VDI Nachrichten, 2001/12/14, p. 24  (translated from German)

Really disgusting what is showing on the computer monitor of Jens Wiatrowski: Swastikas are flickering in all common banner sizes on the screen. The developing engineer of Nutzwerk GmbH goes to the SaferSurf program he has written and clicks on "Hide unwanted pictures": After the website has been reloaded, the browser is showing red and white flags instead of the Nazi symbols.

So far the program does not recognize the picture content but orients itself by the picture size. "We can build in a picture recognition software if somebody requests it", says René Holzer, managing director of the Leipzig- and Halle-based company with 18 employees. "It is even possible to turn the swastikas into doves of peace."

So far Nutzwerk has confined itself to filtering out computer viruses, to block unwanted files, texts and internet addresses and to define transmission contingents. The main point is that users do not need to install software on their own PC. The applications run on the server of the internet provider.

The core of the Nutzwerk solution is a real-time data filter that analyzes the transmitted data and, if necessary, passes them on to an attached analyzing program. This way questionable executables, Word and Excel documents can be passed on automatically to a virus scanner and be returned to the data stream after examination. "The file structures are analyzed and therefore recognized even if the file extension has been changed", says Wiatrowski.

Another add-on enables the user to let Java scripts (which carry a virus risk) execute only on self-defined trusted sites. For all other pages the scripts are deleted automatically from the HTML code during transmission.

According to Holzer, due to effective programming a slow-down of the data flow is hardly noticeable with SaferSurf. The real-time data filter works with a HTTP proxy protocol. If it sends critical files to the attached programs for analysis, they are only slowed down by 4% on average. The connected technology is protected by several patents.

In practise the little loss of speed is often more than compensated for. A test carried out over several weeks, during which customers only let in ad banners they wanted on their computers, showed that pages were built up even faster.

Nutzwerk is not yet doing business with the big internet providers. However, there are already cooperations with regional providers in Jena, Radebeul, and Oldenburg. The Free State of Saxony has signed an agreement on the gradual connection of all schools and public institutions. 30 schools are already surfing with the especially adjusted program SaferSurf School. The university library in Halle uses the Nutzwerk software to protect its network from crashing due to audio downloads by students.

"Early in 2002 we will start to market the product", says managing director Ramona Wonneberger, responsible for marketing. As partner they would prefer the big providers, though they have considered to offer the filter service themselves. "Users are willing to pay 50 cents per month for a secure data transmission", says Wonneberger.

This has been confirmed recently by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, who rated the real-time data filter as the best value added model at the Leipzig innovation competition and awarded it with DM 20,000 (about 10,000 euros).

René Holzer is convinced that Nutzwerk can stop the spreading of computer viruses with its technology. "We want to wipe out viruses."