Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Cisco Security Software Extends URL Filtering to ‘Dark Web’

    By
    Brian Prince
    -
    October 8, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Cisco Systems is looking to extend its URL filtering controls to what it refers to as the -Dark Web’-the nebula of sites that remain uncategorized by URL filtering databases.

      With Cisco IronPort Web Usage Controls, the company is targeting the 80 percent of the Web it says is largely unknown to legacy URL filtering tools. Because it is unknown, it represents a gap in the defenses organizations have against users violating their Internet policies. As a result, businesses can be exposed to unforeseen compliance risks and legal liabilities, said Cisco Product Manager Kevin Kennedy.

      The heart of this dark Web is replete with Web 2.0 sites with dynamic content, such as blogs and social networking sites, according to Cisco. With approximately 45 billion Web pages overall and another 32 million new domains added yearly, the company contends that the size of the deep Web over time will grow exponentially.

      “One of the things that we’ve seen in talking to customers about the challenges that they’re facing on the Web is that the explosion of content has caused not just security problems, but also problems from a compliance and legal liability standpoint related to acceptable use,” explained Kennedy. “If you look at URL filtering the way it’s been … that’s a technology that’s struggled to keep up with the changes.”

      Web Usage Controls is being sold as a software blade for Cisco IronPort S-series Web Security appliances and utilizes a real-time Dynamic Content Analysis engine that looks to identify content in commonly blocked categories, such as sites involving gambling, hate speech and porn. In addition to text, the software also analyzes the site’s meta data as well.

      “When users venture off into that dark Web [that] is not in that URL list, the box in real time is categorizing the content and making a determination of -what is this?’ so that companies can enforce their acceptable use policies,” Kennedy said.

      To help with enforcement, the software integrates with user directories for identity-based policy enforcement. In addition, the technology leverages Cisco’s URL database, which comes complete with 65 URL categories and support for more than 50 languages.

      “In the age of compliance, it is vital have rich acceptable use controls at the gateway,” noted Cisco customer Michael Curtis, head of technology integration at Proximity London, in a statement. “The Cisco IronPort Web Security Appliance has made this very easy to achieve by putting advanced Web Usage Controls on the Web proxy to ensure our network access policies.”

      Brian Prince

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×