While overzealous use of web filtering software can actually have a negative impact on employee morale and productivity, the appropriate use of the technology can not only improve worker productivity but also reduce – or even eliminate – costs companies down the road. The return on investment (ROI) gained by adopting web filtering software before a major problem occurs is significant.

Using the software to keep network users from visiting questionable websites (such as pornography or illegal material) can keep employees focused on work, and it also eliminates any liability issues employers may face by having such material on their premises. The technology can also keep employees from posting company data to the web, containing data leakage issues before they become a problem.

Although heavy restrictions based on individual words can make an employee less productive (for instance, blocking any site that uses the word “sex” may eliminate access to websites necessary for doing business – particularly if you might have clients or partners in Essex or Sussex), appropriate restrictions can keep workers away from sites containing viruses, spyware or other malware.

The overall costs to businesses related to malware are huge. A 2007 Computer Economics report found that the direct costs to businesses related to malware infections were $13.3 billion in 2006, but that doesn't include indirect damages (which Computer Economics said are on the rise). An errant visit to an infected website could open the corporate network's floodgates to malicious software, hackers and cyber-criminals. Preventative measures like web filtering technology are certainly cheaper than the costs associated with cleaning up an infection.

These costs aren't associated only with large corporations, either. Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face the same security risks, and while it may seem like good financial sense to skip the costs of web filtering software, it's only beneficial in the short-term. The costs associated with removing malware, recovering data, replacing infected machines, lost productivity while the employee's computer is being repaired and downtime are far more than the cost of the web filtering technology (which an SMB is going to want to invest in after they've been a victim of a malware infection, anyway). The costs of losing sensitive corporate and customer data to cyber-criminals are even more.

Take note of what malware infections and data losses have cost large corporations – even just in bad press. Don't run the risk of seeing your company's name dragged through the mud, potentially losing existing and future customers. Invest in web filtering technology before the damage is done. The return on investment may seem intangible until you've found yourself clearing up a malware infection, but the initial costs of prevention are far lower than those associated with reacting to an attack on your corporate network.

Additional Reading:

http://www.gfi.com/whitepapers/GFI-Web_Based_Threats_v2_Whitepaper.pdf

http://www.allspammedup.com/2009/10/taking-control-of-the-risks/