eTrust's Secure Content Manager (SCM) is a gateway-based platform that provides policy-based anti-spam, anti-virus, Web URL filtering, and outbound E-mail content filtering and monitoring capabilities. For shops with a small number of users the product can be deployed on the same machine as the E-mail server; but the vendor generally recommends deployment to a separate server from the E-mail server.

The product is sold in two main flavors: The base eTrust SCM product, which includes the gateway-based content management and filtering capabilities described in this brief; and the eTrust SCM Suite, which includes the gateway-based filtering as well as the latest release of the vendor's eTrust Antivirus offering for anti-virus protection of desktops, servers, laptops, and PDAs.

With SCM, administrators can define enterprise-wide policies that automatically filter inbound or outbound E-mail content and Web URLs as well as define anti-spam controls. In the latest version, role-based administration and Active Directory integration is supported, allowing for the definition of filters for A/D users/groups.

Key capabilities and features of eTrust SCM include:

- Anti-virus scanning, via the eTrust SCM Antivirus Gateway. E-mail (SMTP) and Web (HTTP, FTP) traffic is scanned; with Web traffic specifically scanned for the presence of malicious Java applets and ActiveX controls. Compressed files are extracted for virus/work scanning of their contents, and infected E-mail attachments are stripped before delivery.

- Web URL filtering, which prevents users from visiting known categories of sites.

- Anti-Spam controls, including real-time block lists, keywords, and other content-based filters. According to the vendor, in the latest SCM release each message is subject to testing via up to 300,000 algorithms, with customizable administrator actions including blocking the message and quarantining.

- Outbound E-mail content filtering, based on administrator defined policies. In addition to the E-mail message itself, MS Word and Adobe PDF attachments can also be scanned.

- Reporting, including over 30 types of detail reports on user or sender activities.

Automated, daily updates to the anti-virus, anti-spam, and Web URL definitions are available from the vendor.

New in the latest release of eTrust SCM is the aforementioned Active Directory integration; four new anti-spam detection engines (sender "reputation," embedded URL filtering, malformed E-mail detection and an automatically updated evasion techniques dictionary); a real-time user accessible spam management interface that allows users to manage their own quarantined messages as well as add senders to their personal allow/deny lists; new (32) Web URL filtering categories, including one for known phishing/spyware sites; and the ability to setup "allow" lists such that any of the SCM filters (other than A/V scanning) are bypassed for those senders.

eTrust SCM is available now; pricing starts at $50/node. Contact CA for further information.