Theres No Such Thing As Safe Surfing Anymore

Simply by surfing the Web, employees run the risk of downloading spyware on corporate networks. Spyware can compromise security, consume bandwidth and slow networks to a crawl. One company found that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

May 14, 2004--When the network administrator of one U.S. company ran a routine Web activity report on the firms 250-plus users, he noticed employees logging thousands of hits a day to the same IP address a Web site with no connection to the companys business.

A closer look found the trouble wasnt cyberslacking employees it was spyware, software that tracks Web surfers activity without their knowledge and sends the information back to a third party Web site automatically. Spyware can compromise security, consume bandwidth and slow networks to a crawl.

Spyware is a growing concern for network administrators mainly because its so easy to get. Most casual at-work surfers never realize that simply by clicking on a Web site or downloading a free screensaver they could also be installing spyware on their office computer.

Software programs are available that sniff out spyware once its been installed, but according to Dennis McCabe, vice president of business development at Wavecrest Computing, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Theres no such thing as safe surfing anymore, McCabe warns. Its important to protect your network against spyware before it becomes a problem. The best way to do that is by monitoring user Web activity in the workplace and if possible, blocking access to high-risk spyware sites, especially those offering free games or utilities.

Wavecrests Cyfin monitoring software helped the company above spot unusual activity on their network early and address the problem before it got worse. Wavecrests CyBlock filtering software goes even further by actually preventing users from accessing risky Web sites in the first place.

McCabe points out that while spyware is a front-page news today, unchecked surfing poses other serious risks as well.

Misuse of the Internet can be very costly, McCabe says. Companies can face lawsuits if employees access pornography in the workplace or download copyrighted material illegally on corporate networks. And then theres lost productivity its harder to quantify, but it is a significant drain on corporate resources.

For more information on Internet monitoring and filtering in the workplace, or to learn more about Wavecrests software solutions for small business and large enterprise, visit www.wavecrest.net.

About Wavecrest Computing:
Since 1996, Wavecrest Computing has provided business and government clients with reliable, accurate Web use management software. Business managers, HR professionals and IT personnel trust Wavecrests Cyfin and CyBlock software to help manage employee Internet use, prevent Web abuse, minimize legal liability risks, optimize bandwidth usage and improve workforce productivity. Wavecrest software is installed in over 2,500 organizations worldwide including the US Department of Justice, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart, Volvo, General Electric, British Telecom, Edward Jones, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and a growing list of others. To better serve its government clients, Wavecrest Computing is a GSA Schedule Contractor. For more information on our company, products and partners, visit www.wavecrest.net.