Websense has announced that bit.ly, a leading URL shortening service for Web 2.0 sites and for micro-blogging services like Twitter and Tweetdeck, will leverage the Websense ThreatSeeker Cloud to analyze and categorize the Web sites and content and protect end-users from emerging Web 2.0 threats.
The carrier-grade Websense ThreatSeeker Cloud is a security-as-a-service that delivers Web, data and email security intelligence to third-party solution providers like bit.ly and others, through the proven cloud-based infrastructure that powers all Websense content security products, including on-premise and security-as-a-service Web security gateway, email security and data loss prevention solutions.
“bit.ly is one of the largest sharing services on the Web, with millions of shortened URLs created every day,” said Andrew Cohen, bit.ly's General Manager.
"With the Websense security-as-a-service API powering our security intelligence, we will be able to better serve our customers and enable their use of Web 2.0 social media technology while protecting them from the latest threats,” Cohen added.
In the cloud, Websense will conduct full content analysis for the IP sources, Web sites and Web content behind bit.ly links, including categorization and reputation analysis of the URL, property type, lexical and search reputation, history, age, geography, neighbouring properties and more. In addition to providing security and classification intelligence to bit.ly users, users will now be able to report spam to abuse@bit.ly and have their feedback become part of the classification and threat protection for all Websense subscribers.
