How can I restrict web access so users can view sites unrelated to work?
A few years ago, someone got the idea that it’s a good idea to block “bad” web sites, i.e., those that contain material that The Company views “inappropriate”. The idea has been increasing in popularity, but there are several things to consider when thinking about implementing such controls in your firewall. • It is not possible to practically block everything that an employer deems “inappropriate”. The Internet is full of every sort of material. Blocking one source will only redirect traffic to another source of such material, or cause someone to figure a way around the block. • Most organizations do not have a standard for judging the appropriateness of material that their employees bring to work, i.e., books, magazines, etc. Do you inspect everyone’s briefcase for “inappropriate material” every day? If you do not, then why would you inspect every packet for “inappropriate material”? Any decisions along those lines in such an organization will be arbitrary. Attempting to ta
A few years ago, someone got the idea that it’s a good idea to block “bad” web sites, i.e., those that contain material that The Company views “inappropriate”. The idea has been increasing in popularity, but there are several things to consider when thinking about implementing such controls in your firewall. • It is not possible to practically block everything that an employer deems “inappropriate”. The Internet is full of every sort of material. Blocking one source will only redirect traffic to another source of such material, or cause someone to figure a way around the block. • Most organizations do not have a standard for judging the appropriateness of material that their employees bring to work, e.g., books and magazines. Do you inspect everyone’s briefcase for “inappropriate material” every day? If you do not, then why would you inspect every packet for “inappropriate material”? Any decisions along those lines in such an organization will be arbitrary. Attempting to take
