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Forefront Security for Office Communications Server has many capabilities that help protect instant messaging communications. Forefront Security for Office Communications Server provides:
Comprehensive Protection
Feature
Description
Includes multiple anti-virus engines in a single solution
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server includes multiple scanning engines from industry-leading security partners to detect the latest viruses, worms, and spyware-no additional licenses required. Each engine includes unique signature and/or heuristic detection technologies, and the Forefront Security for Office Communications Server engine set is proven to provide faster detection rates for new threats than single-engine solutions (AVtest.org). Forefront Security for Office Communications Server automatically downloads the latest signatures and chooses the optimal combination of selected engines to use, helping to ensure a high level of protection and reducing the window of exposure to any given threat.
Blocks conversations containing inappropriate content
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server can help reduce company liability by using keyword filtering to prevent sharing of unauthorized corporate confidential information or offensive language.
Prevents the transfer of dangerous file types
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server has configurable file filtering rules that help customers eliminate file types that are known for carrying viruses (for example, .exe files) and can identify threatening files even if the file extension has been changed.
Eliminates single point of failure
Diversity of anti-virus engines across messaging servers and client devices protects against a single point of failure in your IT environment. Forefront Security for Office Communications Server incorporates a multiple engine manager to help ensure that if one engine fails or goes offline to update, other engines continue to protect your messaging environment without delaying IM traffic.
Integrated Security
Maximizes detection without impacting performance
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server allows administrators to balance the security and performance needs of their specific environment by providing performance bias controls that manage the percentage of engines used on specific servers or in specific circumstances. Performance is also maximized by using in-memory scanning—much more efficient than more traditional techniques (such as spooling to disk)—along with multi-threaded scanning that increases mail throughput by enabling the software to analyze multiple messages simultaneously.
Optimizes antivirus scanning for Office Communications Server 2007
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server integrates with the Office Communications Server server application API to efficiently intercept messages for scanning before allowing Office Communications Server to send them onto their intended recipient. Forefront Security for Office Communications Server can parse, scan, and reroute instant messages without users perceiving any significant delay in message delivery. Forefront Security for Office Communications Server also ensures that, across pooled Office Communications Server environments in both the internal and perimeter networks, messages are scanned only once, helping to eliminate redundant scans and maximize performance.
Integrates with multiple server roles for layered protection
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server integrates with the Access Edge, Director, and Front End server roles in Office Communications Server 2007 Enterprise Edition, as well as the Office Communications Server Standard Edition Server role, providing layered protection at multiple points in your instant messaging infrastructure.
Protects federated connections and public IM users
By integrating with Office Communications Server Access Edge, Forefront Security for Office Communications Server ensures that all external communications—including those to and from public IM clients or federated networks—are scanned for malware.
Simplified Management
Built-in administrator console
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server includes a built-in console that allows administrators to configure settings, schedule updates, and review logs locally or remotely. Administrators familiar with Forefront Security for Exchange Server will find a similar interface, policy structure, and general options, making it easy to create consistent messaging security policies for both their IM and e-mail.
One-stop automated updates
Through its Rapid Update process, Microsoft monitors all scan-engine vendor Web sites for updates, downloads and validates new engine versions and signatures as they become available, and then posts them online for Forefront Security for Office Communications Server to automatically download and install. No IT involvement is needed to keep all the engines and signatures up to date.
Allows user-based exceptions for filtering
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server allows administrators to exclude specific users from filtering rules with allow lists. For example, the CEO and CFO may be allowed to IM about a confidential corporate acquisition code name, but all other conversations containing the code name would be automatically blocked.
Notifies administrators and users of out-of-policy activity
Forefront Security for Office Communications Server allows administrators to configure notifications that will alert both the user and the administrator of out-of-policy activity. Notifications are sent via an IM message to users or an e-mail message to administrators when a content policy has been violated or an infected document has been sent.
Migration protection
Customers who purchase Forefront Security for Office Communications Server to help protect Office Communications Server 2007 will also be licensed to use Antigen for Instant Messaging to protect their Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 environments. This helps to ensure that the entire messaging environment is protected during migration to Office Communications Server 2007.
Features
