Secure Content Management

Secure content management includes appliance- and software-based solutions designed to protect against inbound threats such as spyware, spam, phishing, viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malicious code. SCM solutions are also designed to protect against outbound threats such as confidential data, customer records, intellectual property, and other sensitive information leaving an organization. SCM solutions play a key role in complying with government and industry regulations as well as enforcing corporate policies. SCM is a superset of three specific product areas:

• Antivirus software scans hard drives, networks, email, floppy disks, Web traffic, and other types of electronic traffic (e.g., instant messages and mobile messaging) for any known or potential viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, or other types of malware.

• Web filtering software is used to screen and exclude from access or availability Web content that is deemed objectionable or non–business related or poses a security threat. Web filtering is used by corporations to enforce corporate Internet use policy as well as by schools and universities and home computer owners (for parental controls).

• Messaging security software is used to monitor, filter, block, secure, and encrypt both inbound and outbound messaging traffic (e.g., email, instant messaging, SMS, and peer to peer). Messaging security solutions are used to detect spam, company confidential information, violations of government and industry regulations, and objectionable content.

The following are representative vendors and products in the SCM market:

• Computer Associates (eTrust Secure Content Management and Antivirus)
• McAfee (McAfee Anti-Virus, Secure Web Gateway, Secure Messaging Gateway)
• Sophos (Sophos Anti-Virus, PureMessage, and MailMonitor)
• SurfControl (SurfControl Enterprise Protection Suite, Web Filter, and E-mail Filter)
• Symantec (Symantec AntiVirus, Norton Antivirus, Brightmail, and Gateway Security)
• Trend Micro (InterScan Messaging Security Suite, VirusWall, Anti-Spyware, and PC-cillin)
• Websense (Websense Web Security Suite, Websense Enterprise, and Client Policy Manager)