Create a Custom Category

Categories are used to group URLs, domains, search phrases, file types or video IDs for Filtering, HTTPS Inspection (On-Premise Appliance) or Content Modification Policies. You can use our Standard categories, or create your own Custom categories. For example, you may need to create a custom category to:

• Allow web-enabled network appliances, like VoIP phones or wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment.
• Provide an exception to filtering policies. For example, you may block the 'News' category, but add Mylocalpaper.com to a custom category to allow access to that site.

Hybrid (both Cloud and On-Premise Appliance)

If you have a Hybrid setup, you can manage your Custom Categories and Web Filter Policies in either place. To sync between Cloud and On-Premise Appliance:

• For On-Premise Appliance, log out.
• For Cloud, go to Filter > Publishing and select Publish.

On-Premise Appliance

Before you begin

Check if the URL is already included in a category used in your policies. Adding the same URL to Categories used in different policies makes it more challenging to manage what is being blocked, allowed or inspected.

Add a custom category

1. Go to Guardian > Policy Objects > Categories.
2. In the Manage categories section.
   • Enter the Name of your custom category.
   • (Optional) Enter an optional descriptive Comment.
   • (Optional) If you are part of a multi-tenant setup, select the tenants that can use this category.

3. In the Domain/URL filtering section, enter domains or URLs to block or allow. Select Advanced to configure additional filtering options:

   Tip

   If you have items in a list, select Edit in full-text mode and paste the list. Then ensure they appear in the list correctly by selecting Edit in list mode.

   • Search Term Filtering: Allow or block specific phrases or words users can search.
   • URL Patterns: Allows or blocks regular expressions to match domains/subdomains or URL strings. Use a PERL compatible regular expression, per line. For example, adultsite|gambling looks for URLs containing either the word adultsite or gambling.
     

     Tips

     • Avoid using brackets ( ), dots ., or asterisks *, as these use a lot of memory on your On-Premise Appliance, which can impact performance.

     • We presume all prefixes and suffixes, so you don’t need to add ‘www’. Adding smoothwall\.cloud includes portal.smoothwall.cloud and smoothwall.cloud/filter.

4. File Types: Allows or blocks specific file extensions. Enter the File types or file name extensions, one per line. You must include the dot, such as .doc.
5. Videos: Allow or block videos and playlists or prevent them from showing when embedded in other websites.
6. Select Save.

Cloud Filter

1. Go to Filter > Custom categories.
2. Select Add category.
3. Enter the Name of your custom category and an optional Description.
4. Select All tenants, or select a tenant.
5. Add items within the tabs:
   • Domain/URL list: Enter domains or URLs to block or allow.
   • Search Terms: Allow or block specific phrases or words users can search.
   • Videos: Allow or block videos and playlists or prevent them from showing when embedded in other websites.
6. Select Add category.
7. Go to Publishing from the left-hand menu and select Publish.