URL Rewrite - any update in new PanOS 4.1?

[keklund]

We are increasingly seeing the need for a URL rewrite feature - we had hoped to use it for one of the ways to force Google SafeSearch (vs. the existing option of blocking searches using an app signature)

We now would like to use YouTube for Schools, which depends on URL modification:

http://support.google.com/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1686318

1. A)  Add new HTTP header rule

   Modify your hardware filter or proxy server settings so that all outgoing traffic to youtube.com contains the following custom HTTP header. The ID to use in the HTTP header configuration, written below, is an example of a unique ID for your school’s network only. If your school is blocked at the district level, this HTTP header is then unique to the district network.

   Example:
   X-YouTube-Edu-Filter:ABCD1234567890abcdefField Name: X-YouTube-Edu-Filter
   Description: When YouTube sees this header and an accompanying valid school ID in the incoming traffic, YouTube will serve a limited EDU-only site to all computers behind the school hardware filter.
   Field Value Format: alphanumeric [a-z][A-Z][0-9]
   Field Value Length: up to 44 characters

   B)  Create URL parameter rewrite rule

   If your hardware filter not support HTTP header modification, please rewrite all outgoing URLs to youtube.com by appending the parameter “edufilter” at the end. Exclude the &edufilter parameter from these file types: .css, .gif, .png, .js, .xml

   Example:
   http://youtube.com/?edufilter=ABCD1234567890abcdef
   http://youtube.com/watch?v=gM95HHI4gLk&edufilter=ABCD1234567890afbcdef

Is/will there be any way to do this in PanOS 4.1?  We are upgrading over the holiday break.

[dyang · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback!  PAN-OS 4.1 does not support the ability to do "URL Rewrites" as you describe, but we are currently looking into YouTube for Schools and what it would mean to support it.

If you haven't already, please have your rep file a feature request on your behalf so that we may properly gauge customer need for this feature.

Thanks,

Doris

[ashley_young]

Hi,

Any news on this one? YouTube for Schools & enforcing safe search are key features that we're after. Certainly the safe search has been logged as a feature request with our supplier for about 12 months.

Thanks,

Ashley

[dyang]

Hi Ashley,

These are still items that we're looking into, so no updates at the moment.

Thanks,

Doris

[mikand]

Will the following work as a workaround for you (until PA fixed ability to inject code into streams)?

https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/docs/DOC-1399

https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/docs/DOC-1657

This way you can at least mostly block users from accessing safesearch=off or whatever you prefer.

[ashley_young]

Thanks Doris,

I was asking for news, rather than a specific update, a poor choice of words on my part but I can infer that its still a little way off.

Very useful links Mikand, Many thanks

I'll see if I can work out how to do similar in PanOS 4.1, there's no better way to learn a new piece of kit than jumping right in!

[jott]

How does this look?  Do we have any updates?

[dyang]

Unfortunately, no updates to report at the moment.  We'll keep you posted. 

[bjackson]

Is this feature at least on the road map moving forward?

[jgraves]

I also need the ability for URL rewrites for Google safesearch and YouTube. Is this on the roadmap? Do you have any kind of ETA? We just implemented Palo Alto and lacking the ability for us to do this is crippling. Thank you for any update you can provide.

[mlaporte]

I will echo Mr Graves post, I also need this as the redirect to a block page may work but is not a solution for the age range we have.

[AaronJCCU1]

I'm looking for this feature too. I was really hopeful for this in v.5, but it doesn't look like it's there, unless I missed something.

[SCASDNetwork]

I also need this feature; Either a URL rewrite or a way to redirect google, bing and youtube searches to the "safe" versions of these systems through applications or other methods.

[forfarj]

I am also in need of URL rewrite to address the YoutubeEDU issue.  Come on guys, at least provide an update to why you are not providing this feature.

[epstech]

Also in need of rewrite and encouraged other school districts in my vicinity to Request feature through SE. That was about a year ago...