Browser Settings is a collection of web access policies to help control accessible URLs and URL categories.
This policy is available via the Silo Admin Console > Manage Policies > Browser Settings
Below are some of the available options:
- Navigation Controls — broad control over the open or closed nature of Silo for Safe Access
- URL Category Filtering -- Allow/Block specific URL categories
- Domain Filtering — Allow/Block specific website domains
- Block Page Content -- custom messaging for website block notification
Navigation Controls
Open Browsing: open access to any website as they would in a traditional web browser
Locked Down: restricts access toy provisioned web apps only. Access to a URL/domain that is not part of a provisioned web apps domain or Allowed URLs will be denied
URL Category Filtering
With URL Category filtering, Silo Admins can choose to either allow or block URL category filters based on what is appropriate for the organization
To take advantage of this feature, enable the policy via the Silo Admin Console > Manage Policies > Browser Settings > URL Category Filtering > Save
Return to the URL Category Filtering section to choose one of the following:
Block Categories
When combined with an Open Browsing configuration, selecting Block Categories will restrict access to the specified URL filter categories. This option is ideal for general web access, while blocking specific types of content
Example: an organization may use this setting to allow open web browsing, but block access to websites that violate HR policies, such as those categorized as Questionable and Offensive or Pornographic
Allow Categories
When used with a Locked Down Browser Configuration, selecting Allow Categories permits access only to specified filter categories and provisioned web apps. This restricts web browsing to approved content only (e.g., HIPAA-compliant medical organization may allow access only to sites in the Health category)
URL Filter Categories
Legal Liability
• Questionable and Offensive — Illegal and potentially offensive material including hate speech, racism, violence, pornography, illegal drugs and other questionable content.
• Adult and Pornographic — Sexually explicit material for the purpose of arousing a sexual or prurient interest. Includes the sale of adult products & services, online groups and forums that are sexually explicit in nature.
• Security Threats/Malicious Sites — Sites known to carry malicious content such as viruses, spyware, adware and sites associated with fraud, phishing, botnets and spam delivery
Productivity Drains
• Social networking sites including interactive user communities and micro-blogging services (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn )
• Shopping — Department stores, retail stores, company catalogs and other sites that allow online shopping for goods and services including auction sites (e.g., Amazon, eBay)
• Rich Media — Sites streaming audio or video content or delivering downloads or offering VOIP, messaging and internet telephony services (e.g., youtube)
• Job Search — Assistance in finding employment, and tools for locating prospective employers, or employers looking for employees (e.g., Monster, Indeed)
IT Impacting — Network Hogs & Data Leaks: IT impacting services including streaming media, P2P, torrents, online storage services, internet communications, shareware/freeware and pay to surf sites
Industry Verticals
• Finance — Financial sites including banks, mortgages, loans, insurance, facilitation of securities trading and investment management
• Health — Healthcare and medical information including hospitals/doctors offices, specialties such as dentistry, psychiatry, optometry and medical insurance sites
Domain Filtering
To take advantage of this feature, enable the policy via the Silo Admin Console > Manage Policies > Browser Settings > Domain Filtering > Save
Return to the Domain Filtering section to choose one of the following:
• Domain Block List
• Domain Allow List
The allow or block domain configuration will other URL filtering rules
Example: if the Social Networking URL category is blocked, but linkedin.com is provisioned in the Domain Allow List, then access to LinkedIn would be allowed.
Block Page Content
A custom URL block message of up to 500 characters can be configured via the Silo Admin Console > Manage Policies > Browser Settings > Block Page Content > enter Message then click Save
The following default message is presented when a custom message is not configured: Your organization does not allow access to this website based on policy. Please contact your admin if you think you have been blocked in error
More Info:
- Changes to the Browser Settings will require a new Silo for Safe access in order to take effect
- Silo for Research (Toolbox) is tied to the same Browser Settings policies
- URL Filtering details are available in the URL Logs
- Silo Admins at a sub-org level can be granted the ability to override any of the aforementioned Browser Settings. Once a policy override is in place, any changes from a higher-level org hierarchy will no longer be inherited at the sub-org level
Please contact Support for any additional questions