executables, emails, and websites.
Content filtering firewalls provide security, but they can also help implement company policies related to information usage. For instance, you can prohibit websites, such as social-networking or pornographic sites, from being accessed by your company’s server, thus increasing productivity while preventing network security issues.
Certain filters can be utilized to block certain content:
- Browser-based filters use an extension to block certain web content.
- E-mail filters act on information in the body of an e-mail, including attachments, to reject messages deemed as spam.
- Client-side filters are installed on certain devices where filtering is required.
- Content-limited ISPs are internet service providers that only allow access to a portion of the internet on an opt-in basis.
- Search-engine filters are an option to users that allow them to turn on a safety filter, which will filter out inappropriate links from the search results.
Further protect your company’s information with a content filtering firewall. For more information, contact Total Technology Resources today.