Review - Intego Content Barrier by Michael Flaminio 5.23.01 Content Barrier from Intego is an Internet protection utility. The software is ideally suited to monitor and restrict access of Internet content by children. The software can also be deployed in the workplace to keep employees from loafing off on the job. Content Barrier operates by monitoring and/or blocking predefined Internet content from entering or leaving a computer. Internet Filtering About five or six years ago protecting children from the Internet was a hot button topic. The issue is still alive today, but the surrounding sensational hype has been toned down. Never the less, the Internet still has plenty of unsightly things to be found. Internet filtering has two schools of thought. First you can filter predefined undesirable content, and second you can only allow known appropriate content. Most people use filters to block content based on predefined variables or just restrict access to specific sites. Trying to successfully block inappropriate content presents a constantly moving target. The filters try to walk a fine line of blocking what appears to be bad, while not over doing things by blocking content that doesn't need to be blocked. Functions Content Barrier includes multiple preset filters designed to block out common undesirable types of content. With a click of a button, Content Barrier can block access to content such as sex and gambling related sites in addition to services such as chat and email. Users can also create custom filters for specific items not covered in the built-in filers. In the event a site gets inappropriately blocked, Content Barrier allows users to set overrides for specific sites. Content Barrier works by simply monitoring network activity. If a user tries to do something the software is configured to prohibit, Content Barrier will intercept the network traffic. In the case of Web browsing, the software will display a blank Web page with a blocked notification. The software even works for framed Web pages, which will block specific frames if prohibited content is detected. Other filtering features include time based filters, which can restrict/allow access during specified times, and also an "anti-predator" feature, which monitors specific text transmissions. Example uses for these features can include restricting access to the Internet while a parent is at work, or prohibiting users from transmitting sensitive data such as phone numbers or credit card info. Personally, the time filters and anti-predator features didn't seem to work as I expected. Regardless of my settings I couldn't get the these two features to what I thought they should. Multiple Users Content Barrier also allows multiple users. So say for example if multiple children use the same computer, each individual can have a separate filtering setting. When using accounts, users log in an out through the Content Barrier software. This can be helpful if say for example children of varying ages can have access to different type of information. Also available is password protection. Using password protection, users will be prompted to enter a password when Internet software first starts up. The can be a basic setting to ensure that individuals are using the correct access settings. Another option is to ensure that the Internet is only being used when someone with the password is present. Logging Probably the most useful feature of Content Barrier is its logging. The log features allow users to monitor activity, which may be sufficient in most Internet access situations. The software can be configured to monitor specific activities or just monitor everything. The software can output logs as files or as email for all accessed sites or only flagged activity. Content Barrier also has an interesting overall stats, showing how many sites have been accessed, filtered and blocked. One feature I'd like is to see greater detail in the logs. The logs will tell you what site was blocked, but I think it would be helpful to know why a site was blocked. This may help to manage the software's configuration in addition to keeping a better eye on what's going on. Security Content Barrier isn't an absolute solution. For those savvy enough to understand the Mac OS, users can fairly easily bypass the utility. Perhaps Content Barrier would be best used with the Mac OS's built in multiple user security. This would limit how individual users would be able to access the Mac OS system software, limiting their ability to disable the software. In the end, I don't think the idea of Content Barrier is to be the ultimate user security software. It only operates for the Internet. If you wish to block total access or total Internet access, then the Mac OS's multi-user security is your best bet. What Content Barrier does is to allow users access to both the computer and Internet while also controlling what happens on the Internet. Wrap-up Content Barrier is a pretty good piece of software, but it's not the end all-be all of keeping evil out of your computer. It functions merely as a tool to be used with other protective measures. Content Barrier is currently available for Mac OS 8.1 or later. Mac OS multi-user security functions will require Mac OS 9 or later. Intego states that a Mac OS X version will be available during the third quarter of 2001. Content Barrier retails for $39.95.