Managing and controlling internet usage: greater security and productivity for your company!

Nowadays, a large number of professionals use the internet during their workday to perform their tasks; this is the reality in the workplace today, in both large and small and medium-sized companies.

Just as technology, systems, and high connectivity contribute to the execution of activities in companies, the misuse of technology and the internet can generate numerous problems and even losses for companies, especially regarding information security breaches, which can lead to data loss. Wasted time, lack of focus at work, and low team productivity are also increasingly common problems in the workplace.

Research shows that employees can spend up to 30% of their workday online for personal activities. Meanwhile, expenses related to information security breaches increased by 35% in the last year for companies, according to research by PwC. Not to mention the growing risk of ransomware attacks, which drew worldwide attention on May 12th and are intensifying.

The main gateway for security incidents such as ransomware attacks is users, who end up clicking on links in fake or malicious emails, allowing viruses to install themselves.

Regarding the lack of focus and low productivity of employees, there are many forms of distraction on the internet during work, including access to social networks, use of smartphones, access to personal email, instant messaging systems such as WhatsApp, shopping sites, games, entertainment, and much more.

In a survey we conducted here at Lumiun Tecnologia, analyzing approximately 280 million internet access records from 2,000 professionals across 50 companies throughout Brazil during 2016, we found that Facebook alone accounts for 14.5% of internet access in companies, communication services like Skype and WhatsApp represent 10%, and content sites like Globo.com and UOL 7.3%. The survey also showed that 2% of all accesses are to potentially harmful websites, demonstrating how vulnerable companies are to information security incidents and data loss. The complete survey is available for download .

In this context, it is crucial that IT directors and managers monitor the productivity of their team and employees and seek to implement a policy for the safe and productive use of the internet within their company. This involves first educating professionals about security and productivity risks, and then using solutions that allow them to monitor what is being accessed and define access rules when necessary.

The benefits generated by good internet usage management in companies are numerous:

• Security and protection against threats on the internet.
• Reduced risk of data loss and problems with viruses.
• Reducing team time wasted on the internet
• Increased productivity, quality, and focus on tasks.
• Reducing expenses on equipment maintenance.
• [Reports with information and data on internet usage]
• Improved performance of network, systems and technology resources.

In the market, there are numerous services available for security and control of internet usage in companies, such as proxy/squid solutions with Linux servers, pfSense , and appliance solutions like SonicWall , Fortinet FortiGate , and many others. However, most solutions demand high investment, significant involvement of specialized technical professionals, and require constant maintenance, updates, and support. This makes these solutions expensive and often unfeasible, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

Considering this scenario and the need for SMEs to optimize team productivity online and maintain secure network usage, Lumiun Tecnologia offers an accessible and simplified internet usage management solution for small and medium-sized businesses. The service is entirely cloud-based and offers a strong advantage in ease of implementation and management.

We have listed some of the main features and advantages of Lumiun:

• Quick and easy installation and setup.
• No need to purchase equipment or servers.
• No need for equipment maintenance or software updates.
• No need to install or configure network equipment.
• No cost for a specialized professional for maintenance and support.
• Cloud-based management, accessible via the internet from anywhere or any device.

Along with ease of management, the service has features that allow for complete and flexible management of internet access in companies, enabling efficient management of internet usage in a very simple, practical, and quite accessible way.

With this service, it's possible to implement different internet access policies. For example, to block inappropriate content such as pornography, social media, or games, simply check the "Block access" button for the desired category. Rules can be flexible, by user, device, and time. Furthermore, the system generates detailed and analytical reports on network usage, allowing managers to make informed decisions to make internet use safer and more productive within their company.

We have also listed some of the solution's main features:

• Access rules by content categories and specific websites.
• Access rules by user groups or equipment.
• Defining release schedules by content category and specific websites.
• Traffic speed control by groups and users.
• Protection against access to harmful websites and online threats.
• Internet access with user authentication
• Wi-Fi feature, with integrated management in the control panel.
• Integrated management of multiple networks or units.

The implementation and configuration of the service is quite simple, and can be done even by users without technical IT knowledge. All management is done through a cloud-based control panel, which has a very simple and intuitive interface and can be accessed from any location or device. The service is offered in different plans and subscription methods to meet the diverse needs of managers and companies in Brazil.

More information and details about the benefits and features are available on the Lumiun website. You can request an online demonstration to learn all the details of the solution. For testing and contracting, contact Lumiun consultants .

Here on our blog, we provide content for company directors and IT managers who are looking to better protect themselves against internet threats, optimize IT governance, and improve employee productivity.