Cyber Sentinel

Pros: Installation was easy, fast and did not require a reboot. Cyber Sentinel integrates with your Windows user accounts. Unique Screen Capture feature, allows administrators to view exactly what the user was viewing during the violation.

Cons: No password recovery (warning: don't forget it.) Easily bypassed and removed. Email notifications require SMTP server (doesn't work for basic yahoo and hotmail accounts). Interface is not intuitive and can be confusing. Limited user profile customization. Extremely easy to bypass.

Summary
Cyber Sentinel’s Internet filter had several great features including: screen captures, time restrictions, application blocking and windows user integration. It was not the most intutive and somewhat confusing to use.
Cyber Sentinel blocked only 20% of the objectionable websites tested and Over-blocked on 40% of the “safe” websites tested.
The reporting/monitoring tools are very basic and need a lot of work. Although the product has no password recovery Cyber Sentinel is extremely easy to bypass and remove.

Installation/Setup
Cyber Sentinel 3.4 was very easy to download and install. With a footprint of 18.9MB it took several minutes to download on a Broadband connection (May take 20-30 minutes on dial-up).


You are prompted to create an Administrator's password (don't forget this, there is no password recovery) and to enter your license key. Cyber Sentinel comes preconfigured to filter with its default settings and will automatically detect the windows user accounts.


Management
Cyber Sentinel automaticaly creates a default group adding all of your windows user accounts with default settings. You can access the main console from your Start menu or by clicking the Cyber Sentinel icon in your system tray (beside your computer clock). The main console is not very user friendly or intuitive.


From the Main Console Administrators can view screen captures, see a list of blocked websites, view chat conversation details, configure your filter mode, manage time restrictions, create a custom list of objectionalbe words and websites, set-up email notifications and manage user profiles.


Accuracy
Cyber Sentinel filters based on two lists of words and phrases: One is a built-in Library of objectionable words and the other a Child Predator Library. You have the choice to me "More" or "Less restrictive", create your own library of words, warn users of potentialy objectionable websites, close the browser, create a screen caputure and/or to secretly monitor online activity (stealth mode).

We tested 2 lists of websites including: adult image searches, MySpace.com accounts, Hate oriented websites, websites that promote hacking, drug use, gambling, adult humor, etc…

iShield

Pros: iShield was very easy to install and requires no configuration. Easy to manage and configure. Ability to create a personal list of allowed or objectionable websites. Can be used to block objectionable websites/images, warn or to monitor internet activity.

Cons: Limited features, functionality and customization. No multiple user customization. Very limited feature set: No p2p, chat, newsgroup blocking. Reporting is very limited. Images and websites will sometimes load before iShield can detect and block them. Can slow computer performance.

Summary
iShield was the only product we tested that could block specific images, although it would usualy display the image before it would accuratly block it. iShield's more notable features include giving administrators the ability to create a list of allowable and objectionable websites, create a custom image and/or monitor internet activity.

iShield however was lacking in other areas including: No custom user profiles, very limited reporting abilities, no application blocking or filtering, and many more.

Overall iShield was simple to use and easy to manage. It correctly blocked only 35% of the pornographic websites/images visited but only overblocked on 25%.

Installation/Setup
iShield was very easy to download and install. With a footprint of 4.05MB it took about a minute to download with a Broadband connection (May take 2-3 minutes on dial-up). Installation is simple and requires no configuration or restart, you will be required to close your Internet browser before iShield can take effect.


Once installation has completed you are asked to enter your registration number, email address, and to create a password. iShield will begin filtering websites with its default settings and no further configuration is required.


Management
iShield gives administrators the ability to change your password, adjust filter sensetivity, change detection mode (block, warn, monitor), create a list of allowed and/or objectionable websites and view internet activity reports. All settings are applied to the computer and are not user specific.

iShield's reporting tool will show website blocked and the Date/Time the website was visited. From here you can open the blocked website, delete the record, and add it to the "Black" or "White" list. In addition to the above mentioned iShile also allows you to replace iShield's default blocked image with any image saved on your hard-drive (jpeg, gif, png, bmp).


Accuracy
Administrators are given the choice to Block objectionable websites (redirect), Warn users of objectionable websites, or to monitor website activity. iShield's sensitivity can be adujsted to be Safe, Safer or Safest.

With iShield we test 2 different lists of websits including: adult image searches, MySpace.com accounts, lingere, swimsuits, toys, cars, etc…

Web Watcher

Pros: WebWatcher was easy to install and makes it even easier by scanning your computer for known incompatibilities. Remote administration (manage WebWatcher from any internet connection), Screen captures, keystroke logging, and email monitoring.

Cons: Filtering is not enabled by default and requires some setup. Can slow computer performance, easily removed, no multiple user customization, and poor Internet filtering capabilities (black list only).

Summary
WebWatcher was one of the most robust monitoring tools we reviewed. It allows administrators to monitor email, chat, keystrokes, and websites. All settings and reports are viewed via WebWatcher’s remote website allowing administrators to manage from virtually any Internet connection.

Although you cannot create multiple user profiles and its Internet filtering capabilities are not the most robust, you can create a list of websites or keywords to block on. WebWatcher can be uninstalled easily as it is not password protected. In fact some anti-spyware products will detect it and easily remove it from your computer.

Installation/Setup
WebWatcher was very easy to download and install. With a footprint of 2.53MB it took less than a minute to download with a Broadband connection (May take 2-3 minutes on dial-up). Also, WebWatcher will automatically scan your computer for known compatibility issues.


You are then prompted to enter your username and password. Once entered installation will smoothly complete. It is not necessary but recommended that you restart your computer. You are then notified with a message that you can manage your settings by logging-in at www.webwatcherdata.com.

Management
WebWatcher is set to monitor email, chat, keystrokes, websites, and capture screenshots by default. It is not however, set to block objectionable websites by default. WebWatcher is ideal as a monitoring tool but not as an Internet filter. Its filtering settings permit customization for only a single user but do allow you to block on keywords and/or websites.

In addition to monitoring email (web-based and outlook), chat conversations, keystrokes, and websites visited WebWatcher also has a unique alert feature that will take a picture of the screen when specific words are typed or viewed (user specified). It remains hidden while monitoring but can easily be detected and removed with most anti-spyware utilities.

Accuracy
WebWatcher comes with a small list of websites and keywords composed of such categories as: Adult, Cheating, Employment, Gambling, Profanity, Sexual, Violence, Drugs, Dating, and Children. Administrators can add and remove websites and keywords as they see fit.

We tested 2 lists of websites including: adult image searches, MySpace.com accounts, Hate oriented websites, websites that promote hacking, drug use, gambling, adult humor, etc…