SurfControl Updates Filters To Combat Phishing Attacks

SurfControl has announced enhancements to its enterprise Web and e-mail filters to respond to rapidly evolving threats from phishing, the practice of sending e-mail purporting to be from a legitimate source in order to induce users to surrender personal or security information.

The enhancements to SurfControl's filtering products deliver multi-layered protection that monitors, tracks and filters both inbound and outbound e-mail and Web traffic. SurfControl has expanded the e-mail and web filters' URL content databases to help businesses better log and track phishing threats and screen URLs associated with phishing e-mails.

According to SurfControl vice president of global product content Susan Larson, the enhancements are necessary to respond to the increasing sophistication of phishing attacks. "In just a short period of time, phishing attacks have become more devious and malicious -- targeting both mass market consumers and specific businesses," Larson said in a statement. "The speed at which phishing threats are evolving further re-enforces the fact that unified Web and e-mail security, combined with ongoing content research around the world, is the only way for businesses to protect themselves."

The e-mail filter uses heuristics to identify suspect messages and creates dynamic digital fingerprints for malicious e-mail. On the Web side, The SurfControl Content Database can now now track more than nine million URLs in 47 categories in 70 languages. SurfControl now specifically reports which phishing attacks are being prevented, providing the fine auditing and reporting capabilities necessary to ensure compliance with government regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.