IT managers who want to control workplace Internet use have a new
adversary: a company that makes it possible for people to surf
anonymously.
Anonymizer, based in San Diego, USA, has released a new version of
its product, Private Surfing 2.0, and coupled it with a bold
marketing claim: "Surf at work without being monitored".
Employees can pay $29.95 (£19.30) for the product that attempts to
circumvent monitoring systems used by IT departments. However no
sooner had Anonymizer begun its marketing campaign than
California-based 8e6 Technologies announced a simple library update
to thwart Anonymizer. Another security and filtering company, St.
Bernard Software in San Diego, said it did not even have to make
changes to pre-empt Anonymizer's claim.
IT managers such as Harold Moscho, director of technology
management at MultiCare Health System, who oversees 6,000 users,
are nonetheless concerned by the development. "I hope that it is
not something that is very widespread," said Moscho, who is using
8e6's filtering technology. He says he fears Anonymizer may be
appealing to people "who have a great deal of desire for vengeful
or mischievous" behaviour.
Users of Anonymizer surf the Internet through the company's
network. End users log on via their Web browser and get IP
addresses and domain names that cannot be traced back to them. The
filtering services counter-attack this by blocking access to
Anonymizer.com. If the connection is encrypted, 8e6 will time out,
or cut off an encrypted link, Mark Parker, a senior engineer at
8e6, said.
When questioned about its claims, an Anonymizer official downplayed
its workplace surfing marketing claims. "We're not really pushing
the surfing at work," said Cottrell, who acknowledges that
employers can use a range of techniques, such as monitors to record
keystrokes, to track employee Internet use.
Anonymizer also says it is not planning to use the same aggressive
techniques it uses in China to get around government-sponsored
filtering, such as a continuously changing array of IP addresses
and domain names.
While the company attempts to appeal to employees, it is also
appealing to employers. Cottrell cited a growing number of
corporate and law enforcement organisations that need to surf
anonymously, such as the FBI, companies engaged in competitive
intelligence, law firms and law enforcers. Another key market is
home users who want to avoid being tracked by network advertisers
and others.