Email content filtering is now considered a vital part of perimeter security. It allows corporations to enforce their email acceptable ?(should these be swapped round?) use policy at the gateway, providing protection against viruses, spam, phishing, dangerous file types, inappropriate language and educating their users on appropriate email usage.

However, nearly every email policy contains a clause that few email content filtering applications can enforce. This clause expressly states that the email system is not to be used for the distribution of pornographic content, yet pornography continues to travel in and out of the email system hidden within a mass of legitimate business images.

These pornographic images constitute a real threat to the business with the risk of legal liability, sexual harassment lawsuits and damaged company image and reputation.

The Image Analyzer Mail Filter allows email content filtering software vendors to add a powerful new module to their product. The engine scans the composition of every image traveling through the email gateway to determine if it is of a pornographic nature. It uses sophisticated real time composition analysis to reliably distinguish between pornographic and non pornographic images.

The issue is not unsolicited pornographic spam but instead social communication between friends and colleagues who do not understand the possible repercussions, or do not care. As it is a social issue the solution consists of a combination of technology, education and monitoring.

Technology

Image Analyzer Mail Filter provides the technology to identify pornographic images from the mass of legitimate business images traveling through the email gateway on a daily basis. Once the image has been recognised as suspect the email filtering application can manage the mail appropriately.

Image Analyzer Mail Filter is an essential component for any spam or email content filtering product. When combined with the notification and logging functionality - standard in most email filtering applications it is very effective at reducing the levels of pornography being sent via email. It educates both internal and external users on appropriate email usage and provides visibility of the issue to management.

In addition to be an effective tool for customers, Image Analyzer generates significant incremental revenues to the ISV from both their existing customer base and new business.