SmoothWall launches hardware version of Guardian web filter

UK-based SmoothWall this week launched Guardian Secure Web Gateway (GSWG), a new rack-mounted web filtering application.

GSWG is a hardware version of SmoothWall’s Guardian web filter software, and is the fourth hardware appliance launched by the company since 2007.

The Guardian web filter uses intelligent content analysis, rather than a URL-based blocklist approach to block malicious websites and prevent employees from accessing personal email and social networking sites.

SmoothWall product manager Tom Newton believes the popularity of SmoothWall’s security solutions can be attributed to their low price compared to alternatives from US-based companies.

“Most ‘big name’ security vendors are based in the US which means their solutions are priced in dollars,” Newton said.

“With a weak pound and diminishing IT budgets, UK-based companies are realising that they can get much better value for money by buying British-built technology from smaller but similarly competent UK-based vendors.”