Blocking Google Drive's Downloading & Uploading

To restrict the user from downloading and uploading documents in Google Drive, you can create a category and add it to a policy in the Smoothwall Filter and Firewall. However, this only works for the web version of Google Drive not the desktop application.

 Procedure

Note: When blocking file downloads, a file may still be visibly downloaded, but the file is the Smoothwall blockpage rather than the file the user is trying to access.

1. Create a new custom category:
   1. On the GUARDIAN menu, under Policy objects submenu, click Categories.
   2. Under the Manage categories section, type a Name for the category, for example, Google Drive Upload and Download.
   3. In the Domain/URL filtering box, enter:
      • To block downloads:
        
        • mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment
        • drive.google.com/drive/shared-with-me
      • To block uploads:
        • • clients6.google.com/upload/drive
   4. In the URL Patterns box, enter:
      • • ((?:drive|docs)\.google\.com\/.*export)
   5. Click Save.
2. Add the custom category to the Decrypt and inspect policy:
   1. On the GUARDIAN menu, under HTTPS inspection submenu, click Manage policies.
   2. Either edit an existing policy or create a new one:
      • Who Everyone*
      • What Choose the custom category created in step 1
      • Where Everywhere*
      • When Always*
      • Action Block
        *You should change these based on your organizational needs.
   3. Make sure the Enable Policy option is selected and click Confirm and then Save.