How do I create exceptions and how do they work?

51396 | Web Protection FAQ | TRITON AP-WEB and Web Filter & Security | 12-Oct-2015

Exceptions override policies to permit or block access to specific URLs for specific clients. Use an exception to:

Permit access for all employees to a specific URL that would otherwise be blocked based on its category.

Block all clients in a specific role from a suspicious uncategorized URL while the site is investigated.

Permit temporary access to a URL for certain members of a group while continuing to block the site for the rest of the group.

Exceptions allow a flexible and rapid response to user requests, changes in company policies, spikes in Internet activity, or other changes in circumstance.

Use the Policy Management > Exceptions page to add, review, edit, or delete exceptions. The page shows the following information for each exception:

The Name given to the exception when it was created.

The URL or regular expression permitted or blocked by the exception, or a link to the complete list of URLs or expressions (if the exception includes more than one).

The name of the Client, if the exception applies to one client, or the role name (if the exception applies to an entire delegated administration role), Global (if all clients are affected), or a link to a complete list of affected clients.

The exception Type, an icon indicating whether URLs in the exception are blocked, permitted, or permitted with security override disabled.

The date the exception was Last Modified.

When the exception Expires, either an expiration date, or Never.

Whether the exception is Active (used to block or permit requests) or Inactive (either expired, or just not currently in use).

Click Add below the list to create an exception.

Click the link that is the name of the exception or mark the check box next to an exception and click Edit to edit an existing exception.

See the Administrator Help for instructions for creating exceptions.

If multiple exceptions could apply to a request, how is the right one selected?

To apply exceptions, Filtering Service uses the following rules:

By default, Super Administrator exceptions take precedence over exceptions created by delegated administrators.

A delegated administrator exception takes precedence when the Super Administrator exception has been defined to allow delegated administrator override.

If multiple equivalent exceptions could be applied:

Blocked takes precedence over permit.

If there are multiple blocked exceptions, the first one found is applied.

If there are multiple permitted exceptions and no blocked exceptions, the first permitted exception found is applied.

Client exceptions (that apply to one or more individual clients) take precedence over role exceptions.

Use the Test Filtering tool in (under Toolbox in the Web module of the TRITON Manager) to verify that client requests will be blocked or permitted as expected.