5 Best Web Content Filtering Software in 2024

Need a reliable solution to block undesirable content and malicious websites?

We are providing a list of the 5 best software to seek in 2024 for securing your devices through web content filtering. With a plethora of content being published daily, manually flagging potentially harmful websites is a herculean task. Hence, cybersecurity and device management companies are coming up with software that block harmful websites by analyzing their content. This is broadly known as web content filtering. But let’s dive a little deeper into how exactly it protects your devices and its benefits.

What is Web Filtering?

In simple terms, web filtering software analyzes those websites whose access is requested by a device and categorizes their content. Subsequently, it matches them with predetermined blocked content categories in their repository. These categories can be gaming, social networking, violence, adult or illegal content, and so on. The software restricts any access or downloads from these web pages onto the device if a match is found.

URL filtering technique allows businesses to secure their employee devices against hacking, phishing, data theft, unauthorized websites, and malware attacks. Educational institutions are also widely using web content filtering in devices provided to students to block adult content and keywords. In doing so, they ensure that the devices are being used for intended educational purposes only, preventing distractions. Let’s look at a few key benefits of web content filtering.

Benefits of Web Filtering Solutions

• Increased network bandwidth — An organization’s network bandwidth is considerably slowed when non-work-related web pages are continually accessed on their devices. By restricting the usage of such websites, organizations can boost their network and internet connectivity speeds.
• Security against exploit kits — Cybercriminals today are coming up with new methods of browser attacks that can be deployed on computer systems. One such example is exploit kits. Exploit kits contain a hidden code on landing pages designed to identify browser application and extension vulnerabilities. Using these gaps, the attackers deploy malware on the host device or trigger a malware download to gain control of the machine. Web filtering solutions scrutinize activity, flag such websites, and restrict any download from them.
• Protection from malicious content — Parents often use web content filtering to prevent children from getting exposed to inappropriate and violent content on personal devices. Additionally, with the wave of online education, enterprises in this industry are actively looking to filter content on devices provided to students.
• Blocking particular content categories — Businesses can boost employees’ productivity by reducing distractions when access to unneeded sites such as social networking, gaming, and leisure websites is restricted. This promotes a focused working environment while minimizing any risks arising from the use of these sites.
• Minimizing liability and data loss — Enabling web filtering software on company-owned devices reduces the company’s liability. It protects them from a multitude of viruses, cyber threats, malware attacks, data breaches, and fraudulent attempts.

Top Web Content Filtering Software in 2024

1. Scalefusion

Scalefusion is a Unified Endpoint Management software that enables organizations to secure and manage their business endpoints. Scalefusion’s multiple features are suitable for a diverse device fleet, different operating systems, and ownership models. They allow IT admins to manage enterprise devices to ensure data security and compliance remotely.

A leading feature of Scalefusion’s UEM software is Web Content Filtering. It helps organizations enforce safe browsing practices and internet usage policies. Additionally, with this feature, IT admins can prohibit the access of company devices to unnecessary and potentially malicious sites on the internet. They can specifically configure access to selected, safe, and necessary websites and block access to other unauthorized or harmful web pages.

Key Features:

• Content filtering
• Website whitelisting
• Website blacklisting
• Kiosk Browser/ Browser lock
• YouTube restrictions
• Safe Search

Pros:

• Improves user productivity
• Suitable for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
• Configures browser behavior
• Prompt and helpful customer support

Cons:

• Doesn’t support ChromeOS
• Web content filtering is available as a bundled feature

2. Barracuda Web Security Gateway

Barracuda provides a cloud-based web security solution to diverse organizations. Its goal is to provide reliable protection to different types of devices from a host of web-based threats. It filters internet content and applications to ensure the usage of only safe and secure websites. The company constantly focuses on making its security products user-friendly and easy to deploy. These products are tailored for retail, education, healthcare, finance, and the newly added manufacturing sector.

Key Features:

• Content filtering
• Web application and social media regulation
• SSL inspection
• Chromebook security extension
• Advanced threat protection
• Intuitive dashboard views

Pros:

• Suspicious activity alerts
• Continually updated database of sites known to host spyware and viruses
• Easy deployment and setup

Cons:

• Slow reporting
• Lengthy process of mapping a user to an event
• Expensive for smaller organizations

3. Cisco Umbrella

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered network security software. The solution helps more than 24000 customers every day in preventing cyber threats and data breaches. Various cloud-security packages are made available by Cisco Umbrella in an effort to cater to the different requirements of enterprises. Its web content filtering software contains more than 80 content categories along with billions of web pages in its repository. Uniquely, Cisco Umbrella’s block bypass feature allows certain individuals, such as marketing managers, to access specific web filter categories, such as social networking or individual domains that are usually blocked.

Key Features:

• Category-based content web filtering
• Allow and block lists
• Block bypass
• Flexible and location-aware filtering
• Strictly enforced SafeSearch filter for Google, YouTube, and Bing

Pros:

• Easy-to-use navigation and user controls
• Fast speed
• Simple implementation and integration
• Covers both on-premise and roaming clients

Cons:

• Issues with decryption feature for TLS 1.3
• Slight incompatibility with the Safari browser
• Higher costs

4. Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway (SWG)

Forcepoint is a customer-centric data and cyber security company. Organizations worldwide, such as IBM, Microsoft, and Boeing, trust Forcepoint to defend their assets against a range of modern cyber threats. They provide cloud, endpoint, and BYOD data security. It monitors and controls the interaction of the devices with any web pages, identifies potential threats, and blocks malicious web pages.

Key Features:

• Granular web content filtering
• Mature RBI (Remote Browser Isolation) technology
• Distributed enforcement
• Extensive predefined policy library
• Classification tagging
• Risk-adaptive protection
• Built-in DLP (Data Loss Prevention) enforcement
• Shadow IT discovery and risk ranking

Pros:

• Identified insider threats as well
• Good management and reporting feature
• Cost-effective
• Quick customer support

Cons:

• Complex deployment process
• Slow real-time monitoring
• Compatibility issues with other security tools
• Difficult troubleshooting

5. Mimecast

Mimecast is an IT security company helping over 40,000 customers in 100+ countries mitigate web-based threats. It enables enterprises in all cybersecurity steps, from awareness training to detecting threats to content filtering for protection. Mimecast’s security awareness training product provides video-based modules and simulations for employees to learn in-depth about data protection.

Key features:

• Web content filtering
• Engaging training modules
• End-to-end encryption
• Static file analysis
• Data loss protection
• SSL inspection

Pros:

• User-friendly admin console
• Highly customizable

Cons:

• Issues with creating block lists
• Feature requests often take time

Wrapping Up

The need for individuals and organizations to protect their devices against cyber threats is becoming increasingly critical by the day. With the severe repercussions of falling prey to phishing attacks, exploit kits, data loss, and virus infections, using web content filtering software for security is imperative. Moreover, protecting children, who today have easy access to everything on the internet, from inappropriate and unsafe websites is a priority task for many parents and mentors.

Web content filtering is an easy and reliable technique to secure against such instances. The software listed above provides this service for personal devices and enterprises that own several devices. Prices charged by these companies are available on request on their websites. Most of them offer multiple package options with different features and device limits.

Additionally, a free trial or demo is also available for all of them. Therefore, by assessing the pros, cons, and price points of these solutions, you can make a suitable choice for your security requirements. Stay ahead of cyber threats and protect your devices today!