Dealing with spyware and other malware has become a daily challenge for IT staff, and finding an effective solution that also takes into account other security and compliance requirements poses a significant challenge. Most solutions only react to spyware once an infection has occurred. The real answer is proactive malware prevention - simultaneously blocking spyware from entering the network and preventing pre-existing spyware installations from activating with anti-spyware gateway detection.

Rather than address the malware security problem with the traditional 'point solution' approach, FaceTime takes a broader view. Spyware applications are addressed as part of the spectrum of problems posed by Web 2.0 applications, which encompass both legitimate and unauthorized real-time communications applications that share a key common attribute - they are largely invisible to the traditional corporate security infrastructure.

IM, P2P, Web browsing, and other real-time communications channels can:

Expose vulnerabilities and become vectors for malware distribution
Establish undetectable outbound communications that may facilitate data leaks
Put organizations in breach of privacy legislation without their knowledge
Sap employee productivity and increase helpdesk costs

Find out how much spyware is costing your organization.

Spyware and malware exhibit many of the same traits as legitimate Web applications such as web conferencing or VoIP applications - evasive network behavior and stealthy end-user-level deployment. For this reason spyware, unlike viruses or worms, can be delivered by a plurality of vectors, and so poses a different prevention challenge - one that requires a multi-layered approach.

FaceTime's Unified Security Gateway (USG) pulls together strategies that effectively prevent spyware from invading corporate networks through an easy-to-manage approach that's backed by the industry-leading strength of the FaceTime Security Labs team:

Protect all major real-time communications channels - public and enterprise IM, industry-specific communities, VoIP and other P2P networks, and WebEx chat
Disable user access to known spyware infection sites
Prevent installation of spyware applications, regardless of the vector used
Block spyware downloads and drive-by installs of known spyware packages
Detect and block spyware's "phone-home" activities

Learn more about Unified Security Gateway, the only Secure Web Gateway to combine content monitoring, management and security of Web 2.0 applications, such as social networks, instant messaging and Unified Communications, with URL filtering, anti-malware and Web anti-virus protection.