URL filtering

What is URL Filtering

URL filtering allows businesses to restrict the content their users can access online. URL Filtering solutions are mainly implemented to prevent staff from accessing online material unrelated to work, inappropriate or illegal content, or websites associated with phishing attempts.

Traditionally URL filtering was used as a means to enhance staff productivity levels by blocking access to unproductive websites. However with such a rise in malicious online security threats, URL filtering is increasingly being implemented to protect from sophisticated malware and phishing attacks.

With staff spending so much time online it’s only a matter of time before someone encounters a phishing or malware attempt – and falling foul to such an attack, without any protection, can expose organizations to a wide range of security risks, data loss, or legal issues.

By implementing a URL Filtering solution, organizations can minimize these threats and protect their users and network, while also enhancing staff productivity levels.

How URL Filtering Works

URL filtering blocks certain URLs from loading on a company network, by comparing all web traffic against a URL filtering database.

Each website contained within the database is assigned to a category. Each category contains a group of URLs related to the same topic and categories can be either “blocked” or “allowed”. Network administrators can categorise inappropriate topics like pornography or gambling websites, and also all known URLs used for phishing attacks. If a user attempts to reach a blocked URL within these categories, they will be redirected to a "blocked" page.

URL filtering can block individual URLs, also, that are known to be dangerous or inappropriate. However blocking categories is much more efficient - it allows large groups of URLs to be blocked at once instead of having to identify hundreds of individual URLs.

DNS Filtering

DNS filtering blocks full websites, as opposed to individual URLs contained within a site.

URL filtering is much more granular in that it allows organizations block individual pages contained within a website, however this requires much more overhead and customization on the part of network administrators.

In practice, most organizations use a combination of both as part of their overall security strategy.

URL filtering blocks certain URLs from loading on a company network, by comparing all web traffic against a URL filtering database.

URL Filtering Solutions from TitanHQ

Our WebTitan Cloud URL Filtering solution provides full control over the web content that can be accessed by employees and customers, enabling organizations to fully protect their networks and users from malicious security threats, and to enhance staff productivity.

WebTitan - a 100% cloud-based solution - is quick and easy to install, with no discernible impact on internet speed. It has a low management overhead and can be used on any system to protect any number of users.

Our DNS-based URL filtering solution can be implemented by simply changing your organization’s DNS settings and pointing them to TitanHQ. No software downloads are required and no additional hardware needs to be purchased - making it an ideal choice for MSPs.

Register for a Free 14-Day Trial of WebTitan with URL Filtering

Why not try WebTitan Cloud for free and see for yourself? During the trial, you will benefit from full technical and customer support, and will receive assistance getting started and applying your filtering controls.

No obligation is required.

To take advantage of this offer and to find out more about TitanHQ’s range of web filtering options, contact us today.