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CheckPoint Software > Case Studies > Empowering Disabled Adults with Safe Internet Access: A Case Study of The Freedom Centre

Empowering Disabled Adults with Safe Internet Access: A Case Study of The Freedom Centre

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
Networks & Connectivity - Network Management & Analysis Software

Applicable Industries

National Security & Defense
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Tamper Detection

Services

Cybersecurity Services
System Integration

The Challenge

The Freedom Centre, a charity and day center for physically disabled people in Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom, wanted to offer Internet-related experiences to its members. The trustees believed that the Internet could be a valuable tool for people with disabilities, helping them extend their scope and increase interaction with the world. With a grant from the National Lottery, the center bought two high-capacity PCs, a printer, and software to work on the Internet, and added classes using the Internet, e-mail, and website design for both recreational and research purposes. However, with the expanded independence that the Internet offered, concerns arose about protecting a vulnerable group from offensive, dangerous, and inappropriate inbound and outbound contacts. The Center Trustees also worried about the potential negative repercussions with donors if member-clients were found to be accessing inappropriate web content.

About The Customer

The Freedom Centre is an independent charity and day center for physically disabled people located in Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom. The center serves more than 50 member-clients with a wide range of physical disabilities, including stroke and car accident victims, and people born with disabilities such as cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Some also have speech, sight, and hearing restrictions. The Centre offers classes at members’ requests, such as foreign languages, mathematics, English, and computer courses, all in a highly supportive, caring environment. The Centre strives to give people the maximum possible freedom within the constraints of their disabilities.

The Solution

To address these concerns, a computer expert volunteering at the Centre recommended that the Center Trustees contract with a network security firm to implement an affordable solution that would prevent members from accessing undesirable web sites, keep email viruses out, and provide a firewall against unwelcome intrusions. The Centre worked with Etanda, a local consultancy specializing in security, to implement this solution. Etanda specialists recommended a Check Point Safe@Office appliance connected to a broadband Pipex ADSL link at the center, under remote management through Check Point’s Security Management Portal (SMP) on Etanda’s central server. This combination provided both scalability and ease of management at a very affordable price. Through the Safe@Office and SMP combination, Etanda could offer a very effective service at a very affordable price.

Operational Impact

The implementation of the Check Point Safe@Office appliance and the Security Management Portal (SMP) has provided robust network security for the Centre’s client-members. It has also offered affordability, ease of use, and seamless network management without major IT investments. Through the Security Management Portal, Etanda is able to look after the centre’s firewall, update software, change policies as needed, and automatically run the filtering and anti-virus processes. As a result, The Freedom Centre staff doesn’t need to have security expertise; they simply use the system. The Centre has constant security oversight and rapid access to experts who can quickly help them through the Security Management Portal. The Check Point small office solution helped reassure the Trustees, who could see that Safe@Office was diverting unwanted inbound Internet material and protecting members.

Quantitative Benefit

In a single month, the center’s firewall blocked more than 148,500 web “attacks”
The Safe@Office solution protects members from Internet dangers and the Centre from activities of questionable legality
The Centre’s investment is protected and will be able to meet and extend its service provision with confidence