Google scans web traffic for nasties

May 12, 2008 – 6:41 AM

Google’s new Web Security for Enterprise service enables companies in the US and Europe to safeguard their internet traffic with protection against viruses and spyware and malicious URLs. According to Google the system “powered by Postini, stops web-borne spyware and viruses before they infiltrate your network and compromise or disable your computers. All web requests are scanned in real-time, rather than solely relying on static URL lists …” Remote and roaming workers will allegedly be able to call into the company network more securely, even when they have to use untrusted connections in hotels, internet cafés and so on.

It is also rumoured on the internet that Google will join the data-exchange protocol for social networks on Monday. As Facebook’s Connect and Myspace’s Data Availability services already do, Google’s Friend Connect will allow exchange of users’ profile information, friendship lists, photographs and other personal data with other web services. Yahoo, eBay, Photobucket and Twitter are already on board as partners in social networks.

More common interfaces to social networks are being planned with other partners. In March Yahoo joined the OpenSocial initiative started by MySpace and Google, which has since been known as the OpenSocial Foundation. Common interfaces will be established within the foundation. Yahoo has also announced a radical opening up as part of the Yahoo Open Strategy and will be giving its offerings a “more social” slant.

Source: Heise Security