Proxy appliance deploys URL filtering and blocking With concerns about spyware rapidly mounting, Blue Coat Systems is introducing a proxy appliance to combat the problem.Blue Coat System’s Gateway Anti-Spyware product aims to block spyware installations, prevent spyware agents from “calling home,” and identify infected computers.“With spyware, many times employees don’t know they’re downloading the software, so they aren’t even aware of the harm they could be doing,” said Chris King, product marketing manager for Blue Coat Systems. Blue Coat’s proxy appliance combines spyware detection at the Internet gateway and the desktop by supporting and enhancing performance of URL filtering and anti-virus spyware blocking. It also conducts a granular inspection of Web communication at the user-level to block spyware installation attempts.Peter Firstbrook, senior program director at Meta Group, said Blue Coat’s policy editor is one of the more sophisticated antispyware products on the market. “People are looking for answers because this problem is impacting business,” he said. Cisco Systems and Network Appliance are also leaders in providing anti-spyware solutions, he said. SecurityMalware