Risk classes

Web Security Help | Web Security Solutions | Version 7.8.x

Related topics:

Assigning categories to risk classes

Presentation reports

Investigative reports

The Websense Master Database groups categories into risk classes. Risk classes suggest possible types or levels of vulnerability posed by sites in the group of categories.

Risk classes are used primarily in reporting. The Web Security Dashboard includes graphs where Internet activity is displayed by risk class, and you can generate presentation or investigative reports organized by risk class.

Risk classes may also be helpful in creating category filters. Initially, for example, the Basic Security category filter blocks all of the default categories in the Security Risk class. You might use the risk class groupings as a guideline when you create your own category filters, to help decide whether a category should be permitted, blocked, or restricted in some way.

There are 5 risk classes. By default, each risk class contains the categories listed below.

A category can appear in multiple risk classes, or not be assigned to any risk class.

The groupings may be changed periodically in the Master Database. When you receive notice that a new category has been added to the Master Database, it is a good idea to check its default risk class assignment.


Legal Liability
	Adult Material (includes Adult Content, Lingerie and Swimsuit, Nudity, Sex)
	Bandwidth > Peer-to-Peer File Sharing
	Gambling
	Illegal or Questionable
	Information Technology > Hacking and Proxy Avoidance
	Intolerance
	Militancy and Extremist
	Tasteless
	Violence
	Weapons


Network Bandwidth Loss
	Bandwidth (includes Educational Video, Entertainment Video, Internet Radio and TV, Internet Telephony, Peer-to-Peer File Sharing, Personal Network Storage and Backup, Streaming Media, Surveillance, Viral Video)
	Entertainment > Media File Download Services
	Productivity > Advertisements, Application and Software Download
	Social Web Controls - Facebook > Facebook Video Upload
	Social Web Controls - YouTube > YouTube Video Upload


Business Usage
	Bandwidth > Educational Video
	Business and Economy (includes Financial Data and Services, Hosted Business Applications)
	Collaboration - Office (includes Office - Mail, Office - Drive, Office - Documents, and Office - Apps)
	Education > Educational Materials, Reference Materials
	Government (includes Military)
	Social Web Controls - LinkedIn (includes LinkedIn Connections, LinkedIn Jobs, LinkedIn, Mail, LinkedIn Updates)
	Information Technology (includes Computer Security, Search Engines and Portals, WebCollaboration, Web Translation, Web Analytics, and Web and Email Marketing)
	Travel
	Vehicles


Security Risk
	Bandwidth > Peer-to-Peer File Sharing
	Extended Protection (includes Dynamic DNS, Elevated Exposure, Emerging Exploits, Newly Registered Websites, Suspicious Content) [Websense Web Security]
	Information Technology > Hacking, Proxy Avoidance, Web and Email Spam
	Parked Domain
	Productivity >Application and Software Download
	Security (includes Bot Networks, Compromised Websites, Keyloggers, Malicious Embedded iFrame, Malicious Embedded Link, Malicious Web Sites, Phishing and Other Frauds, Potentially Unwanted Software, Spyware, Suspicious Embedded Link) [Websense Web Security] With Web Security Gateway and Gateway Anywhere, Advanced Malware Command and Control, Advanced Malware Payloads, Custom-Encrypted Uploads, Files Containing Passwords, and Potentially Exploited Documents are also included.


Productivity Loss
	Abortion (includes Pro-Choice, Pro-Life)
	Adult Material > Sex Education
	Advocacy Groups
	Bandwidth > Entertainment Video, Internet Radio and TV, Peer-to-Peer File Sharing, Streaming Media, Surveillance, Viral Video
	Collaboration - Office (includes Office - Mail, Office - Drive, Office - Documents, and Office - Apps)
	Drugs (includes Abused Drugs, Marijuana, Prescribed Medications, Nutrition)
	Education (includes Cultural Institutions, Educational Institutions)
	Entertainment (includes Media File Download Services)
	Gambling
	Games
	Government > Political Organizations
	Health
	Information Technology > Web and Email Spam, Web Hosting, and Web and Email Marketing
	Internet Communication (includes General Email, Organizational Email, Text and Media Messaging, Web Chat)
	Job Search
	News and Media (includes Alternative Journals)
	Parked Domain
	Productivity (includes Application and Software Download, Instant Messaging, Message Boards and Forums, Online Brokerage and Trading, Pay-to-Surf)
	Religion (includes Non-Traditional Religions, Traditional Religions)
	Shopping (includes Internet Auctions, Real Estate)
	Social Organizations (includes Professional and Worker Organizations, Service and Philanthropic Organizations, Social and Affiliation Organizations)
	Social Web Controls - Facebook (includes Facebook Apps, Facebook Chat, Facebook Commenting, Facebook Events, Facebook Friends, Facebook Games, Facebook Groups, Facebook Mail, Facebook Photo Upload, Facebook Posting, Facebook Questions, Facebook Video Upload)
	Social Web Controls - LinkedIn (includes LinkedIn Connections, LinkedIn Jobs, LinkedIn Mail, LinkedIn Updates)
	Social Web Controls - Twitter (includes Twitter Follow, Twitter Mail, Twitter Posting)
	Social Web Controls - Various (includes Blog Commenting, Blog Posting, Classifieds Posting)
	Social Web Controls - YouTube (includes YouTube Commenting, YouTube Sharing, YouTube Video Upload)
	Society and Lifestyles (includes Alcohol and Tobacco, Blogs and Personal Sites, Gay or Lesbian or Bisexual Interest, Hobbies, Personals and Dating, Restaurants and Dining, Social Networking)
	Special Events
	Sports (includes Sport Hunting and Gun Clubs)
	Travel
	Vehicles

Super Administrators can change the categories assigned to each risk class on the Settings > General > Risk Class page (see Assigning categories to risk classes).