About Active Content Filtering

There are two types of content filtering technology available today. The first, and most common, is achieved through domain and URL blocking. The other system, Active Content Filtering, combines traditional domain and URL blocking with intelligent text processing. Active Content Filtering is significantly more effective and offers superior protection for Internet users.

Domain/URL Blocking

This type of content filtering is dependent upon the effectiveness of a comprehensive blacklist. This is a list of known domains (www.pornsite.com), URL's (http://www.pornsite.com/badpic.htm) or IP addresses (http://207.45.79.112) that have been collected by a "watchdog" service for specific content. The blacklist contains thousands of these entries, categorized in various groups - porn, gambling, drugs, sports, intolerance, shopping, etc. When a web page is requested, if its domain, URL, or ip address match one in the blacklist, the web page is not displayed.

The Problem

Webmasters for controversial web sites know that blacklists are prevalent. To ensure access, they constantly relocate their sites. Links are then updated, and new information is submitted to search engines. As a result, even the most comprehensive, well-maintained blacklist is rendered incomplete and ineffective. It is a cat and mouse game, and the bad guys usually win.

A Better Way

Along with matching blacklists, Active Content Filtering scans through the text of all requested web pages. If the system detects a series of phrases or words with questionable usage, the page is blocked. The decision to block a page is not arbitrary, however. An intelligent, customizable rule set is applied to potentially unwanted text, ensuring that approved information is always accessible.

The result is genuine peace of mind that Internet usage at your organization is safe and productive. This type of protection in many cases is costly. Products from IGear and Websense typically cost thousands to license. ICE Systems offers an effective solution that costs a fraction of those offered by others.