Untangle offers a collection of software security utilities--including anti-spam, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and URL filtering, to name a few--specifically for SMBs. The base software platform and all of the individual utilities are free for networks that consist of 10 or less computers; pre-loaded server appliances are also available for a fee (see below for details).

The base Untangle platform is offered as a soft appliance--the customer downloads a software image, burns it to their own CD, and then boots that CD on a dedicated server--or as pre-loaded server appliances in standard (up to 250 users) or extended performance flavors. For those who choose to load the platform on their own hardware, the vendor recommends a 2.0+ Ghz processor, 1 GB of memory, a 40+ GB drive, bootable CD-ROM, and at least two 10/100 Ethernet NICs. The base server is installed inline at the network gateway (just behind or in front of the cable/DSL modem), and can be deployed in bridge or router modes.

Once the base server platform is installed, the customer can use the server's GUI to login to the vendor's online store, where they can click, download, and activate any mix and match selection of the vendor's available security utilities that they choose to implement on their server. The available utilities represent a combination of both pre-configured open source and Untangle proprietary technologies, and currently include:

- Virus Blocker, signature-based scanning based on ClamAV or Global Hauri. Features include the ability to scan inbound and/or outbound traffic by type (SMTP, POP, IMAP, HTTP, and FTP protocols supported); support for archive scanning (ZIP, RAR, etc.); and support for scanning controls specific to traffic type (for example, HTTP traffic scanning is configurable by file extension or MIME type)

- Spam Blocker, based on SpamAssassin. Messages can be marked and/or quarantined; with quarantine digest lists supported.

- Web Content Control, based on URL categorization from URLBlacklist.com.

- Spyware Blocker, based on ClamAV.

- Identity Theft Blocker, anti-phishing utility also based on ClamAV. Scans SMTP, POP, and IMAP traffic.

Other utilities currently available include Protocol Control (for blocking of specified P2P traffic), Remote Access Portal (browser-based SSL-VPN access to Intranet apps), OpenVPN (client-based SSL VPN, based on OpenVPN), Intrusion Prevention (based on Snort), Attack Blocker (for blocking DoS attacks based on host computer behavior profiling), Firewall, Untangle Reports (activity and traffic reporting), and Router (DHCP, NAT, DNS, etc.).

New to the Untangle platform is the vendor's anti-pharming technology (preventing users from logging in to scam Web sites that pretend to be commercial sites, such as banking or credit card sites). The anti-pharming features are included as part of the Identity Theft Blocker utility.

The Untangle software platform and its full complement of utilities is free for networks with 10 or less computers. For networks with 11-30 computers pricing is $75/month; while 31 or more computers are priced at $195/month. Those prices are for all the software utilities as a bundled offering; the utilities are also available individually with separate price tags for each (though the Virus Blocker, Intrusion Prevention, Untangle Reports, Attack Blocker, OpenVPN, Firewall, and Router utilities are free in all configurations for unlimited computers).

Purchasing of the product as a pre-loaded appliance incurs an additional one-time fee of $895 (a performance upgrade is available for an additional $200), with the 24-hour replacement service priced at $25/month.

Visit the Untangle Web site for further information.