Recommendations for net monitoring (not filtering) software

[PrimaryTech]

Hi There,

 

I'm looking for recommendations for software that will monitor and log Internet activity on our network's desktops and iPads. We currently have filtering via SWGfL so I don't need a combined monitoring / filtering solution, just a piece of software that will log Internet activity per device with timestamps and usernames. The iPads are shared devices but each pupil has an iPad number assigned to them so as long as I can identify the date/time I should be able to tell who is using it. I'm happy to listen to different recommendations for PCs and iPads.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Michael]

Would be interested in this too.

[Steve21]

How's the rest of the network setup? Are you still using the standard Cisco/Juniper routers etc, or do you have your own core switch? ie. Where's DNS pointing etc?

 

Steve

[PrimaryTech]

Standard Cisco 881 router, clients DNS points to DC, DC then goes off to SWGfL proxies.

[PrimaryTech]

I found this last night: BrowsingHistoryView - View browsing history of your Web browsers, seems to be a decent tool, I'm playing with the CLI at them moment to see if it can be scripted...

[HPlum78]

If you already have the data you probably do not need to put another hop in your network, if you want some really good data tools I would say kibana see here -> https://www.elastic.co/products/kibana this is a really powerful tool if used correctly and has a lot of uses.

[crazycatlady1987]

We use Smoothwall e-Safe which is amazing, get online and offline stuff and don't have to sift through false positives. Found loads of stuff!!

[Fazza]

Hi There,

 

I'm looking for recommendations for software that will monitor and log Internet activity on our network's desktops and iPads.

 

What exactly are you wanting to monitor?

 

We use Impero and Policy Central Enterprise Edition for monitoring keywords on our computers and when it finds something you can get them to email out screenshots or even (via Impero) automatically ban a user until a teacher goes in an un-bans them. Both PCE and Impero provide their own keyword lists and you can add your own too. For PREVENT/radicalisation keywords we just monitor and a screenshot is taken and emailed to an exchange email group but for games keywords the window is closed so when the little rascals try to run a game in a spreadsheet etc. it closes the window so they cant!

[Cazale]

If you're wanting to monitor web access you could implement a local Squid webcache? You'd need to consider the IO/disk use overhead of logging every request, but it scales quite well (in that, the bigger the school/the more users you have, the better the benefit of having one).

 

There used to be a Microsoft Server that did something similar (ISA server, I think it became Forefront?). Not sure of the status of that now, I haven't used it for years, and it always seemed a little bloaty, in a "trying to be all things to all men" kind of way.

 

Are you wanting to monitor web access, or something else?

Edited May 25, 2016 by Cazale

[nathan]

Is changing internet providers an option? On Schools Broadband, we can get filtering reports. in fact i believe it's a requirement if your school want to achieve the e-safety award Edited May 25, 2016 by nathan

[PrimaryTech]

The Smoothwall and Impero solutions looks good, are any of you guys working in a Primary environment?

[PrimaryTech]

Is changing internet providers an option? On Schools Broadband, we can get filtering reports. in fact i believe it's a requirement if your school want to achieve the e-safety award

 

I need to look at what filtering information I can get out of SWGfL, one of the aims of getting monitoring software in place is for the 360Safe mark.

[Steve21]

There's supposed to be a new reporting suite being added to the Grid filtering. Might want to ask them where it is in the pipeline if that's all you wanted

 

Steve

[ICTICJTilson]

We were using Securus at one of our schools but they don't support iPads and spoken to esafe and they don't either. What is everything else using to monitor Internet traffic on their iOS devices?

[nathan]

We are currently using Future Digital (formally forensic software). They have there own IOS browser app which takes a snapshot but won't take a snapshot out of the app.

[Smoothwall_Christina]

@ICTICJTilson the Smoothwall Visigo monitoring service will have a client for Ipads come July, we currently cover PC and Mac and will have a Chromebook release in the next few months

[nathan]

@ICTICJTilson the Smoothwall Visigo monitoring service will have a client for Ipads come July, we currently cover PC and Mac and will have a Chromebook release in the next few months

Is that a standalone product or a addon?

[Michael]

Will it monitor all, or just a custom browser? Of course if it's just a browser only content within it will be monitored.

[nathan]

Will it monitor all, or just a custom browser? Of course if it's just a browser only content within it will be monitored.

Wouldn't of thought it would be possible on an ipad but maybe on android

[Michael]

It's definitely something that Apple need to get on board with. Safeguarding is a global issue, not just a Windows or other issue.

[synaesthesia]

It won't make them money, so not a chance they will even consider it.

[Michael]

It won't make them money, so not a chance they will even consider it.

 

Not so sure about that - the App could be purchased, just like any other and they take x amount of commission. I think it's a lot more complicated than that though and maybe something that would involve a significant change to iOS or maybe just their policies.

 

Even in a home context, monitoring your young child's browsing history is desirable for obvious reasons.

[Smoothwall_Christina]

Hi @nathan Visigo is a standalone product, you do not need our UTM or SWG in order have Visigo

[Smoothwall_Christina]

Will it monitor all, or just a custom browser? Of course if it's just a browser only content within it will be monitored.

 

Hi @Michael we looking into designing Visigo to pick up all keystrokes on ipad.

@timdalton our product manager is heading up the development of Visigo

[Michael]

Hi @Michael we looking into designing Visigo to pick up all keystrokes on ipad.

@timdalton our product manager is heading up the development of Visigo

 

Let us know when Apple punch you in the nose and say 'no' A keystoke App to detect all activity is something we've been shouting for, for years on iPads!

 

It's written in their T & C's they do not allow keystroking Apps.