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Internet Access Policies > Enforcement order > Responding to a URL request
Responding to a URL request
Web Security Help | Web Security Solutions | Version 7.8.x
Websense Filtering Service evaluates policy restrictions as follows to determine whether the requested site should be permitted or blocked. (For Websense Web Security Gateway Anywhere deployments, note that the logic shown here applies to the on-premises software, but not the hybrid service.)
1.
Check to see whether the site is listed in an exception.
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If there is a block exception, block the site.
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If there is a permit exception, permit the site.
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If there is no exception for the site, continue to Step 2.
2.
Determines which category filter or limited access filter the policy enforces for the current day and time.
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If the active category filter is Permit All, permit the site.
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If the active category filter is Block All, block the site.
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If the filter is a limited access filter, check whether the filter contains the URL or IP address. If so, permit the site. If not, block the site.
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If any other category filter applies, continue to Step 3.
 
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Note 
Filtering Service handles URLs accessed from search engine's cache like any other URL. They are blocked or permitted according to the applicable policies. Log records for cached URLs show the entire cached URL, including any search engine parameters.
3.
Checks the active protocol filter and determines whether any non-HTTP protocols are associated with the request.
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If so, apply the appropriate action, as defined in the protocol filter.
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If not, continue to Step 4.
4.
Tries to match the site to an entry in the Recategorized URLs list.
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If a match is made, identify the category for the site and go to Step 6.
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If a match is not made, continue to Step 5.
5.
Tries to match the site to an entry in the Master Database.
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If the URL appears in the Master Database, identify the category for the site and continue to Step 6.
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If a match is not made, categorize the site as Miscellaneous/Uncategorized and continue to Step 6.
6.
Checks the active category filter and identifies the action applied to the category containing the requested site.
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If the action is Block, block the site.
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If any other action is applied, continue to Step 7.
7.
Checks for Bandwidth Optimizer settings in the active category filter (see Using Bandwidth Optimizer to manage bandwidth).
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If current bandwidth usage exceeds any configured limits, block the site.
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If current bandwidth usage does not exceed the specified limits, or no bandwidth-based action applies, proceed to Step 8.
8.
Checks for file type restrictions applied to the active category (see Managing traffic based on file type).
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If the site contains files whose extensions are blocked, block access to those files. If the site itself is comprised of a blocked file type, block access to the site.
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If the site does not contain files whose extensions are blocked, go to Step 9.
9.
Checks for blocked keywords in the URL and CGI path, if keyword blocking is enabled (see Keyword-based policy enforcement).
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If a blocked keyword is found, block the site.
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If a blocked keyword is not found, continue to Step 10.
10.
Handles the site according to the action applied to the category.
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Permit: Permit the site.
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Limit by Quota: Display the block message with an option to view the site using quota time or go back to the previous page.
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Confirm: Display the block message with the option to view the site for work purposes.
Filtering Service proceeds until the requested site is either blocked or explicitly permitted. At that point, no further investigation is attempted. For example, if a requested site belongs to a blocked category and contains a blocked keyword, Filtering Service blocks the site at the category level without checking the keyword. Log Server then logs the request as blocked because of a blocked category, not because of a keyword.
 
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Note 
Users with password override privileges can access websites regardless of why the site was blocked.

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Internet Access Policies > Enforcement order > Responding to a URL request
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