In this article

A Filtering Policy controls the type of content allowed on your network and blocks internet threats like Malware, Phishing, and Botnets. 

Policies are defined and stored within the DNSFilter infrastructure. Policies are processed in the cloud and settings never exist locally on any device, ensuring that policy changes happen quickly and do NOT require the Roaming Client to sync these changes.

With pricing plans Pro and above Filtering Policies can be applied to the User, Collection, Relay, or Roaming Client attribute of the environment. 

Policies are used to achieve several outcomes:

• Block broad categories of domains—e.g. Drugs, Adult Content, Social Media—through Filtering Categories
• Block or allow specific domains on the Block or Allow List
• Customize what users see when they surf to a blocked website
• Set time-of-day restrictions through Filtering Schedules

Create a Filtering Policy

Follow these steps to create a Filtering Policy. Edit an existing policy under the Actions menu pencil icon or selecting the Policy Name.

1. From the DNSFilter dashboard, navigate Policies and select Filtering
2. Select Add Policy
3. Enter the Policy Name
   Choose a name that describes the policy’s purpose
4. Navigate through these tabs to configure the Filtering Policy
   1. Categories: block broad categories of unwanted content
   2. Threats: protect against common cyber security threats
   3. AppAware: Blocking an app that can be downloaded is complex. AppAware removes the complexity from this action by providing the customer with the necessary associated domains to successfully block an app
   4. Privacy: moderate search engine content, ads, and trackers
   5. Allow list and Block list: allows you to type in specific domains or upload a CSV file of domains to either allow or block
   6. Labs: Beta filtering features, including FirstSight
5. Select Save Policy to complete the updates 

This Filtering Policy is now available to add to the desired attribute from your DNSFilter dashboard:

• Site
• Relay
• Roaming Client
• Collection
• Users

If you’re completing your initial setup, continue to customize a block page for your users. 

Filtering Policies can take up to 15 minutes to take full effect across all nodes on your network; however, most times they take effect immediately.

Filtering Policy Troubleshooting

Follow these articles to troubleshoot common Filtering Policy issues.

• Find related domains through the Query Log when websites don't fully load
• Search for issues in complex filtering environments
• Review possible errors when an Allowed website is blocked or a Blocked website is accessible
• Not seeing policy changes reflected in query returns? Try clearing your browser and operating system cache