How To Filter Web Content
Web content filtering is critical for protecting networks and users against web-based threats, objectionable internet content, and distracting websites. With all of the options for controlling net access you may be wondering: what are the best web filtering solutions?
In this article I will overview solutions for spider web filtering, describe the different content filtering methods, and emphasize the importance of blocking certain websites.
Table of Contents
What Is Web Filtering?
Web filtering is the process of preventing employees, students, and other end-users from accessing content on the internet. The almost common content to block are websites that are offensive, inappropriate, or high-risk. Schools and businesses employ tools such as cyberspace filtering software to block these websites.
Why Is Web Filtering Important?
Hardware or software web filtering solutions are essential for preventing users from accessing websites with malicious content or inappropriate content such as pornography, malware infected sites, and sites that may exist distracting to employees or students.
- Employee Cyberspace Management (EIM): A web filtering solution enables businesses to block offensive and distracting content. This is essential for managing compliance requirements, bandwidth usage, or other business organization concerns.
- CIPA Compliance : US-based schools and libraries that wish to receive valuable e-Rate discounts demand to use web content filters to prevent minors from being exposed to obscene visual content. With these measures in place they will run into their regulatory compliance requirements.
- Bandwidth Direction: Network functioning tin can exist dramatically reduced by the overuse of bandwidth hogging sites like YouTube and Twitch. These websites can be blocked or restricted to aid reduce bandwidth usage.
- Cybersecurity: Web content filters meliorate security by blocking websites that are high-run a risk or known to have malicious content. Data leakage can also exist prevented past blocking cloud storage sites and P2P file sharing services.
- Productivity Management: Spider web content filters block offensive and distracting content such as social media sites, computer games platforms, and video streaming services.
- Legal Liability: Spider web filtering is essential for preventing admission to content that is inappropriate such every bit porn, grotesque imagery, violence, and profanity. These filters prevent underaged users from accessing adult content and reduce the potential for internet corruption to cause a hostile work surroundings.
4 Types of Web Filtering
Keyword Filtering
Keyword-based spider web filtering blocks cease-users from accessing websites that have specific keywords in text strings. These keywords are identified using regular expressions (regex) and/or a predefined list of blocked keywords.
The intention of using keywords for web filtering is to prevent users from accessing inappropriate content, withal due to the Scunthorpe problem (keyword filters falsely flagging content) keyword filtering has a high potential to block access to legitimate websites. For this reason category-based web filters that include developed-oriented categories are typically used instead.
Category Web Filtering
Category spider web filtering is used to block websites based on content categories such every bit pornography, violence, hate, and social media. To do this the web filtering software references a centralized database that assembly websites with common categories.
These databases demand to be constantly updated to keep upwards with new websites as they are created. For this reason the database is most often provided by the vendor of the web filtering solutions.
CurrentWare's web filtering software BrowseControl includes a category filtering database that provides y'all with a convenient style to cake millions of websites beyond over 100 URL categories.
URL Filtering
When you want to access a specific webpage, you will type in a Uniform Resources Locator (URL) into your accost bar such as CurrentWare.com or CurrentWare.com/blog. URL filtering blocks or allows access to specific websites or web pages based on these URLs.
URL filtering provides more granular and detailed web filtering than DNS filtering past allowing companies to block private web pages instead of the whole website at one time. To make blocking entire websites easier URL-based web filters may also permit for wildcard filtering, which blocks the unabridged website unless exceptions are added to an let list.
For example, a wildcard-supporting URL filter with "Facebook" on its block list and Facebook.com/CompanyPage on its permit list volition allow admission to Facebook.com/CompanyPage and terminate users from accessing any other Facebook link.
How Does URL Filtering Piece of work?
With reference to the Open up Systems Interconnection model (OSI model), a URL filter blocks websites using the bundle information sent during the TCP/UDP protocol (layer 4, the transport layer) or by examining the URL in the address bar of the web browser (layer vii, the application layer).
DNS Filtering
From an end-user perspective blocking websites using a Domain Name Organization (DNS) filter is similar to web filtering using a URL filter. Both solutions allow you to enter a website into the block list of the web filtering software in club to prevent access to the website.
The fundamental differences are:
- DNS filtering can't block admission to websites based on URL; instead, it blocks entire domains.
- A DNS filter requires all internet traffic to exist forwarded to an external DNS server provided past a web filtering service provider.
- The URL web filter acts directly on HTTP/HTTPS traffic, while DNS filtering acts on the initial DNS queries that precede the HTTP/HTTPS connection attempts.
To understand how DNS filtering works, it's important to understand how DNS is used when visiting a website. The human-readable URLs that we type into our web browsers are moreso at that place for our convenience; the process of connecting to a website actually resolves to an IP accost that is associated with a web server that hosts the desired domain.
When we endeavor to admission a website, the DNS is used to locate the server where the domain's website is located. A DNS filter blocks access to websites past intercepting the initial DNS query.
The filter will use its ain DNS resolving service to make up one's mind whether or non the DNS query volition be immune to go on. If the domain of the desired website is not permitted on the network the website will not be served and the user volition be redirected to an alternative page with a warning bulletin.
As these IP addresses are mapped to an entire domain (website), DNS filtering does not allow you to selectively block private pages. For example, if y'all would like to block access to Facebook while still allowing access to your company's Facebook page you will not be able to do that.
For a detailed description of the DNS lookup process, cheque out this explainer from VeriSign.
5 Web Filtering Technologies
Browser-Based Filters
Browser-based site blockers are extensions, applications or add together-ons that are specific to each private browser. They are nearly often used by individuals that would like to block distracting websites. These filters are rarely used in concern settings as they are easy to bypass by using another browser.
Search Engine Filters
Search engines typically include some method of filtering out explicit search results. These spider web filters allow for search engines to exist used in environments where adult-oriented content would be considered inappropriate such as schools, public libraries, and most workplaces.
Inline Web Filters
Inline spider web filters are software or hardware appliances (such as an internet gateway) that operate within the network that they are filtering. These solutions are installed equally a gateway that directly intercepts all traffic that travels through the network.
Equally they do non require a software client to be installed on each endpoint they are often used in environments that have invitee networks, mixed platform devices, or other circumstances where directly control over devices is not viable.
While the lack of a software client is advantageous for some deployments, it comes with a few tradeoffs. If access to a specific website is blocked in an inline filter it must remain blocked for all users on the network. These solutions are also not ideal for managing the devices of remote workers as the web filtering only applies when they are connected to the network.
Endpoint-Based Web Filtering Software
Endpoint-based web filtering software has a software client that back up computer filtering or user filtering, assuasive the spider web filtering solutions to exist customized for each device or student/employee/patron.
The software clients receive web filtering policy updates from a central server that is managed by the company and retain the policies even when the devices disconnect from the network.
Since a computer software client needs to be installed on each device that will exist controlled, organizations with a big number of computers to filter will leverage automatic software deployment tools that install the agent on all of their devices simultaneously.
The need for a dedicated computer software amanuensis as well means that endpoint-based web filtering solutions are best used in environments that have in-role or remote workers using visitor-provided devices. Employees or students using personal devices for piece of work-related tasks may object to having spider web filtering software installed on their devices.
Firewalls
Firewalls are a type of inline spider web content filter. Firewalls can exist hardware appliances or cloud-based/software-based virtual appliances. Rather than blocking specific websites, firewalls filter network traffic to authorized ports, protocols, and IP addresses.
Traditional package-filtering firewalls operate at layer three (the network layer) of the OSI model to filter ports, protocols, and IP addresses. While these types of firewalls exercise block spider web traffic, they lack the ab
ility to distinguish between specific websites every bit they cannot identify URLs or domain names.
Over fourth dimension traditional firewalls take evolved into "Next Generation Firewalls" (NGFW) that combine the packet filtering of traditional firewalls with other network filtering functions such every bit web application firewalls (WAFs), web content filters, and intrusion prevention systems. These solutions are typically used to harden networks and cake net traffic that has been identified every bit malicious.
Unless you are using a next generation firewall (NGFW) with an integrated web filter that allows you lot to block specific URLs, a defended web filter is going to give you far more granularity for controlling access to websites.
What Spider web Content Filter Should You Use?
What is considered the best web content filter depends on the needs of your environment. In many environments it is non uncommon to see multiple forms of web filtering in place that run into different requirements.
For instance, a business concern with defended office space could use an inline firewall to control ingress and egress traffic equally information technology goes through their network while too using an endpoint-based URL filter to control what specific websites their employees tin can access.
To simplify the comparing this section will focus on two mutual solutions for blocking admission to internet content: Inline network-based DNS filtering vs endpoint-based URL filtering with a software agent.
| Inline Web Filtering (Agentless) | Web Filtering (Agent) | |
| Let/Block Domains |  |  |
| Allow/Cake URLs |  |  |
| Custom filtering profiles for each user/device |  |  |
| Block website categories |  |  |
| Manage guest/unknown devices |  |  |
| Web filtering schedules |  |  |
| Category filtering |  |  |
| Block websites on whatsoever network |  |  |
Level of Control (Granularity)
The key departure between DNS filtering and URL filtering is that DNS filtering blocks entire websites based on DNS queries rather than specific URLs. DNS filtering will allow you to block undesirable domains for your entire network, all the same information technology lacks the ability to block a website while allowing individual spider web pages.
This can be problematic in an surroundings where users, computers, or departments crave unlike levels of access. Examples include business environments where marketing staff need piece of work-related admission to social media or educational environments where students and staff need unique web filtering policies.
In environments where user-level or device-level command is desired the best internet filter will be 1 that supports unique filtering profiles for each user or device.
Remote Workforce Management
Agent-based web filtering software is the best web filter for remote workers as they will cake websites fifty-fifty when they disconnect from the visitor network. This is ideal for other scenarios that take employees working offsite, such as laptop users that need to be protected when a corporate device is used at a remote site.
Agent-based spider web filtering software also provides the means to apply different immune and blocked lists on a set schedule. This allows employees to access non-piece of work websites later piece of work hours in environments where employees are allowed to use company-provided equipment for personal apply.
For BYOD environments, employees that employ personal computers for work may not feel comfortable allowing their employers to install web filtering software clients on their devices.
In this example an inline DNS filter tin can exist installed on the company network or a customer-based computer filter tin can be installed on the device that they remotely connect to. However, added security controls must be in place to mitigate the risks of allowing non-managed devices to connect to the corporate network.
Cake Websites Based on Categories
Category filtering is a must-accept feature for restricting access to inappropriate content. Fortunately, both DNS-based and URL-based spider web filtering software providers offer this characteristic. With web category filtering you can leverage a pre populated database of websites that y'all can cake rather than manually sourcing your own listing of websites.
DNS-based solutions with category filtering will just be able to strictly cake or permit the entire category for your network. If you would like to cake the social media category for the majority of your users while still allowing access for your marketing team you will need URL filtering.
Monitoring Web Activity
Spider web filtering solutions only cake what they are told to block. This leaves opportunities for end-users to visit undesirable websites that have not yet been added to the web filtering solution.
Though many web filtering solutions will include some form of logging or auditing to identify the websites that are beingness visited, using web filtering in tandem with a dedicated internet and computer monitoring software is the platonic solution for enforcing acceptable use policies and ensuring that the internet is being used appropriately.
Want to start monitoring internet usage today? Get started with a costless trial of BrowseReporter, CurrentWare'southward internet activeness monitoring software.
Guest Networks
If you lot would like to set upwards web filtering on a network where y'all will not take direct control over the devices that connect to it (such as a guest WiFi hotspot), you demand a network-level spider web filtering solution. An amanuensis-based solution is not ideal in this scenario as there is no viable way to install the agent on non-managed devices.
How to Block Websites With BrowseControl
BrowseControl makes controlling internet admission based on users, departments, and computers incredibly easy. Once you've installed the software all information technology takes is only a few clicks to set up user-based permissions. This tutorial volition guide you through the full general setup procedure and show you how to control internet access based on users with BrowseControl.
Setup File Contents:
- CurrentWare Server and Panel Setup File (CurrentWare.exe)
- CurrentWare Client Setup File (cwClientSetup.exe)
Install the CurrentWare Console on the managing estimator
- Launch the CurrentWare Console setup file (CurrentWare.exe)
- Read and accept the End-User License Agreement (EULA)
- Select "CurrentWareConsole" and click "Side by side"
- Select BrowseControl and Category Filtering solutions
- The Installer volition go on to install the CurrentWare Server, Console and BrowseControl onto the manager'due south estimator. This process will take 3-5 minutes to complete.
Install the CurrentWare Clients on the computers you lot would like to filter
- Have the CurrentWare Client setup file (cwClientSetup.exe) and launch it on the computers that you would like to filter websites on.
- The installer volition inquire y'all for the proper noun of the figurer that the CurrentWare console is installed on from footstep 1. Advanced users tin can as well utilise the IP address of their CurrentWare Server.
- For instructions on how to discover the name of the computer that you installed the CurrentWare Panel on y'all can visit our video tutorial or meet the Microsoft back up page.
- After the CurrentWare Client installation is complete, it will connect to your CurrentWare Console (the director's estimator from step i) automatically.
- Repeat this process on all the computers y'all would similar to command with the BrowseControl software.
Launch the CurrentWare Panel on the managing computer
Now you tin can start to control internet access based on users using BrowseControl. You can do this with 1 of iii net content filtering methods:
- Cake a pocket-size number of specific websites based on their URL
- Block websites based on category
- Block all websites except for pre-approved websites
How to cake websites by URL
- Select the user(due south) that you would like to utilize the policy to
- Set "Net" to "On" if it is not already on
- Get to "URL Filter"
- Add the URL (www.NameOfWebsiteToBlock.com) of the website you would similar to block to the URL list
- Select "Blocked Listing"
- Click the checkbox side by side to the desired URL and then click "Add to Blocked List"
- Click "Apply to Clients" to deploy the web filtering policy
How to block websites by category
With BrowseControl'due south category filtering feature yous tin can hands cake millions of websites beyond hundreds of predefined categories. In just a few clicks you lot can prevent users from accessing social media, pornography, and other undesirable categories of websites.
- Select the user(s) that you would like to employ the policy to
- Set "Internet" to "On" if it is non already on
- Become to "Category Filtering"
- Add the categories you would similar to cake (ex. "Social Media") to the Blocked Category List
How to just allow access to specific websites
If y'all would like to limit internet admission to a pre-authorized listing of websites, yous tin can easily practice that in BrowseControl.
- Select the user(s) that you would similar to apply the policy to
- Set "Net" to "Off"
- Go to "URL Filter"
- Add the allowed websites to the Immune Listing
Conclusion
Controlling access to the internet is a critical component of organizational security, productivity management, and acceptable utilize policy enforcement. The best net filter will depend on the needs of your environs, the devices you would like to command, and the level of granularity desired.
Ready to start with internet content filtering in your organization? Become started with a FREE fourteen-day trial of BrowseControl, CurrentWare'southward web filtering software.
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Dale Strickland
Dale Strickland is the Digital Marketing Director for CurrentWare, a global provider of user activeness monitoring, web filtering, and device control software. Dale'south diverse multimedia background allows him the opportunity to produce a variety of content for CurrentWare including blogs, infographics, videos, eBooks, and social media shareables.
How To Filter Web Content,
Source: https://www.currentware.com/blog/web-content-filtering/
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