DNS and URL Filtering

A Secure Web Gateway (SWG) protects company data and enforces security policy by operating between the company's employees and the internet. This protection is based on DNS and URL filtering policies derived from a database classifying websites by topic or category.

DNS Filtering
DNS filtering blocks web traffic based on DNS queries, meaning the websites are filtered according to the domain name.

URL Filtering
URL filtering blocks web traffic based on an entire URL, not just the domain name. URLs can refer to specific web pages or files hosted at a domain, not the entire domain.

DNS vs. URL Filtering
DNS filtering and URL filtering are both types of web filtering, though they have different individual functions.
With DNS filtering, the organization can block a website entirely, regardless of the different pages' URLs, by blocking entire domains. This approach applies to all types of external web traffic, regardless of protocol. On the other hand, URL filtering provides a more granular approach, as the filtering allows companies to block individual web pages instead of the whole website.

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