MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.
Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/4631
REVIEW
108 MacDirectory
INTEGO CONTENT BARRIER X5 >
GREAT CONTENT PROTECTION FOR MACS
Businesses require Internet security and
content control for employee computers.
And many parents recognize this scenario.
As they walk by their child working on the
computer, the computer screen suddenly
flickers. Finishing homework, my eye. The
kid's either gaming, reading manga or
chatting online.
Intego's Content Barrier X5 has enough
bells and whistles to help businesses,
parents, private and home school
programs maintain Internet access
control. Limiting specific Web site access,
adding keywords to block subject matter,
or changing scheduled access can be
completed quickly and easily.
Native to Macs
Intego security software only works on
Apple computers, so Content Barrier X5
seamlessly interfaces with Mac OS X
systems. Each created Content Barrier X5
account can be customized for an
individual user's access requirements, age
and maturity. Pictures can be uploaded
to help recognize and configure individual
accounts. Different levels of protection
can be quickly enabled, or disabled by
authorized administrators. And the
software offers remote Web
administration from any computer.
Businesses prefer employees Internet
activities to be transparent, which is
possible as Content Barrier X5 offers full
recording of sites visited, sites blocked,
chats, e-mail, applications, screenshots
and keystrokes.
Want to see what type of security is being
applied, when, where and how it's
organized? The overview screen allows
easy access to adjust, add or delete
selected protection settings. Content
Barrier provides pre-determined filters for
safe and easy content filtering, can block
selected applications and Web sites, and
only authorized administrators can
change these program settings.
Protocols, such as FTP/SFTP, SSH, SSL, and
online games can also be filtered.
Neat Features
The Web filtering identifies key categories
that can be blocked, like violence, alcohol,
streaming movies or video. Authorized
administrators, parents and teachers can
add trusted Web sites, or block content by
key words (for example, manga or anime).
If individuals need to be working on the
computer without Internet access, the
Schedule function blocks the Internet at
specific periods. It's great! At 9 p.m. in
our household the Internet shuts off.
Suspicious phrases in chat rooms can be
blocked with AntiPredator, plus additional
phrases may be added. Games, video
streaming, peer-to-peer applications, and
many other features can also be
controlled. And at the end of the day,
detailed logs of each user's Internet usage
is recorded.
Flexible Software Protection
Content Barrier isn't rigid. When
employees, children or students try to
override the software, the Content Bear
screen pops up, squeaks and nicely
informs them certain accessed material is
blocked. Yet, if Internet access is required
to restricted material, say for a report on
racism or violent groups, authorized
administrators can unlock specific Web
sites, or access to specific categories.
Content Barrier allows choices — the
whole site, just the Web page, or the
Web pages whose URL contains a specific
URL string.
Teenagers aren't great fans of Content
Barrier (okay, they really don't like the
bear), but Content Barrier provides
necessary controls and selective
Internet access.
Intego offers a 30-day free trial for all its
software products. Support is provided
through their Knowledgebase, online user
manual in the Help menu, bug report, or
online support service. Automatic updates
are available with NetUpdate, with
automatic e-mail notification of certain
events. Intego also offers ChatBarrier X5,
FileGuard X5, NetBarrier X5, Personal
Antispam X5, Personal Backup X5 and
Virus Barrier X5 security software.
Apple recognizes there are virus and
malware threats to Macs, and Mac users
need the best Internet protection system.
Intego reports their multilingual X5
software programs fuse seamlessly with
Mac OS X 10.4 versions and above, even
Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6). In
today's world, it's not enough to have
firewire protection, and Intego delivers a
strong defense system to protecting Macs.
WORDS BY LISA P. HILL
Product Content Barrier X5
Made by Intego