Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

josealonso — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:13:32 GMT

Hello Palo Alto Community,

I am writing to raise a concern regarding the categorization of websites under Palo Alto Networks' Advanced URL Filtering. Specifically, I have noticed that sites providing access to open-source projects (such as Github, git-scm.com or sourceforge.net) are included within the "Shareware and Freeware" category. According to the definition provided on the Palo Alto Networks website, this category encompasses:

"Sites that provide access to software, screensavers, icons, wallpapers, utilities, ringtones, themes, or widgets for free or donations. Includes open-source projects."

While I understand the necessity of maintaining robust security measures and categorizing websites to prevent access to potentially harmful content, I am concerned about the implications of including open-source projects in this category. Here are a few key points of concern:

Conceptual Difference:
- There is a clear demarcation and conceptual difference between shareware/freeware and open-source software. According to the Open Source Initiative (OSI), open-source software is defined by several key criteria:
  - Free Redistribution: Software can be freely shared and redistributed.
  - Source Code Availability: Source code must be accessible, allowing users to modify and share modifications.
  - Derived Works: Licenses must permit modifications and derived works.
  - Non-discrimination: Licenses cannot discriminate against any person or group.
  Open-source software is typically characterized by its transparent codebase, community-driven development, and rigorous peer-review processes that enhance its security and reliability.
- This stands in contrast to shareware and freeware, which often include proprietary software distributed for free, sometimes with limitations or bundled adware
- Including it under the same category as shareware and freeware, which sometimes includes adware or malware, could lead to misconceptions about the safety and reliability of open-source software.
Access Restrictions:
- Many IT organizations heavily rely on open-source software as a foundational part of their infrastructure and development processes. Blocking access to open-source project sites could significantly hinder these organizations by restricting access to critical tools, libraries, and frameworks necessary for development, operations, and innovation. The reliance on open-source software is so prevalent that many systems, from web servers to development tools, are built and maintained using open-source technologies.
Perception and Usage:
- This categorization might inadvertently associate open-source projects with less secure software categories, potentially discouraging their use within organizations that rely on Palo Alto Networks' security solutions.

I am interested in understanding the rationale behind this categorization and whether there are any plans to re-evaluate or refine the categories to better distinguish between different types of non-commercial software. Specifically, I believe that separating open-source projects from shareware and freeware could help avoid unintended consequences and better reflect the nature of these projects.

I would appreciate any insights or updates from the Palo Alto Networks team on this matter. Additionally, I welcome input from other community members who might have encountered similar issues or have suggestions on how to address this concern.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

Edsnow — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:11:33 GMT

I completely agree with your point the more granular categorization the more granular control on the traffic.

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

PavelK — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:41:30 GMT

Hello @josealonso

I know that this is not completely fulfilling request in your post, but Palo Alto is going to re-categorize "github.com" and "podman.io" from "Shareware and Freeware" to "Computer and Internet Info":

Kind Regards

Pavel

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

eodelberg — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:03:17 GMT

I know this is an old thread, but I couldn't agree more. I would very much like to see Palo implement an "open-source-software" URL category or something similar. This causes friction at our org. because we block shareware-and-freeware.

Furthermore, there is no consistency with how these sites are categorized. As of now, videolan.org and nmap.org are classified as shareware-and-freeware while libreoffice.org and wireshark.org are classified as computer-and-internet-info. I can go down the list of industry standard open-source software that is inconsistently classified because there is not a good category to fit them into.

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Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering

Re: Concern Regarding Inclusion of Open-Source Projects in "Shareware and Freeware" Category in Advanced URL Filtering