IT security firm Sophos has announced that its Application Control software has been extended to give businesses the ability to control and block Windows computer games, including Solitaire, Minesweeper and FreeCell - some of the most popular games in the world.
According to Sophos, the negative impact on company productivity caused by the games has meant that many organisations have shown significant interest in wanting to control their installation and use on company computers.
A recent Sophos poll survey of more than 450 system administrators reflected the security and efficiency concerns surrounding the use of computer games - 90.4% of respondents wanted the ability to block games, with 62% indicating this was essential.
Even some games developers have recognised the impact their creations can have on productivity in the workplace.
"When I wrote Solitaire for Microsoft, I unleashed a monster of unproductivity onto the world," Wes Cherry, author of Microsoft Windows Solitaire, told Sophos.
"I bet there are millions of bosses out there who hate me. If I had a penny for every hour that has been wasted playing Solitaire in the office, I could hire Bill Gates as my golf caddie."
Sophos Application Control has proven extremely popular with system administrators since its launch in September 2006, and receives regular updates in order to meet concerns resulting from uncontrolled enterprise use of applications. Slotting in seamlessly with Sophos Anti-Virus and requiring no roll-out of new software, Sophos Application Control gives businesses the ability to selectively block games, VOIP, peer-to-peer (P2P), instant messaging (IM) and distributed computing applications. It is available free-of-charge to all Sophos Anti-Virus 6.0 users. "While playing the installed Windows games is fine on occasion, it becomes a problem when employees are doing it at their company's expense," says Brett Myroff, CEO of master Sophos distributor, NetXactics.
"It's likely that more hours have been spent playing these games, which have been available on Windows for years, in the office than any other game."
The Windows games currently blocked by Sophos Application Control are:
MS Windows Games:
* Solitaire
* Hearts
* Spider Solitaire
* FreeCell
* MineSweeper
* 3D Pinball
MSN Gaming Zone:
* Internet Backgammon
* Internet Checkers
* Internet Hearts
* Internet Reversi
* Internet Spades
The ability to block Windows games bolsters Sophos's previous Application Control offering that allows system administrators to block popular games from 15 major games publishers, including Eidos Interactive, SEGA and Electronic Arts.
To read more about Application Control, go to http://www.sophos.com/security/topic/application-control.html.
To listen to a Sophos podcast about how to control what applications your employees use on your network with Application Control, go to http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/09/application-podcast.html.
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Sophos is a world leader in integrated threat management solutions, developing protection against viruses, spyware, spam and policy abuse for business, education and government. Headquartered in the UK, Sophos's reliably engineered, easy-to-operate products protect more than 35 million users in more than 150 countries. Through 20 years' experience and a global network of threat analysis centres, the company responds rapidly to emerging threats - no matter how complex - and achieves the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the industry.
NetXactics
NetXactics is a South African-based company, focused on the provision of security solutions. It is the Master Distributor for UK-based Sophos Plc, one of the leaders in the provision of anti-virus and anti-spam software for the corporate environment. For more information, visit NetXactics at www.netxactics.co.za.
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