Blue Coat takes anti-spyware measures to the server level

By Steve Malone

Posted on 19 Oct 2004 at 14:06

As the amount of spyware - and the hype surrounding it - increases, companies are looking for ways to counter the threat of spyware beyond scanning and prevention at the user level. US-based Blue Coat says it has updated its proxy server solutions to come up with, what it claims to be, the industry's first anti-spyware measures which works at the server level.

Spyware is a broad term that covers a range of software that secretly installs itself on a user's machine. Once installed, it often either hijacks a browser or runs annoying pop up ads or, at a more sinister level, can transmit sensitive personal information held in the computer back to a hacker.

The Blue Coat solution attempts to prevent spyware with a multi-pronged approach. As with many anti-spyware packages it monitors visited websites for programs and behaviour which indicate that the site may try to secretly install code onto the user's machine, for example by using some of the well publicised vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer.

Secondly it uses URL filtering to block known spyware and adware sites from either loading software onto a users machines or preventing spyware from connecting to a host server after infection.

Blue Coat says that its ProxySG product uses five on-proxy URL filtering databases and supports customised categories, and allows overrides and exceptions. Finally, as many anti-spyware suites already do, the software will scan for spyware signatures. The program will alert the network administrator to any spyware found on a machine, so that remedial measures can be taken.

You can find out more at www.bluecoat.com.