How is a policy or exception assigned to a request?
Exceptions and policies can be applied to directory clients (user, group, or OU) or computer and network clients (individual IP addresses or IP address ranges). It is therefore possible to have a policy for all of the following:
- The user making the request
- The group or groups to which the user is assigned
- The specific IP address from which a request originates
- The IP address range from which the request originates
Where can we download the worksheets described in this Webinar?
The Transition Kit to version 6.3.x is available at our Support Portal under
Support Resources > Support Tools
Can we run both SurfControl Web Filter and Websense Enterprise (v6.3.x) or Websense Web Filter (v7) simultaneously in production mode?
SurfControl Web Filter and Websense Web filtering software can be installed on separate servers during the transition. Do not run Websense Web Filter and SurfControl Web Filter on the same server.
In a brand new environment, do you recommend we install version 7 of Websense filtering software, or install version 6.3, then upgrade to version 7?
We recommend installing version 7, the latest version, with all of the latest improvements and corrections.
Can I cause Websense filtering software to prompt for user names on public computers?
Yes. With Websense Enterprise version 6.3.x, you can prompt for directory service credentials whenever transparent identification is unable to identify the user. With version 7, you can also specify which computers are required to prompt for user credentials.
Please explain the difference in behavior, if any, between the SurfControl allowance rule and the Websense quota rule.
Both products can filter Internet use according to the amount of time you wish to allow for browsing and the time periods during the day for which you want to establish custom filtering policies. Websense software can filter based on the percentage of bandwidth used; SurfControl Web Filter can filter based on the total amount of bytes used.
Does Websense filtering software include a proxy?
Websense Enterprise (v6.3.x) can integrate with proxies such as Microsoft ISA Server and Squid. Websense Web Filter (v7) offers an optional proxy component, Websense Content Gateway.
Does Websense Enterprise block images, such as image searches?
You can enable Search Filtering in Websense Enterprise. This causes Websense Enterprise to use the search engine’s own filtering capabilities when users are searching with a search engine (this includes images). Currently we support Search Filtering for the following search engines: Google, Lycos, Microsoft Live, and Yahoo!.
Does Websense software offer a mobile filtering client?
Yes. It is called the Remote Filtering Client.
What happens if remote users can’t access the Websense Remote Filtering Server?
With our remote filtering component, you can default the software to fail open (allow Interne access) or closed (disallow Internet access) when the Server is not accessible.
How do keywords and regular expressions work?
A keyword is a string of characters (a word, phrase, number, or acronym) that might be found in a URL.
When you create a keyword, you associate it with a category. When your software finds that keyword in a URL, it assigns the URL to the category that you have selected, and blocks the URL.
Keywords are used only to recategorize and block URLs; they cannot be used to permit URLs.
A regular expression is a template or pattern used to match multiple strings, or groups of characters. Regular expressions can be used:
- To identify groups of related URLs in limited access filters and exceptions
- As a more flexible form of keyword, to assign URLs to categories for blocking
Is the percentage of bandwidth feature a version 6.x feature, a version 7.x feature, or both?
Both
Can I exclude specific traffic from logging?
With Websense web protection solutions, you can prevent requests for specified categories or protocols from being logged. You can also configure Network Agent so that internal (intranet) traffic is not logged.
When you omit categories and protocols from logging:
- Requests for the categories or protocols are stilled managed by policies (permitted, blocked, and so on).
- No record of any requests for the categories is included in the Log Database, so the traffic does not appear in reports.
- Usage alerts can not be generated for the non-logged categories and protocols.
How does the software know the available bandwidth? Especially if you have a DMZ on 100base?
Available bandwidth is a configurable setting
How do I create exceptions and how do they work?
Exceptions override policies to permit or block access to specific URLs for specific clients. Use an exception to:
- Permit access for all employees to a specific URL that would otherwise be blocked based on its category.
- Block all clients in a specific role from a suspicious uncategorized URL while the site is investigated.
- Permit temporary access to a URL for certain members of a group while continuing to block the site for the rest of the group.
Exceptions allow a flexible and rapid response to user requests, changes in company policies, spikes in Internet activity, or other changes in circumstance. Use the Policy Management > Exceptions page to add, review, edit, or delete exceptions.
With Websense filtering software, can I set it up to always block, but allow only a few specific sites?
Yes.
How do I create policies?
Policies govern Internet access and are made up of:
- Category filters, used to apply actions to URL categories
- Limited access filters, used to permit access to only a list of URLs Protocol filters, used to apply actions to Internet protocols
- A schedule used to determine when each filter is enforced.
How do block pages work?
A block page is displayed in a user’s browser when your software prevents access to a URL. The block page has 3 sections:
The header explains that the site has been blocked.
The top frame contains the actual block message, including the requested URL and the reason it was blocked.
The bottom frame provides any options that are available to the user, based on the way the site has been blocked. The user may be presented with an option to Go Back to the previous page, Continue to the site, or Use Quota Time to view the site.
How is quota time configured and used?
When you create category filters, you can apply the Limit by Quota action to categories to let users access URLs in those categories for a limited amount of time each day.
You can assign quota time in two ways:
- Define a global period of quota time (60 minutes, by default) on the Settings > General > Filtering page in the Web module of the TRITON console.
When clients request a URL in a quota-limited category, they receive this amount of quota time, unless otherwise specified (see the next bullet).
- Assign a custom period of quota time to specific clients on the Main > Policy Management > Clients > Edit Clients page.
What are filters, and how do they work?
Filters are one building block of web protection policies. The 3 types of filters define which categories, URLs, and protocols users can access. By adding filters to a policy, you define how clients at your organization can access the Internet.
Category filters list:
- All of the categories available to your organization, including both Master Database categories and custom categories.
- The action (like permit, block, confirm, or quota) assigned to each category.
Each category filter can assign a different action to each category. Your software includes 5 sample category filters that can be customized and used in policies, as well as a set of templates that you can use to create new filters.
Protocol filters list:
- All non-HTTP protocols, including both Master Database protocols and custom protocols.
- The action (like permit, block, or limit by bandwidth) assigned to each protocol.
Each filter can assign a different action to each protocol. Your software includes 3 sample protocol filters that can be customized and used in policies, as well as a set of templates that you can use to create new filters.