Content Filtering on the Cisco
Security Appliance
Up to now, you focused on how to configure the Security Appliance and how to protect
against unwanted traffic from outside in. This chapter focuses specifically on outbound
traffic and content filtering—traffic moving from inside out.
More and more companies today have some form of network policy in place. Websites
that are not related to their business or that are otherwise considered inappropriate are
prohibited for use by their employees. This chapter discusses how the Cisco Security
Appliance mitigates some of the threats posed by Java applets and ActiveX objects and
how the Cisco Security Appliance enforces URL filtering.
How to Best Use This Chapter
Users on your network frequently surf the Internet looking for information. Some
websites contain content that is not appropriate for a business environment. Besides
inappropriate content, many attacks also originate from traffic brought into your
network by internal users surfing the Internet via ActiveX objects and Java applets.
Filtering ActiveX objects and Java applets along with restricting access to specific URLs
is an important aspect in your overall network security policy. Test yourself with the “Do
I Know This Already?” quiz and see how familiar you are with the content filtering
functionality available on Security Appliances.