Web filtering keeps malicious and disruptive content away from your users.

The web and its AI-powered alter ego are amazingly useful … and an opportunity to waste huge amounts of time or quickly cause a business problem.

While the web is home to vital resources, like the Strident news pages, it is also filled with sites that are either temptingly unproductive or outright dangerous. Web filtering does more than just block time-wasting distractions; it serves as a critical first line of defence, protecting your colleagues from increasingly sophisticated malicious sites before a threat even reaches their device.

Aligned with ISO 27001:2022

Web filtering is now an intrinsic part of the ISO 27001:2022 standard (specifically under Annex A 8.23), highlighting its role in a modern, secure work environment. Of course, you don’t need to be ISO-certified to benefit from these protections. The system is entirely flexible: you can choose to be as strict as your policy requires. For example, you might block gambling and adult content entirely while allowing access to social media or news sites only during lunch breaks.

"Web filtering can block specific websites, categories, or keywords," explains Chris Joberns, Managing Director at Strident. "But it also helps prevent 'Shadow IT', where staff might use unauthorised services. For instance, blocking personal OneDrive accounts while only allowing Microsoft OneDrive for Business ensures company data stays within your control and follows your security policies."

Seamless protection across all your devices

Cisco Secure Access (previously Cisco Umbrella) and is a cornerstone of the Cisco security suite, is a cloud-based platform designed to protect users wherever they work. In a world of hybrid and remote roles, Secure Access ensures that security follows the user, not just the office Wi-Fi.

Its DNS-layer security identifies and stops threats, including malware, ransomware, and phishing, at the very first stage of an internet connection. By blocking malicious traffic at the Domain Name System level, Secure Access prevents a connection from ever being established. Even if a user accidentally clicks a malicious link in an email or a document, Secure Access steps in to neutralise the threat, whether they are on the corporate network or at a local coffee shop.

For deeper protection, the Cisco Secure Client (which can be deployed in the background via the Strident Agent app) monitors devices unobtrusively. It scans for malicious links within apps and documents, ensuring that even the most "quiet" threats are caught before they can cause damage.

Insightful reporting for proactive management

Staying informed is easy with automated, regular reports. These provide a convenient way to monitor trends without micro-managing. For instance, you may allow social media usage but want to keep an eye on how much bandwidth or time it consumes across the team.

Reports can be tailored to specific users, departments, or site categories. This allows for high-level overviews or deep-dives into the Cisco Secure Access dashboard, where you can perform detailed searches to identify and resolve potential issues before they escalate.

To find out more about Cisco Secure Access or business IT support, please get in touch.