The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based security company announced Monday that its Web filter appliance now is designed to protect companies by blocking access to phishing Web sites and by warning users that they are trying to visit a Web page that could expose them to fraud and identity theft. The new feature is built into the Blue Coat WebFilter for Blue Coat Proxy SG.

"Phishing has become a lucrative vocation for criminals, and to date there has been very little standing in its way to thwart its success," said Bethany Mayer, a senior VP with Blue Coat Systems, in a statement. "Since the Web is constantly changing, it is important not to rely simply on protection from a static URL database. With new sites constantly popping up, the best protection for Web users comes from the ability to conduct real-time assessment and categorization."

Mayer noted that Blue Coat's technology is designed to analyze Web sites on the fly, rather than comparing a requested URL address against a database of known phishing sites. Fraudulent sites are created by the hundreds, if not by the thousands, every day. And legitimate sites are compromised by savvy cybertricksters just as frequently. Keeping a current database of known troublemakers is a tough job.

The Blue Coat Real-Time Anti-Phishing protection technology is built to assess the Web page being requested right as the user clicks on the link. If the page is not found in the Blue Coat WebFilter database, a query is then sent to a data center in Blue Coat Labs where the page is automatically analyzed in real time, according to the company. If the Web page is categorized as a phishing site, the appliance will block the requested Web page or warn the user.

The company reported that the entire process can be completed in 250 to 750 milliseconds.