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Blue Coat Develops ProxySG Appliances to Actively Migrate Users to Internet Explorer BrowserMar 24, 2011 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Blue Coat Systems, a provider of Web security and WAN optimization solutions, advised that Blue Coat ProxySG appliances can help organizations migrate users to Internet Explorer 9. The controls of ProxySG appliances allow customers to implement a user agent policy that blocks employees using older Internet Explorer versions, such as 6 or 7, from accessing any Web site except the Internet Explorer download site until they upgrade to a more recent, secure version of the browser. According to the 2011 Web Security Report from Blue Coat, cyber crime is increasingly utilizing exploit kits to identify vulnerabilities and unpatched systems that can be targeted with malware. Secunia, a computer security service provider that tracks software and operating system vulnerabilities, issued 115 advisories on 227 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer 6 and 51 advisories on 152 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer 7 since each browser was introduced. Older browser versions and unpatched systems can expose users to greater security risks from selective, targeted malware delivery that is difficult to detect. In addition to enforcing the policy, ProxySG appliances can report on all user agents and versions on the company's network, providing IT managers with an inventory to identify user agents and versions that need to be updated as well as an assessment of their risk profile. For users that require updated browser versions, ProxySG appliances allow IT managers to create custom coaching pages that direct users to the Internet Explorer download site or an internal server that hosts the browser update. "Best practices demand that users update their browsers and other applications with the latest version to protect against zero-day vulnerabilities and other targeted malware attacks," said Steve Daheb, chief marketing officer and senior VP at Blue Coat Systems. "The ProxySG appliance provides IT managers with a tool for helping Internet Explorer users migrate to a more secure browser that will better protect them from attacks targeting browser vulnerabilities." With the introduction of Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft is actively encouraging users to move away from Internet Explorer 6 to more advanced browser versions. Currently, Internet Explorer 6 has an 11 percent share of the overall global browser market with significant user populations in Asia Pacific while Internet Explorer 7 users account for 8.8 percent of the market. ProxySG appliances are a fundamental component of the Blue Coat Secure Web Gateway solution and provide controls that allow organizations to enforce corporate policies. The appliances work in conjunction with the Blue Coat WebPulse service, which unites more than 70 million users in a common, cloud-based defense to provide awareness and analysis of new and unknown Web content, including malware. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) |