Appliance-based filtering uses lists of URLs as filters for browser requests. If a URL matches a filter setting, access to its objects is blocked, monitored, or immediately vended, depending on the setting.
You can have the appliance perform URL filtering to block specific URLs or always allow them to be vended. You can create your own Never Allow and Always Allow lists. You can also subscribe to one or more cooperating filter services and use their lists.
Filter service providers create category names that identify some aspect of Web data. Typical category names might include Violence, Language, or Adult Content. Service providers rate Web pages as true or false for each category name. A page rated true for Violence has violent content as defined by the service provider.
The appliance uses filter rules you create in combination with category ratings from your service provider to determine whether to vend, monitor, or block a page.