Need to block sites in a company?

Question

I need to block sites using content advisor and need to do this on 400 computers. Is their a way I can write a program that automates the steps of clicking on tools options content advisor, adding blocked and allowed sites and to set a password? can I somehow make a macro type program to do this?

Answer 1

You need a proxy server or a firewall. They come in various flavors.



Given the number of computers you want to control, I would use a packaged product such as WebSense.



http://www.websense.com/global/en/

Answer 2

What you are asking for CAN be done, but I am going to advise against it. You will have a support nightmare if you do this wrong.



You need an inline proxy which you set up your rules of access and you block in one place. You can get a proxy machine via Dan's Guardian (http://dansguardian.org/)



Red Wall is another good one (http://www.redwall-firewall.com/)



Both Dan's Guardian and Redwall can be set up on a regular PC and is a great interim solution and if implemented right can be a permanent solution.

Answer 3

Doing this to 400 computers is not the correct nor efficent way of doing this... knowing you have 400 computers tells me you have a large network. Because of that fact you can do this in a few easy steps.



your server must be sharing the internet... block it from there... hell even DSL modems nowadays will block sites. checkinto your router.

Answer 4

Why not just add the sites to your firewalls blacklist?



If you don't have one I suggest getting one.



If you do you should be able to do this, if not then I would look into a different firewall.



ClarkConnect is a free Linux based solution and has this feature. Sounds easier to me to do this than to try and write a script...