With our new update to Kerio Control, I want to take a moment to discuss why businesses of all sizes should invest in Unified Threat Management to protect their networks instead of some low cost internet router with firewalling capabilities.

1. Deterrence - Using Network Address Translation in a basic router/firewall as opposed to nothing at all is the better option, just as a shop with a lock on its door is more secure than one without. But security cameras and alarms are better still, especially from a deterrent perspective. The better the security, the higher the barrier for black hats; the law of diminishing return applies to crackers like everyone else.
2. Credit Cards - Many small businesses may feel that they are protected by the security of obscurity. What could some hacker want with my meager business?, they may ask. Credit card information is the most obvious answer, and most businesses accept them as some form of payment these days. But, it is not just their customers' payment card details; the bigger threat is to their employees. Most attacks prey on the business's connected users through phishing schemes. Providing a safe working environment is important, even online. Advanced filtering tools keep employees safe and productive.
3. Long term cost is low - Spending an extra $1000 on network security for 25 employes adds up to less than the cost of a daily latte over the course of the year but can be worth 100 times as much in terms of liabilities and lost productivity.

This week's update of Kerio Control builds off our most recent release to include bandwidth throttling based on HTTP rules. With Kerio Web Filter in use, traffic can be prioritzed according to entire categories of websites in addition to individual domains. The update is free to all licensees of Kerio Control and Kerio Control Box with a current maintenance subscription and can be downloaded here.