Content Filter

Inappropriate online content can create an uncomfortable work environment, lead to harassment lawsuits, or expose children to pornography or racially intolerant sites. SonicWALL  Content Filtering allows organizations to maintain Internet access policies tailored to their specific needs, with built-in support for URL filtering, keyword blocking and cookie, Java and ActiveX blocking.

SonicWALL's default Content Filter List Subscription is based on the CyberNOT List, a dynamic list of sites containing inappropriate material, which is maintained by Cyber Patrol. SonicWALL also supports popular third party content filtering lists from N2H2 and Websense. These content filter lists allow the administrator to select categories of Internet sites, such as pornography or racial intolerance, to block or monitor access. Automatic weekly updates of the content filter list ensure proper enforcement of access restrictions for new and relocated sites.

SonicWALL's content filtering can also be customized to add or remove specific URLs from the blocked list, and also to block specific keywords. When a user attempts to access a site that is blocked by the SonicWALL, a customized message is displayed on the user's screen. SonicWALL network security appliances can also be configured to log attempts to access sites on the CyberNOT List, custom list, and keyword list. This provides the ability to monitor Internet usage before putting new usage restrictions in place.

SonicWALL network security appliances can utilize the CyberNOT List to block access to sites, which have been classified in one of the following categories:

� Violence/Profanity (graphics or text) � Partial Nudity � Full Nudity � Sexual Acts (graphics or text) � Gross Depictions (graphics or text) � Intolerance (graphics or text) � Satanic/Cult (graphics or text) � Drugs/Drug Culture (graphics or text) � Militant/Extremist (graphics or text) � Sex Education (graphics or text) � Questionable/Illegal Gambling (graphics or text) � Alcohol & Tobacco (graphics or text)

Content Filter Features & Benefits

Content Filter List Subscription.
Since content on the Internet is constantly changing, a Content Filter List subscription is available which automatically updates the SonicWALL's Content Filter List on a weekly basis to ensure that access restrictions to new and relocated sites are properly enforced.

URL Filtering with Trusted and Forbidden Domains.
Network administrators can specify domains or hosts (e.g., "yahoo.com) that access can be allowed ("Trusted") or denied ("Forbidden"). This feature can be used to customize the Content Filter List, or to allow Web access to sites on a custom list. With careful screening, this can be close to 100% effective at blocking objectionable material.

Keyword Blocking.
SonicWALL network security appliances can optionally scan both the filename field and host field for specific keywords, and block any requests that contain them. For example, if the administrator enters the keyword "sex," access to sites such as http://www.hotsex.com will be blocked.

Java, ActiveX and Cookie Blocking.
Java and ActiveX scripts are often used for hacker attacks. "Cookies," which direct a remote Web browser to save small amounts of data on its local hard disk, can be used to store preference information, and track Web usage history. For this reason, they can cause some privacy concerns. SonicWALL may be configured to block Java and ActiveX scripts, as well as Cookies.

Block by Time of Day.
SonicWALL network security appliances allow the network administrator to make filtering active only during certain times of day. A school could, for example, have filtering on during school hours and then remove filtering controls after school. A business could allow unfiltered Internet access to employees during a lunch hour and after work hours. When Time of Day filtering is activated, all filtering functions (filter list, cookie blocking, keyword blocking, etc.) will be on or off during specified times.