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Today's organizations depend on the Internet more than ever, whether for research, e-commerce transactions, speedy communications or all three. But the Internet can deliver increasingly sophisticated threats as well. Some of these threats are external, from spyware, malware and phishing and some are internal, through employee abuse or negligence. You may have written a solid and binding Acceptable Use Policy AUP or Security Policy but how can you know if your users are abiding by the policies? Then there is the very real and dangerous threat of customer data exposure or the loss of company intellectual property, which can occur via Internet protocols. These varied and emerging threats are why you acquired an Internet filtering solution in the first place. The ability to protect your organization by enforcing your policies and securing your sensitive and proprietary data is also dependent on strong and accurate reporting.
Another important part of managing Internet access has to do with your organization's need to comply with regulatory requirements such as the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) or HIPAA. You may be in total compliance with the regulations that govern your activities, but the only way to demonstrate it is through accurate and thorough reporting. In addition, comprehensive reporting can mitigate threats and is critical in the following areas:
Productivity - Employees who use non-business related, high bandwidth sites on the Internet can directly affect your bottom line. ERS for iPrism gives you both instant and long-term views of all Internet activity whether at local or remote locations. With drill-down reporting, you can isolate to a single user so you can spot productivity problems and address them before they get out-of-hand. You will also be able to identify users who are non-compliant with your AUP and Security Policy.
Security - Inadvertent downloading by users is the primary way spyware, malware and phishing can invade and damage your network. Unauthorized use of IM and P2P applications are also prime doorways for exploits. ERS for iPrism allows you to monitor and report on all Internet protocols across your entire organization so you can pinpoint problems instantly, whether intentional or through employee negligence.
Liability - Your AUP may prohibit employees from accessing sites that are inappropriate but you have no way of enforcing your rules without visibility into online behavior. Employees who flout your AUP put your entire organization at risk. Huge payouts resulting from lawsuits that started with objectionable Internet content can damage your organization's financial well-being and ruin its reputation. iPrism ERS for iPrism allows you to know where policy violations are occurring so you can deal with infractions quickly, before they turn into serious situations.
Network Resources - The Internet is rife with sites that consume large amounts of bandwidth and most of them are non-business related. Instead of being frustrated at the drain on your resources, iPrism ERS for iPrism shows you where your network is being impeded and slowed by bandwidth-intensive activities such as Internet media services. ERS for iPrism can also provide a view of your Internet activity that gives you a better understanding of how your network is being utilized. This sort of information can be valuable when it comes to purchasing new equipment, adjusting your AUP and Security Policies to be more effective or dealing with emerging threats.
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