Center Parcs filters access for internet workers

Holiday resort firm Center Parcs UK is using web-filtering technology to improve IT security and reduce support time.

The company's 800 internet users at its four UK resorts are now far less likely to access inappropriate web content following the installation of SurfControl's web-filtering technology.

By customising the SurfControl Web Filter, Center Parcs has reduced the time that IT staff spend adapting employee access rights so they can view competitor leisure sites blocked by traditional web-filtering settings.

'The new system will assist HR policy and improve our internal security policy,' said Brian Scanlon, security administrator at Center Parcs.

The company has also improved security by blocking access to inappropriate sites, stopping downloads of malicious software and access to spoof phishing sites, says Scanlon.

'It is protecting our employees as well as the business and our network infrastructure,' he said.

'Since we have been running the filters we have seen a huge reduction in attempts to access, either inadvertently or on purpose, inappropriate material.

'We have also been able to lock down many of the download and malicious hacking sites.'

SurfControl's web-filtering technology has been tailored to fit with Microsoft's Internet Security Acceleration 2004 platform, which Center Parcs uses to provide extra application-layer firewall, virtual private network and web-caching protection.

Center Parcs UK took over management of its customer web site and IT infrastructure in 2003, after its Dutch parent company decided to switch maintenance of technology to the UK.

'When we first took over it was clear that there were transgressions in our internet security policy. Since then we have added multiple layers of protection,' said Scanlon.