Category Archives: CyBlock Software

Raw log file download capability is now available for CyBlock Software, CyBlock Appliance, and CyBlock Cloud.

Wavecrest keeps increasing and enhancing the capabilities of CyBlock to provide more efficiency and ease-of-use features–all so that you can concentrate more on your mission-critical operations. Our newest enhancement to CyBlock Software, CyBlock Appliance, and CyBlock Cloud allows you to download and view raw log files collected with CyBlock. Quickly downloaded through Data Management’s Log Data Source, it is stress-free to access your organization’s Internet-usage big data information. The log files are compressed and combined into a ZIP file to be downloaded to a location of your choice, for potential future use in forensic investigations, required log file storage, or per your enterprise’s employee security policy. Log file selections can be chosen for downloading one day or a range of days making it easy to focus on exactly what you need.

Raw log file download is just another way Wavecrest supports your need for easy access to detailed organizational Internet-usage security information, To find out more about Wavecrest and our Web Security Solutions, visit www.wavecrest.net.

Cyber Monday is Quickly Approaching is Your Network Ready?

cyber-monday-2013

Cyber Monday crushed it, again.

Online shopping on Cyber Monday hit $2.29 billion in sales in 2013

Adobe reported that Cyber Monday eCommerce sales grew 16% year-over-year to $2.29 billion.
Adobe also said that 18.3% of sales came from mobile devices, an increase of 80% year-over-year.
ComScore reported that Cyber Monday reached $1.73 billion in desktop online spending, up 18% from 2012.
IBM said Cyber Monday was the biggest online shopping day in history, with a 20.6% increase in online sales.

The chart above shows Cyber Monday sales dramatically increasing around 9 am on Monday and holding steady throughout the entire work day.

With more and more of your employees doing their shopping online, it has become a cyber security issue for businesses making sure their networks are secure, managing bandwidth and protecting their employee from identity theft . CyBlock Web Security products will help you manage all of this from an easy to use single console.

CyBlock is a complete Web management and security product:

Advanced Web Filtering
Threat Protection
Bandwidth Management
SSL Inspection
Comprehensive Reporting

More information about CyBlock Web Security Products.

Filtering and Identifying Web Activity by User Name

When a company implements Web filtering and monitoring software, it typically wants to filter and monitor the Web traffic flowing through its network by user name versus IP address for various reasons. Some of these reasons include curtailing casual surfing, protecting against security threats, and conserving bandwidth. Furthermore, a company’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is usually based on user names and/or groups of user names. Therefore, the application that enforces and monitors the company’s AUP needs to identify Web activity by user name. IP addresses can be dynamic, and sometimes more than one employee can log on to a computer, and hence, more than one user name will be using the same IP address.

Many an IT administrator is tasked with ensuring that the company’s employees are going through
the proxy that is in place, so that Web activity can be monitored by user name. To get user names
and authenticate users, IT administrators can choose any of the proxy configuration options and
authentication methods described below.

Depending on the company’s preference, one proxy configuration option may be more favorable than the other. Here, we will discuss applying browser settings manually, pushing out group policies using Active Directory (AD), using a captive portal, and installing client software. We will also touch on the different ways that you can authenticate your Internet users using our CyBlock products.

CyBlock/Cyfin Release 9.1.0 Now Available

We are pleased to announce the release of a new version of CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, CyBlock Software, and Cyfin. In this release, you will find corrections as well as enhancements to the products. For CyBlock, several enhancements have been added including the Application Controls feature that allows your users to view only specific YouTube videos and the new Authentication Manager that lets you to set up cookie authentication. Here are highlights of some of the enhancements.

CyBlock Cloud

Dashboard Charts. The following features have been added:
- A Home screen provides an overview of the organization’s Web use for the last 7 days by displaying charts of Web-use visits, top users, top categories, and bandwidth usage.
- Top charts show the top users, groups, categories, and sites by visits, hits, or bytes for a selected time frame.
- Trend charts provide trends on users, groups, and categories by visits, hits, or bytes for a selected time frame as well as trends on denied and allowed hits traffic.

Cyfin

Wavecrest Syslog Server. The Wavecrest Syslog Server is now available and allows you to send syslog data to the server at a configured port. Previously, you would have to install and configure a syslog daemon. Go to Data Management – Log Data Source – Setup to create or modify your syslog log file configuration. You will be able to enable the syslog server, select a port type, and enter a listening port.

CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, and CyBlock Software

Application Controls. This new page gives you the ability to allow only specific YouTube videos. You can associate an allowed YouTube video with your blocking policies for Web Categories in which TV/Video Streaming is blocked. A number of video ID formats are accepted.
Authentication Manager. This includes the following changes:
- Cookie authentication is now available providing you with another type of proxy authentication to support your organization.
- The new Authentication Manager screen consists of the following tabs:
  - Rules – Rules for various network definitions can be set up to specify the authentication type for each entry. These entries include an individual IP address, a range of IP addresses, and a host name.
  - NTLM – On this tab, you specify if Web applications that fail to authenticate will be automatically or manually bypassed.
  - Cookie – On this tab, you define how long the cookie will persist if using cookie authentication. You can also specify and preview the details of your cookie authentication logon page.
  - Bypass – This tab allows you to automatically or manually bypass Web applications that do not authenticate and is available in CyBlock Appliance and CyBlock Software only.
  - Cache – This tab allows you to set up login name caching to cache the user name and IP address of every authenticated user and is available in CyBlock Appliance and CyBlock Software only.
E-Mail Address for Cookie Authentication. An E-Mail Address field has been added on the following pages and applies to only IDs:
- Add Group or ID – The e-mail address for an ID must be added to use cookie authentication.
- Modify Group or ID – The e-mail address may be modified for an ID.
- Search for an ID – The e-mail address is display only.
Cookie Authentication Logon. The following features have been added:
- When cookie authentication is enabled and a user tries to access a Web site, a logon page is displayed that will allow users to create an account.
- When entering their credentials (i.e., e-mail address and password), you can require users to agree to the AUP before continuing on by configuring this option on the Authentication Manager – Cookie tab.
- Once credentials are entered, the user will be redirected to the Web site.
Real-Time Web Monitor. This includes the following changes:
- In the setup screen and monitor, under Display Options, the Authentication Type check box allows you to see the type of proxy authentication next to the user name in the monitor (e.g., user(cookie)). This feature is helpful for Technical Support.

CyBlock Cloud, CyBlock Software, and Cyfin

Filtering Audit Reports. The ability to filter data by user, IP address, category, search term, and URL has been added to audit reports.

To see the full release notes for your product, visit our Web site or the new Wavecrest Knowledge Base.

If you are at version 9.0.5, you can upgrade to the latest release by going to the Help – Check for Updates screen in your product.

If you are not at version 9.0.5, you can download the latest release by going to CyBlock Software Downloads or Cyfin Downloads. To upgrade CyBlock Appliance, please contact Technical Support at (321) 953-5351, Ext. 4 or support@wavecrest.net.

For additional assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Wavecrest is excited to unveil our new product knowledge base.

This new knowledge base will provide immediate, 24/7 support to our global customer base. Customers will be able to quickly find the answers they are looking for. The knowledge base comes with an enhanced search tool that shows relevant results as you type, dramatically reducing the resolution time.

Our top-rated technical support staff will be continuously updating the knowledge base. Wavecrest’s technical support staff is committed to providing customers with the best possible product experience. This commitment to quality will ensure the knowledge base will always yield the highest quality results for our customers. Through the knowledge base, customers will also be able to access detailed product release notes, tech tips, and the Wavecrest blog.

Wavecrest is always striving to provide continuously improved, higher level customer support. We furnish our customers with more than just a ‘product’, we provide them with a long-term ‘package’ that combines a cost-effective product with free support services whose priority is equal to that of product design. These services are available during the free product evaluation period and remains throughout the product license term.

See what existing customers are saying about Wavecrest’s technical support team:

“The Wavecrest support engineers are always eager and responsive to assist with any technical challenges facing our network. They have truly made my support to our customer relatively seamless.” -David Scott, Lockheed Martin CITIC

“Any pre-sales questions we had were answered promptly, and Wavecrest’s technical support ranks in the top 5% of all technical support I have worked with in 29 years of being in IT.” -Karleen Carlson, IT Manager, Van Diest Supply Company

“I can’t say enough about the service we have received from Wavecrest in general. From the sales team working with us through the trial and purchase period, to the support team that has answered each of our ‘quirks’.” -Allen Lochamy, Atlanta Bonded Warehouse

“Wavecrest has the best support of any company out there. Their staff members are always courteous to work with and knowledgeable about their product – which is a rarity in this type of work.” -Chris Martin, A+ Computer Solutions

Reasons Customers Continuously Choose Wavecrest Include Pricing, ROI and Flexibility.

Wavecrest Computing has been providing the best-of- breed Web security and Web forensic solutions since 1996. Continuously delivering the highest quality products at the most competitive pricing has been pivotal to our longevity. We have the best and most loyal customer base in the industry. The fact is, we care about the success of each and every customer. If you are still not convinced, see what one of our loyal customers has to say for themselves.

“Our IT and Management team evaluated several products that were considered “tops” in the web monitoring field. Our evaluation included hardware appliances and software based systems as well as free to expensive versions. We decided upon the Wavecrest Cyblock Appliance for several reasons which included Pricing, ROI and Flexibility. We discovered that the Cyfin Reporter was also just as flexible providing us with the details needed to make adjustments to our Policies and Bandwidth as well as increasing employee’s productivity.”

— Allen Lochamy, Atlanta Bonded Warehouse, Atlanta, GA

Running Reports in the New CyBlock/Cyfin UI

With the release of the new user interface, managing reports is easier than ever before. The new UI streamlines the way reports are managed by displaying recently run reports and scheduled reports all in one location. It also consolidates scheduling a report with creating a report. The following highlights of the new features describe how to navigate through reporting.

First, you need to select the type of report you want to create. On the Reports Selection page, the reports are grouped by similarity, and a Tooltip provides a short description of the report to help you determine which report to run. Click the name of the report that you want to run.

This takes you to the Create Report page where you can run the report at the present time (unscheduled). You can also schedule the report to run automatically at a specific time, that is, daily, weekly, or monthly at a specific hour, or set up the report to run manually as needed.

Report delivery options allow you to wait for the report, e-mail the report to multiple addresses that you specify, and save the report to a location. E-mailing reports to group recipients has been replaced with allowing you to easily specify each e-mail address to which you want to send the report. Recipients will also receive an e-mail should a report fail to run for any reason. Saving the report to a group directory has been replaced with allowing you to save to any directory. If the directory does not exist, it will be created.

After you run or schedule your report, it will be displayed on the Manage Reports page.

The Recently Run Reports list shows all reports that were last run, that is, scheduled and unscheduled reports. The Scheduled Reports list shows reports that will run automatically at a specific time and those that will be run manually at a later time as needed.

Once you have run or scheduled reports, the Manage Reports page allows you to run, edit, duplicate, schedule, delete, and view these reports. You can also create new reports from this page.

For additional assistance, please contact Technical Support at (321) 953-5351, Ext. 4 or support@wavecrest.net.

Wavecrest Computing Announces the Release of Our Redesigned User Interface

We are excited to announce the release of our redesigned user interface for Cyfin, CyBlock Software, CyBlock Appliance, and CyBlock Cloud. The new user interface (UI) design was a collaborative effort, including direct customer input. This input played a major role in the design and layout of the new UI. The results of this shared effort include a very intuitive layout with easy-to-use navigation and a widescreen layout that will cleanly work with any size monitor.

The new UI enhances our clients’ productivity by making it easier to access, configure, and manage all product functionality. We invite you to contact sales or technical support if you have any questions about the new UI!

CyBlock/Cyfin Release 9.0.5 Now Available

We are pleased to announce the release of a new version of CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, CyBlock Software, and Cyfin. In this release, you will find corrections as well as enhancements to the products. For CyBlock Cloud, several enhancements have been added including the new SSL Inspection feature that allows our CyBlock products to decrypt, analyze, and fully inspect all HTTPS traffic. The enhancements are described below.

CyBlock Cloud

SSL Inspection. The new functionality includes the following:
- Ability to view the full URL including path, embedded URLs, and parameters.
- Domain, path, and parameter matching.
- Ability to filter detailed HTTPS traffic by Web categories and Web content types and display blocking messages for both.
- Search Term blocking.
- Ability to view full URLs in the Real-Time Web Monitor.
- Ability to view full URLs, not just domains in the following reports:
  - Category Audit Detail
  - Category Audit Summary
  - Site Audit Detail
  - User Audit Detail
  - User Audit Summary
- A new SSL Inspection page that allows you to first install the Wavecrest Certificate, and then select groups and/or IDs and categories to be inspected. Go to Settings – Proxy – SSL Inspection to access this page.
Control Web Categories. The following features have been added:
- The Filtering Schedule allows you to block categories by day, hour, or half hour
- Coaching can be enabled on blocked categories and allows users to temporarily bypass blocked sites.
Web Blocking Message. The following features have been added:
- The Redirect option allows you to specify a URL that the user will be redirected to when he or she tries to access a blocked site.
- “Coaching” has been added to the Tokens drop down in the Message Editor, and token {6} to the blocking message for coaching purposes. If coaching is enabled on the Control Web Categories page, the message will include a link to bypass the blocking message allowing the user to access the Web site.
Reports. The following features have been added:
- On the Manage Reports page, in the Recently Run Reports section, the view icon allows you to view your recently run report. If multiple reports were generated depending on how you ran the report, a list is displayed with links.
- On the Create Report page, the following options have been added:
  - Report Format. A PDF version of the report can now be generated in addition to the HTML format.
  - Time Frame Filter. The Filter field allows you to filter the days and times to include in the report data. You can create a new filter or select an existing filter.
- Sample Site Analysis and User Audit Detail reports are now available. Go to Reports – Sample Reports to access these reports.
Product Help. The Technical Support contact page has been replaced by the product Help. The Help system has a similar TOC as the product manual, but also includes an Index and a Search box. Access the product Help by clicking Help in the navigation bar at the top.

CyBlock Appliance and CyBlock Software

Web Blocking Message. This includes the following changes:
- “Coaching” has been added to the Tokens drop down in the Message Editor.
- For the Redirect option, a note is displayed indicating that the URL for the blocking message must include “https://.”
SSL Inspection. The URL live.mozillamessaging.com has been added from the URL List to the list of domains to be tunneled and cannot be deleted from the domain list.

CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Software, and Cyfin

E-Mail Settings. The ability to use e-mail server authentication has been added to the Settings – E-Mail page. If authentication is required, you can now enter the e-mail server user name and password.

To see the full release notes for your product, visit our Web site. You can download the latest release by going to CyBlock Software Downloads or Cyfin Downloads. To upgrade CyBlock Appliance, please contact Technical Support at (321) 953-5351, Ext. 4 or support@wavecrest.net.

For additional assistance, please feel free to contact us.

March Madness Starts This Week! – Estimated $1.9 billion Lost for Every Unproductive Hour

This week is the beginning of one of the most popular events of the year… March Madness! An exciting month for sports fans everywhere!

The excitement during the tournament is addictive! Employees have office pools and discuss the games all through the day. The trouble with March Madness? It occurs during the work day. “An average of 10.7 million people watched March Madness games in 2013, the most since 1994.” During this time, an organization does need to worry.

Management needs to be concerned about low productivity, “An MSN poll in 2012 found that 56% of respondents, equivalent to 77.1 million employees, planned to devote at least one hour to March Madness. Using those figures, the damages rise to $1.9 billion for every unproductive hour.” IT, as well as management, needs to worry about the risk of lower bandwidth for critical business operations, “Turner Sports, which operates the NCAA’s website, said 6.8 million unique visitors watched games online during the first week of last year’s tournament. Visitors spent an average of 1 hour and 51 minutes online each time they opened a stream.” These disruptions can cause major problems with the normal operations of any business.

March Madness begins March 18^thand runs through the beginning of April. Revisit your organization’s AUP and let your employees know the negative impact their actions could have on the organization.

It is a good time to think seriously about making one of Wavecrest Computing’s CyBlock Advanced Web Security solutions a priority. Whether you are thinking you would like to block all access to sports, or thinking you would like to allow some time for your employees to enjoy March Madness while maintaining control over crucial business operations. CyBlock Advanced Web Security solutions can do both. CyBlock can easily block sports or, just as easily, allow for filtering by time frame. Implement flexible filtering by day, hour, or half hour while controlling bandwidth, threat protection, and enforcing your AUP in an easy to manage interface. With deployments options of CyBlock Cloud with the optional CyBlock Mobile Security App, CyBlock Software, CyBlock ISA/TMG, or CyBlock Appliance, Wavecrest can help you find the solution that you need now. Many of these options can be up and running the day you purchase. Do not wait until the Final Four’s final basket!

*Excerpts from Foxbusiness.com, March Madness Ready to Distract Workers Nationwide, By Matthew Rocco Published March 11, 2014

Wavecrest Blog

The Latest news, tips and resources straight from the Wavecrest team.