General Settings

Content Filtering Object - Properties

General Settings

The primary functions of the Content Filtering Object are set in the General properties page. Here is established the criteria for using the content database and the standard operations of the Object.

General Settings dialog

Activation

This check box is used to dynamically enable or disable the Object within the active configuration. Disabling the Object might be necessary during initial testing or trouble-shooting situations.

When the box is checked, the Object will process network traffic according to its configured rules.

When the box is unchecked, the Object will not process traffic and the traffic will be routed past this Object to the next processing Object in the configuration.

The Total Traffic Control Service does not need to be stopped and restarted when this option is used.

This function can also be accessed within the Administrative Tools options of the TTC Management Console.

Operation

Block Search Engine Keywords

NOTE: This option is now managed within Content Filter Policies. Review the Content Filter properties in the POLICIES -> Properties Sets.

Search Engine queries can be monitored for inappropriate or undesirable words and phrases that, when found in a query, will cause the Content Filtering Object to block the processing of the search. This function, when enabled, uses the Search Engine Keywords list to compare with the search argument. Keywords or phrases can be added to or removed from the list as necessary. Refer to the Search Engine Keywords Table utility for information on the management of this list.

Block non-HTTP traffic to blocked IP addresses

This option specifies that ANY TCP traffic that is not HTTP and is destined for IP Addresses that are listed within blocked categories will be rejected and terminated.

Selecting this option effectively eliminates identified "questionable" servers from receiving and responding to HTTPS, FTP and SMTP requests.

Block peer to peer traffic

This option specifies that session requests to P2P file-download servers (typically Kazaa, Gnutella, etc) will be rejected and terminated.

Force Google and Yahoo! safe searches

NOTE: This option is now managed within Content Filter Policies. Review the Content Filter properties in the POLICIES -> Properties Sets.

This option takes advantage of a 'preference' feature within the Google and Yahoo search engines, by automatically adding a filtering switch to ALL search requests to eliminate sexually explicit websites from the list of websites returned for the search request.

To review Google's "Safe Search" feature policy, see http://www.google.com/help/customize.html#safe. To review Yahoo!'s "Safe Search" feature policy, see http://search.yahoo.com/web/advanced?ei=UTF-8.

NOTE: Websites selected from ANY search list or directory will be allowed or blocked by the Content Filter, based upon the their categorization in the local Content Database. Forcing the "Safe Search" feature will minimize inappropriate websites being listed.

Log blocked content by user and IP address

This option specifies that the Content Filtering Object will report Internet session's statistics to the traffic reporting database, listing blocked URL requests by both resolved user names and client machine IP addresses. This logging will occur whether the Object is actively filtering web traffic or operating in passive mode.

Block Search Images by Category

NOTE: This option is now managed within Content Filter Policies. Review the Content Filter properties in the POLICIES -> Properties Sets.

This option specifies that search lists will NOT display thumbnail images if the image is hosted within a BLOCKED category domain, or on a BLOCKED category server (by IP Address) or is part of a BLOCKED URL. A "Blocked Image" graphic will be displayed in place of the blocked image.