the client computer 104 submitting a request the request filter software also includes routines for determining whether the version of virus protection software meets or exceeds a standard level necessary to gain access to the destination included in the request if the version of the anti virus software meets or exceeds the standard the request is directed to the original destination for example external web server 112 if the version does not meet the standard the request filter 114 directs the request to an alternate destination such as internal web server 116 a system administrator or automated system updates the standard that the request filter 114 accesses as necessary to ensure that the standard or standards are appropriate for the various applications and servers to be accessed the standard may be stored as a file as an entry in a database or in some other type of memory accessible by the request filter the alternate web server 116 may also take one or more of the following additional steps sever the connection without informing client computer 104 why the request was denied transmit an updated virus protection file version to the client computer 104 notify the anti virus software provider that the client computer 104 is in need of an update or perform some other step that results in updating the anti virus software on the client computer 104 in an.