In this article

This article explains how to block many different types of applications, including messaging, file sharing, and other popular applications like Discord, uTorrent, Facebook Messenger, and TeamViewer.

AppAware is a security configuration that helps easily control common applications used by an organization. In many cases a single application uses thousands of domains for it's operations, making it difficult to block. Blocking an application using AppAware automatically blocks all the domains in a single click. 

AppAware allows users to block individual apps, apps by category, and full ecosystems. It also has a dedicated reporting dashboard to track requests blocked by AppAware and, once enabled, shows as it's own column in query logs.

Block an application using AppAware

Follow these steps to block an application and/or application category. 

1. From the DNSFilter dashboard, navigate to Policies and select Filtering
2. Select an existing policy to update or Add to create a new policy
3. Tab to AppAware 
4. Select the app or app category to block. Toggle all that apply

That's it! The settings save automatically once selected. Attempts to view a blocked domain affiliated with the application receive block page notifications. If the application is already installed on a user's device, the user will no longer be able to use the app.

AppAware block priority

Applications blocked with AppAware take priority over

• Block List
• Interstitial Feature (uncategorized domains)
• Blocked categories

Remember that the Allow List takes ultimate priority.

e.g. If the Box application is blocked in AppAware, but box.com is in the allow list, users will be able to access box.com, and the Box application will likely function in some capacity.

Blocked Apps and App Categories

Navigate through these options in the DNSFilter dashboard via the search bar, filter toggles, and drop down menus.