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v9.6.6.c Release Notes for CyBlock Software & Virtual Appliance Release Notes

Category: Release Notes

Enhancements

  • Secure Communication
    • Added communication client to talk to Wavecrest App Center.
      • Added communication for requesting evaluation license for Reporting modules (Firewall, O365,etc etc).
  • Reporting
    • Templates
      • When creating audit section and sorting by Bytes, order by Bytes descending instead of default of Date ascending.

Corrections

  • Reports
    • Fixed the total row in the Top Classifications table in Site Analysis report to display the word Total instead of Neutral.

v9.6.6.c Release Notes for Cyfin

Category: Release Notes

Enhancements

  • Secure Communication
    • Added communication client to talk to Wavecrest App Center.
      • Added communication for requesting evaluation license for Reporting modules (Firewall, O365,etc etc).
  • Reporting
    • Templates
      • When creating audit section and sorting by Bytes, order by Bytes descending instead of default of Date ascending.
  • Log Configurations
    • Updated FortiGate parser to properly handle Web session logging in FortiGate where multiple URLs are visited during a single session. Byte field is calculated for each request during the session (if present). 
  • Firewall Reporting
    • Templates
      • Added FortiGate option for Data Type in Report Templates to create sections for FortiGate firewall data.
  • Data Management
    • Log Data Setup
      • Updated configuration wizard to allow customer to choose Wavecrest categories or the categories contained in the device log (if present).
      • Added ability to enable or disable firewall data collection.
        • If License upgrade is required for Firewall module, a link is provided to request a free trial using new Secure Communication component.
      • Added ability to define timezone when no timezone is configured in the device log.

Corrections

  • Reports
    • Fixed the total row in the Top Classifications table in Site Analysis report to display the word Total instead of Neutral.

Best Practices in Monitoring Employee Web Activity: The Role of Cyfin

Category: Best Practices

Introduction

In today’s digital workplace, understanding and monitoring employee web activity is not just a matter of assessing productivity; it’s about ensuring security, compliance, and optimal use of resources. This document explores best practices in monitoring employee web activity, with a focus on the capabilities of Cyfin, a leading tool in this domain.

Defining ‘Activity’ in the Workplace

‘Activity’ in the context of employee web use encompasses a range of digital behaviors – from browsing patterns to the use of online tools and platforms. It’s vital to differentiate between productive activities that contribute to business objectives and non-productive activities that may pose risks or waste resources.

The Importance of Monitoring Employee Web Activity

Monitoring employee web activity is crucial for several reasons:

  • Ensuring Productivity: By understanding how employees use the web, organizations can optimize workflows and eliminate inefficiencies.
  • Protecting Company Resources: Monitoring helps in preventing the misuse of company resources and maintaining operational security.
  • Legal and Compliance Adherence: It ensures that employee web usage complies with relevant laws and industry regulations.

Cyfin’s Key Features

Cyfin stands out for its robust capabilities in monitoring and reporting employee web activity. Key features include:

  • Detailed Investigations: Cyfin excels in investigating web usage, offering insights into both regular and anomalous activities.
  • Activity Categorization: It categorizes web use into productive and non-productive, aiding in the analysis of employee efficiency.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: The tool provides clear and detailed reports, making it easier for management to understand web usage patterns.

Investigation and Analysis

Through Cyfin, organizations can conduct in-depth investigations into web activity, identifying potential security threats or policy violations. This level of analysis is critical in understanding employee behavior and safeguarding against various risks.

Data-Driven Policy Making

The insights provided by Cyfin are invaluable in shaping company policies related to web use. Policies can be tailored based on actual data, leading to more effective management and regulation of employee web activity.

Legal and Security Implications

Understanding employee web activity through Cyfin helps in identifying potential legal and security liabilities, such as data breaches or non-compliance with regulations. This knowledge is vital for proactive risk management.

Balancing Monitoring with Privacy

It’s important to balance the need for monitoring with respecting employee privacy. This includes being transparent about monitoring practices and ensuring compliance with legal standards for employee monitoring.

Best Practices in Implementation

For effective implementation of Cyfin or similar tools, organizations should:

  • Obtain necessary permissions and ensure legal compliance.
  • Train relevant teams on using and interpreting the monitoring data.
  • Regularly review and update the monitoring process.

Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

Finally, it’s important to continually assess and improve the monitoring process. As technologies and workplace dynamics evolve, so should the strategies for monitoring employee web activity.

Conclusion

Effective monitoring of employee web activity is key to maintaining a productive, secure, and compliant workplace. Tools like Cyfin play a crucial role in achieving these objectives, offering detailed insights and aiding in informed decision-making.

Maximizing Workplace Efficiency and Security: The Role of Employee Web-Use Monitoring Tools

Category: Best Practices

In today’s digital-first workplace, understanding and managing employee web usage is not just about ensuring productivity; it’s about safeguarding company assets and fostering a responsible work environment. Implementing a robust tool like Cyfin for web-use monitoring can play a pivotal role in achieving these objectives. Here’s how:

Uncovering Insights into Employee Behavior:

  • Cyfin and similar tools go beyond basic monitoring; they provide deep insights into employee behavior. By analyzing web usage patterns, employers can identify trends and behaviors that might go unnoticed. This includes identifying excessive non-work-related browsing or potential security breaches.
  • Such tools use sophisticated algorithms to differentiate between work-related and personal web usage, offering a more nuanced understanding of how employees engage with the internet during work hours.

Enhancing Investigative Capabilities:

  • In scenarios where there’s a need for an investigation, whether it’s for a security incident or compliance issue, having the right tool is indispensable. Cyfin offers detailed, accurate logs and reports that can be crucial in forensic investigations.
  • The ability to swiftly identify the source of a security breach or inappropriate usage can save a company from significant financial and reputational damage.

Boosting Productivity Through Data-Driven Insights:

  • By accurately measuring and reporting on employee web usage, tools like Cyfin enable organizations to optimize their workforce. They can identify underutilized resources or overburdened employees, allowing for better workload distribution.
  • This data-driven approach helps in making informed decisions about policy changes, training needs, or infrastructural improvements.

Ensuring Compliance and Ethical Monitoring:

  • In an era where compliance with data protection regulations is paramount, Cyfin aids in ensuring that an organization’s monitoring practices are legally compliant.
  • These tools are designed to respect employee privacy while still providing the necessary oversight. This dual focus is critical in maintaining trust within the organization and adhering to legal standards.

Adapting to Evolving Cybersecurity Threats:

  • As cybersecurity threats evolve, having a tool that can adapt and respond to new types of risks is vital. Cyfin and similar tools are regularly updated to handle emerging threats, ensuring that an organization’s defenses are always up to date.

Employee Engagement and Policy Development:

  • Contrary to popular belief, monitoring tools can actually enhance employee engagement. By involving employees in the development of web-use policies and educating them about the benefits of monitoring, employers can foster a culture of mutual respect and understanding.
  • Tools like Cyfin provide the data necessary to develop fair and effective policies, creating a more secure and productive work environment.

In conclusion, the implementation of a sophisticated employee web-use monitoring tool like Cyfin is not just a means to an end. It’s a strategic decision that can yield a multitude of benefits. From enhancing investigative capabilities and ensuring compliance to identifying actual human behavior and optimizing productivity, the right tool can transform how a company navigates the complexities of the digital age.

v9.6.6.a Release Notes for CyBlock Appliance

Category: Release Notes

Enhancements

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Updated libraries used by Report Template to eliminate potential vulnerabilities. 
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Updated libraries used by visualizer to eliminate potential vulnerabilities.

Corrections

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Corrected issue with running reports on nested groups where users from a subgroup would not be included in report.
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Corrected issue with editing a panel where the bar chart previews would not render.

v9.6.6 Release Notes for CyBlock Software & Virtual Appliance Release Notes

Category: Administration

Enhancements

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Updated libraries used by Report Template to eliminate potential vulnerabilities. 
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Updated libraries used by visualizer to eliminate potential vulnerabilities.

Corrections

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Corrected issue with running reports on nested groups where users from a subgroup would not be included in report.
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Corrected issue with editing a panel where the bar chart previews would not render.

v9.6.6.a Release Notes for Cyfin

Category: Release Notes

Enhancements

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Updated libraries used by Report Template to eliminate potential vulnerabilities. 
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Updated libraries used by visualizer to eliminate potential vulnerabilities.

Corrections

  • Reports
    • Templates
      • Corrected issue with running reports on nested groups where users from a subgroup would not be included in report.
    • Dashboard
      • Visualizer
        • Corrected issue with editing a panel where the bar chart previews would not render.

Understanding Behavior Analytics: Hits, Visits, and Sessions

Category: Best Practices

In Behavior analytics, “Hits,” “Visits,” and “Sessions” are fundamental metrics that build on each other. Here’s an explanation that reflects their interrelated nature:

Hits

  • Definition: A ‘Hit’ refers to any record stored for a unique user interaction with a website.
  • Details: This includes every element (like images, JavaScript files, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), embedded objects) loaded or interacted with on a webpage. Each element counts as a separate ‘Hit’. Notably, these elements might not always be loaded from the website’s primary domain; often, they are served from another domain, such as a Content Delivery Network (CDN), which is common for media files and scripts.
  • Example: Loading a single web page that includes five images and two JavaScript files from a CDN, along with one CSS file from the primary domain, would result in eight hits.

Visits

  • Definition: A ‘Visit’ represents each individual interaction a user has while on a website or online application.
  • Details: This is measured by user actions that lead to new page loads or significant interactions within the same page. Each distinct action, like a click leading to a new page or a notable change on the current page, is counted as a separate visit.
  • Example: A user clicks on a link to open a new page, and then another link to visit a different section, with each action counted as an individual visit.

Sessions

  • Definition: A ‘Session’ encompasses a series of visits by a user within a specific timeframe.
  • Details: It begins when a user first accesses a website or application and ends after a period of inactivity or user logout. A session includes all visits (and therefore, all hits) made during that period.
  • Example: A user visits a website, browsing through different pages (each page view is a visit), and then logs into an online application. All the activities, including website browsing and interactions within the online application until the user logs out or becomes inactive, constitute a single session.