topic Allowing only low-risk of a url category in Next-Generation Firewall Discussions

Allowing only low-risk of a url category

Shams.G — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 06:17:46 GMT

Hello everyone,

I have a requirement to adjust security policies in a way that only "white list" logic is enabled, and for one specific rule I have to allow only the low-risk category of given url category, for example training-and-tools, and not high-risk and medium-risk. However, the rule should not block the medium and high risk of training-and-tools eiher, as below there might be a policy for that allow the access. The problem is, if I write the policy and add URL categories of training and low-risk, it applies the "or" logic, which means that it will allow the high-and medium risks of training, and all the other categories matched as low-risk as well (tried in practice, works as described). And if I use URL Filtering profile and define high-risk and medium-risk action as block, it will block the category, which achieves the goal of allowing only low-risk of the website, but ignores the requirement just whitelisting, meaning if I have a policy below that allows access to that specific website, I will not hit that policy as I am being blocked from the above. What are the recommended solutions for this kind of issue? How do you usually deal with that? Any hint is appreciated, cause I am sure there should be a way that this works but I can't see it.

Re: Allowing only low-risk of a url category

ozheng — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:22:25 GMT

Hello Shams.G,

I invite you to check the PANCast Episode 3, you will get some element of response in it.

Hope that helps.

Olivier

Re: Allowing only low-risk of a url category

Shams.G — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 06:42:14 GMT

Dear Ozheng,

thanks for yor reply and the article, however that is not what I was looking for. In practice I have set up and worked with both URL Filtering profiles and URL categories, but here I need to have not "or" but "and" logic, to allow only low-risk of training category. Do you have any specific advice on how can I achieve that?

Re: Allowing only low-risk of a url category

ozheng — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 16:21:57 GMT

From PANCast Episode 3 - Transcript.

”When you add either a pre-defined or custom URL category to the Service/URL category in the security policy, this is the same as adding a source IP or a service port. This is used for traffic to match that security policy. So, the same as a source IP, if the traffic does not match the URL you have specified it just continues down the security policy to find a match. The key here is the URL the client is requesting is not logged if the traffic does not even match that policy. ”

You put one category in match condition, you put the second category in a URL profile, you got your AND.

Olivier