Web filtering - How best to allow access to sites within blocked categories

davidmichel · #1 (**permalink**) 06-17-2009, 03:57 PM

We are in the process of switching from SurfControl to the Astaro for web filtering and the Astaro seems much more cumbersome for the requests we get to allow access to a specific site that's in a blocked category. In SurfControl we were able to quickly change the category of any particular site so we could say that Playboy should be "Shopping" and not "Adult" which meant it would not be blocked any longer. We also could create a category called "Always Allowed" and add any site to that so it wouldn't be blocked for anything. For example, we would add government and state court sites to that category which allowed full access to download files, run scripts, and all the other stuff those poorly contructed sites require. It seems with the Astaro that we actually have to whitelist each site individually to allow access which takes longer. Am I missing something or is there an easier way to accomplish this? Thanks.

BAlfson · #2 (**permalink**) 06-17-2009, 06:44 PM

Good question. A smart person knows to ask when something seems more difficult than it should be.

Please show pics of your 'Content Filter' and 'Exceptions' tabs.

Cheers - Bob

RFCat_vk · #3 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 11:36 AM

Hi,
you do exactly the same thing in ASG.

If you only want to allow 1 site then you whitelist it, but if you want a category you do as you have suggested. Works every time.

The only thing you have to be careful of is that change affects all profiles. A wish for a classification/category listing for each profile would be nice. I suppose I could always go and add it to the feature/wish list forum and see if it gets any support.

Ian

Whitelisiting can be used in each individual profile or in the global profile.

Kingbuzzo · #4 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 03:13 PM

I was wondering the same thing - it seems that regularly some pages are classified incorrectly (more often than not a "business" site is classified as "real estate" for some reason).

After I specifically whitelist the site, sometimes that works, sometimes it loads the page but not the gilfs, and sometimes the page is still blocked.

Then I use the McAfee utility on Astaro's main site and request the classification be changed AND e-mail McAfee as well to ensure it is done.

Very cumbersome indeed...

davidmichel · #5 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 04:35 PM

Here they are. The exceptions that are there basically just say skip a few things for certain specific websites. We have been adding those sites we want to give access to in the "always allow" part of the content filter.