8e6 Technologies Addresses the Major Threat of Web-based Proxies in K-12

Industry Market Leader’s Web Filtering Technology Identifies and Blocks Proxy Use to Maintain a Safe Learning Environment.

ATLANTA – NECC BOOTH 1146 – June 25, 2007– 8e6 Technologies, the leader in Internet filtering and reporting for the K-12 market, introduces Intelligent Footprint Technology™, the company’s unique approach to preventing anonymous proxy use in school districts. The company’s R3000 Internet Filter’s proxy pattern detection feature allows school districts to identify the often elusive use of anonymous proxies and block access to inappropriate and unauthorized sites, such as MySpace, while at school. 

Web-based proxies are the leading threat to today’s Internet-assisted learning initiatives, with tens of thousands of Web-based proxies on the Internet and more becoming available every day. As their primary source to getting around Web filters, students freely utilize Web proxies — also known as proxy anonymizers — unaware of the dangers they present to both students and schools. 

“It is likely in any given district, students have been using proxies for months to access a wide range of blocked sites, yet many school administrators and teachers may not be aware of this growing threat to their online learning programs,” states Paul Myer, president and COO of 8e6 Technologies. “There are a few questions which every school district needs to ask, such as ‘does my school district have a policy against use of these sites, and do we have the technology in place to prevent access to these obscure yet dangerous sites?’” 

8e6 Technologies was the first Internet content filtering provider to use “signature-based” blocking technology, the most effective method of detecting and blocking Web-based, peer-to-peer, instant messaging and anonymous proxies. Utilizing cutting-edge Intelligent Footprint Technology (IFT), 8e6’s unique R3000 “Proxy Pattern Blocking” catches requests for anonymous proxies on the fly, giving school districts zero-day protection against many open-source proxies. Therefore, the 8e6 R3000 is able to block uncategorized sites based on the signature files in the 8e6 database. This allows network administrators to immediately identify new proxy anonymizer sites when they are created, rather than days or weeks later when they are added to the URL list—ultimately eliminating the burden placed on over-extended IT departments. In addition, the “Proxy Pattern Blocking” feature identifies attempts to set up proxy tunnels, prevents these connections from being made and keeps a record of the number of times a student tries to circumvent the filter in this way. 

“Every district has tech-savvy students that try to circumvent the system. When you combine that with an ineffective filtering solution, it makes it next to impossible for overburdened IT staff to stay ahead of these threats,” said Lloyd Brown, director of technology at Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia. “We’ve come to rely on our 8e6 Internet Filtering solution to effectively filter our Internet traffic, identify the users who are violating our Acceptable Use Policy and arm us with the technology defenses and information needed to maintain a safe learning environment for our students.” 

Anonymous Proxies – The Hidden Threat 

Jim Culbert, information security analyst for Duval County Public Schools in Florida, knows all about the danger proxies bring to educational institutions. Culbert noticed a massive rise in proxy server activity after he blocked the social networking site, MySpace.com, from being accessed in his district. He tracked the proxy activity and rounded up the most active student users. Whereas he was certain they were after obscene material on the Web, he was surprised to discover that they were just trying to access their MySpace e-mail accounts. Because the site was blocked, students were utilizing proxies in order to access the site. Although the students were considered the brightest in their school, they had no idea that information such as their usernames and passwords were retrievable by unknown proxy administrators, many of whom are hackers. These same hackers write proxy programs that can get into a school network and cause millions of dollars in damage. 

“It is a full-time job to stay ahead of the new Web-based threats as they emerge, especially when the kids don’t understand the risks involved,” said Culbert. “However, I’m able to use 8e6’s Internet filter with Proxy Pattern Blocking, in conjunction with their detailed user reports, to protect the students’ personal information and the school’s network.” 

8e6 Introduces the 8e6 ProxyBlocker 

The 8e6 ProxyBlocker is a dedicated appliance designed to supplement existing URL filtering and protect against the use of Web-based proxies and anonymizers, instant messaging, and peer-to-peer networks. 8e6 ProxyBlocker uses 8e6’s unique Intelligent Footprint Technology, the pattern matching system already built into 8e6's R3000 Internet Filtering appliance, to specifically stop students from using anonymous proxies to access inappropriate sites not allowed by their school districts. Where competitive solutions stop at a simple URL list, 8e6’s pattern matching technology supplements other vendors’ Internet filtering technologies and provides the additional protection needed in the K-12 market today. 

Pricing and Availability 

The R3000 Internet Filter with Intelligent Footprint Technology has been available for over a year for school districts of all sizes. The new 8e6 ProxyBlocker will be available on July 6, 2007 and is priced between $2,500 and $15,000, depending on the number of users. 

About 8e6 Technologies 

8e6 Technologies is the leading provider of appliance-based Internet filtering, monitoring and reporting solutions for education, and has played a significant role in filtering the Web for over 10 years. 8e6 directly addresses the challenges of online child safety by giving network administrators and educators the tools to view, understand and react to Web-based threats arising from online learning. As a single-source vendor, 8e6 provides all of the hardware, software and support to ensure a secure learning environment while maintaining CIPA compliance. The company maintains headquarters in Orange, California, and has a network of channel partners worldwide. For more information, including free resources and best practices for ensuring effective enforcement of Acceptable Use Policies, please visit www.8e6.com/education or call 888.768.7999.