Blue Coat WebFilter

Blue Coat WebFilter Overview:

Block malware and filter content according to strict policy controls

As part of the Application Delivery Network (ADN), an infrastructure that provides complete application visibility, acceleration and security, Blue Coat WebFilter™ protects user productivity, blocks malware downloads and Web threats, and enables compliance. WebFilter is continuously updated by the WebPulse community watch cloud defense that detects hidden malware and provides reputation and Web content analysis. WebFilter is 100% user driven for relevance creating an unmatched real-time Web content rating service. WebPulse uses Dynamic Link Analysis (DLA) to check popular Web sites for attack injections and search engine results for bait pages, both leading to Web threats via dynamic links. WebPulse provides cloud intelligence to ProxySG Web gateways, and to ProxyClient and K9 Web Protection remote clients. WebFilter is the next generation of Web filtering, created by combining URL filtering and anti-malware technologies together into a collaborative cloud defense architecture.

Learn how Blue Coat WebFilter can help you:

• Enforce corporate security policies and block the latest versions of malware.
• Accurately categorize each Web site and create your own categories based on corporate policies and Web usage.
• Process 180+ million rating requests per day.

Control access to millions of Internet sites

As part of the Application Delivery Network (ADN), an infrastructure that provides complete application visibility, acceleration and security, Blue Coat WebFilter protects data and users from network attacks. WebFilter helps prevent Internet attacks from spyware, phishing, peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic, viral content and more. WebFilter also includes Dynamic Real-Time Rating (DRTR™), a patented technology that can instantly categorize Web sites when a user attempts to access them.

Features:

Awareness & Response

WebFilter provides over 7 billion ratings per day for over 62 million users located in the largest enterprise and service provider networks around the world:

• WebPulse has eight operation centers to support cloud defense analysis of over 2 billion Web requests per week
• New Web content or links detected by Web gateways or remote clients are sent in real-time to the WebPulse cloud for DLA inspection where updates to the master WebFilter database provide immediate protection
• Blocks malware, Web threats, fake software updates, fake AV offers, phishing offers and botnets or keyloggers calling home
• Blocks only Web threats using DLA inspection, allowing users access to popular Web sites and avoiding over blocking
• Provides Web 2.0 filtering for mashed-up or customized web portals, blocking panels and dynamic content per policy settings
• Provides coverage in over 50 languages using proprietary machine analysis knowledge algorithms and human raters
• WebFilter integrates with Google malware feeds and other third party ratings for Web threats, phishing, scamware and content ratings

Protection Beyond the Web Gateway

ProxyClient provides enterprise remote users with WebFilter cloud protection requiring no downloads or update cycles for protection in any location or Web service:

• ClientManager provides custom filtering policies for ProxyClient, plus custom allow/deny URLs and categories
• K9 Web Protection extends the cloud protection of WebFilter to Internet parents and children for protection in any location at no charge
• Web gateways and clients are cloud connected for immediate protection, plus Web gateways can receive 5 minute updates for security categories, and 6 hour updates for all categories to improve Web gateway efficiency
• WebFilter is the only URL filtering solution to provide a real-time Web content rating service, a public accessible site review service, and a one day resolution process for ratings

Accuracy & Relevance

WebFilter is 100% user driven for Web content rating inputs from a broad and diverse user community without the need for Web crawlers or artificial analysis:

• For new customers, WebFilter quickly learns user Web habits with real-time feedback for relevance in new ratings
• WebFilter analyzes objectionable content, within image searches, cached content, and translation services for accurate ratings and compliance with its real-time rating service
• Extend WebFilter with custom categories, plus ProxySG supports up to four URL lists enabling global, regional and local filtering possibilities, including child protection
• WebFilter provides reputation ratings so policy controls can opt for inline threat analysis, or blocking downloads such as drive-by installers and executables from these sites
• Proxy Avoidance protection comes from WebFilter ratings plus ProxySG controls for user-agents and invalid SSL session controls

Dynamic Cloud Protection

WebPulse cloud analysis uses Dynamic Link Analysis (DLA) with four key elements to its architecture:

• A cloud connected user community of over 62M users that is broad and diverse
• Real-time input of any new Web links or content to the cloud analysis centers (Web gateway participation is optional, with on, off or passive mode settings)
• Immediate cloud analysis of new Web links using proactive machine analysis, a bank of anti-malware engines, Web correlations, human raters, active script analysis, and sandboxing
• WebFilter master cloud database updates to immediately protect all cloud connected Web gateways and clients with new ratings
• WebFilter is continuously updated by WebPulse cloud analysis using a DLA architecture that is unmatched by any other URL filtering solution
• WebPulse and DLA define the next generation of URL filtering for Web 2.0 content and dynamic links

Blue Coat WebFilter URL Categories:

The Blue Coat WebFilter database contains millions of Web site ratings representing billions of Web pages, covering more than 50 languages, and organized into 80 useful categories.

ProxySG also supports custom allow/deny URL lists as well as custom categories that apply to Web gateway deployments and remote user policies for ProxyClient. ProxySG supports up to four URL lists allowing organizations to user WebFilter with Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) URLs to block child pornography, regional URL lists and custom allow/deny URL lists.

Diagram:

Technical Specifications:

Documentation:

Download the Blue Coat WebFilter Datasheet (PDF).