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Domain: websense.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to websense.com.

Comments · 56

  1. Slashdot blocking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative · on No More Unrestricted Internet At Work

    Why would a company try blocking posts to slashdot, but not CNN? I don't know but one that does is Morgan Stanley. Once they tried blocking the entire slashdot site, however after many complaints, they unblocked it, except for any URL's containing comments.pl. So now you can't post, or sort or thread articles before you read them.

    Unfortunately there's too many proxy servers out on the web for them to block, and any anyone using slashdot knows how to find them :)

    They also try blocking the usual porn sites via Websense, but don't block google cache. Also they try block file extensions from email, so you have to ask people to rename that .exe file before they send it.

    Just don't ask how much money they've spent trying to half-heartedly implement all this blocking, it would run a small country. However I guess it keeps a skyscraper of IT people in work, and that can't be bad.

  2. Another way around (maybe) by Kreeblah · · Score: 1 · on SmartFilter's Greatest Evils

    Hmmm. As I recall, the filtering software at my old school ( WebSENSE , I think it was called) filtered domains (e.g. http://www.pcgamer.com ) but not their IP addresses (e.g. 209.246.21.46 ). All one would have to do to get around this would be to write a script to output the IP address of a domain given to it and write a utility to replace all outgoing TCP/IP requests for domains with IP addresses stored in a database on the user's computer. Is this typical of filtering software, or do most companies have blocked domains also block their IP addresses?

  3. Re:Sounds Interesting... by Shiva+Lingham · · Score: 1 · on Candidates' Websites Blocked by CyberPatrol, N2H2
    When I originally found ESR's page blocked, I submitted a change request to Websense anonymously to have it removed from the "hacking" category. Since you mentioned it, I checked it again and www.tuxedo.org is no longer categorized, and thus not blocked by Websense. In other words, they are open to reason. FAIR is still blocked, however.

    To attempt to answer your question, I know Websense and Bess will return pages identifying the program, explaining that the site has been blocked and in some cases why it was blocked. If you are not getting a specific notification of what software blocked your attempt, the censorware must be in some sort of stealth mode, or else you're perceiving some other network phenomenon as Censorware. There are hundreds available, from what I understand, so it may be impossible to divine which one you have from what it blocks. Maybe just try asking?

  4. Forced Filtering and Options to do so. by clustersnarf · · Score: 1 · on At the Library: a Briefly Vocal Minority
    I do not advicate the complete censoring of anything. Be it music, information, products, or people's opinions. But if the government is going to force this to be an issue because of lazy parents and fat pocketed politicians then we have to look at the options and availability of "blocking software". Everyone knows and thses crappy programs that run on the end user PC and make feeble attempts at controlling the information. But I think the only valid solution is to get a hardware firewall like the Cisco PIX and run it in conjunction with the WebSense Software. This software runs on either Solaris or NT and does a damned good job. Albeit expensive, if the government is going to require this there should be some funding to make it happen.

    I've used websense on several occasions and this is one piece of sofware that talks directly to the PIX and sets up the rules for what you can and cant see. Also your average scriptkiddie will not be able to get around it.

    I know this sounds biased towards blocking software but this is what is going to eventually happen, given the decline in parenting responsibility. And not only will this setup give a solution to this censorware problem, it will also firewall and protect these systems.

    Censorware is wrong on many levels, but alot of companies are resorting to these solutions because they feel they cannot trust their employees, which creates extra dissention and hostility and poor job performance. One day people will be able to trust one another with information, but as long as those in power want to hold that info to themselves to keep ahead and tell us what to do, we will never reach that era.

  5. Filtering software by Ice+Tiger · · Score: 1 · on Keep It Legal To Embarrass Big Companies

    I am not condoning this product in any way, but the company I work for uses Websense to do it's filtering of the company Internet feed. Now they at least let you see what category a site is blocked under and you can tell them they got it wrong and they will review the URL. You can even suggest new sites they don't have yet.


    Now I guess they figure (correctly IMHO) that you pay for the service or correlating all these URLS and the actual list should be open and as much controlled by users (suggest updates, suggest corrections) as the company.


    Censorship is wrong and not letting customers participate in the list management is even more blatent giving up your rights.

  6. OT: I would, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on Linus Interview

    I tried to visit the site mentioned in the article, but for some reason it's filtered by my college proxy because it's under the category of "Activist Groups" (courtesy of WebSense). I don't suppose anyone could by any chance divulge the address of a web-based proxy that isn't itself filtered (they're under the category of "Proxy Avoidance Systems")? Cheers, Kris