Patent ID: 8543818

Claim:
A gateway for use in a packet-based communication system, the gateway comprising: a connection to a public packet-based network comprising a public-network server and a plurality of public-network user terminals; a connection to a private packet-based network comprising a private-network server and a plurality of private-network user terminals each installed with a public-network communication client; processing device having one or more processor arranged to receive a login request from a public-network client of a private-network user terminal, and in response to initiate both a private-network authentication procedure involving the private-network server and a public-network authentication procedure involving the public-network server, so as subject to both authentication procedures to enable establishment of a communication channel between one of the public-network user terminals and the public-network client of the private-network user terminal; wherein the processing device is further configured to apply a control policy to communications occurring over said channel, the control policy configured to include: a policy associated with blocking a communication associated with at least one identified user; and a policy associated with blocking at least one identified type of communication.