Calyptix Security, a provider of network security and management tools for SMBs, has launched a new version of its UTM firewall, AccessEnforcer, which offers Web filtering for HTTPS websites in a single click.
AccessEnforcer version 3.1.16 allows network administrators to click a single checkbox to activate the HTTPS Web filter. Once clicked, the Web filter rules for HTTP sites are automatically applied to HTTPS sites.
Popular sites such as Facebook, Yahoo!, and Google have recently switched from the HTTP standard to the secure HTTPS standard. Not all Web filters are able to block HTTPS.
This creates a challenge for small business owners who want to keep staff members focused. For example, most Web filters can block users from http://www.facebook.com. However, some cannot stop users from entering the HTTPS address, https://www.facebook.com, to circumvent the filter and visit the site.
“As many websites switch to the HTTPS standard, business owners need to block these sites to keep their team focused and productive. The task needs to be as fast and as easy as possible, and that’s why we now provide HTTPS Web filtering with single-click activation,” says Ben Yarbrough, president, Calyptix Security.
Additional features of the HTTPS Web filter within AccessEnforcer include:
- Faster connection speeds
Many Web filters decrypt HTTPS traffic to inspect it before filtering. This process demands a large amount of resources from the device and can slow connection speeds on the network. AccessEnforcer boasts the ability to filter HTTPS traffic without decryption, so the network speeds stay fast.
† - Strengthen the chain of security
Web filters that decrypt HTTPS traffic may create a point at which the information is no longer encrypted. This can potentially expose the data to threats. AccessEnforcer does not break the chain of encryption, so additional opportunities are not provided for threats to enter the line of communication and steal data.
AccessEnforcer version 3.1.16’s new features also include a switch to LibreSSL, open-source implementation of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols.†
To learn more about the HTTPS Web filter, visit http://www.calyptix.com/products/features/https-web-filter/.
