In the last year alone, the education sector experienced a 44% increase in cyberattacks. Malicious actors frequently target K-12 schools as they possess a range of sensitive information, including student records, employee data, financial documents, and more. 

While just over 50% of K-12 school data breaches are intentional, approximately 30% are unintentional. This means that schools need to protect themselves from both external and internal threats. 

URL filtering software can protect against data breaches and help protect students and staff from harmful content and distractions online.

How URL filtering software works

URL filtering software regulates access to websites by analyzing and categorizing web traffic based on predefined rules and policies. The primary functions of URL filtering involve several technical steps:

1. URL analysis and categorization: The software scrutinizes URLs requested by users, dissecting them into components such as the protocol, host, and path. It then matches these URLs against a comprehensive database that categorizes websites into various groups: social media, adult content, entertainment, malicious content sites, and web-based threats just to name a few. These databases — generally maintained by vendors — are regularly updated to include new websites and categories. Some advanced systems employ machine learning techniques to categorize new or previously uncategorized websites in real-time.

2. Policy enforcement: Schools set policies within the URL filter software to block or allow access to certain categories of websites. For instance, a policy may apply category filtering and limited access to social media during class hours or prevent access to websites known for distributing malware. When a URL request is made, the software checks if the site category is allowed under the current policies. If not, access is denied and the user is directed to a notification page.

3. HTTPS inspection: Considering that much of today’s web traffic is encrypted via HTTPS, URL filtering software often includes mechanisms to decrypt this traffic temporarily. This allows the software to inspect the details of the URL and other elements of the web content for compliance with security policies. After inspection, the traffic is re-encrypted and forwarded if it passes the security checks.

4. Integration with security systems: URL filtering software typically integrates with broader security systems, such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and secure web gateways. This integration allows for layered security measures and enhances the school’s overall cyber protection posture. For example, even if a URL passes the filter, the content it retrieves may still be blocked if deemed malicious by another security component.

5. Logging and reporting: The software logs details of web access and policy enforcement, which then aids in compliance and auditing. These logs are used to analyze web usage patterns, identify policy violations, and maintain records of security incidents. Reporting functions within the software can generate detailed analytics on student and staff activity, attempted access to blocked categories, and compliance with the school’s web usage policies.

6. Dynamic content analysis: Some internet filter systems perform real-time content analysis to detect and block content from newly created or unclassified sites that may pose security risks. This involves examining the content of web pages for indicators of harmful elements, like phishing, malware, and other prevalent forms of cyber threats.

3 key features to look for in URL filter software

Selecting the right URL filtering software involves looking for features that accommodate the unique needs of your educational institution while ticking the boxes regarding security, compliance, usability, and integration capabilities.

Here are three key features to consider. 

1. Customizable policies and filtering rules

The URL filtering software your school opts for should provide administrators with tools to develop detailed access controls tailored to various user groups and time-specific conditions. This capability involves defining and modifying policies at a granular level, such as blocking certain categories of websites for students during class hours while permitting access for staff. 

The system should support the creation of multiple policy profiles, facilitating the simple deployment of different rules under specific scenarios. Furthermore, advanced features — like keyword and content type filtering — add layers of control. 

2. Comprehensive reporting and monitoring

Consider internet filter software that reliably logs all web requests, categorizes them according to policy decisions (allowed, blocked, warned — or other categories, based on preference), and provides analytics that can be segmented for analysis. 

The reports your web filter software generates should detail aggregate and individual access patterns that offer insight into potential compliance issues or abnormal behavior patterns across the network. Furthermore, consider software capable of generating automated alerts based on predefined thresholds of suspicious activities, as this informs proactive security measures to address potential threats before they escalate. 

3. Scalability

Consider the content filtering solution’s capacity to scale with the growth of your school’s network demands. This involves:

• Supporting an increased number of users and handling larger data throughput without performance degradation.
• The software’s ability to manage expanded rule sets and policies as the diversity of web content grows.
• The capacity to function as intended in distributed network environments, accommodating both on-premises and remote users without requiring extensive hardware upgrades or complete system overhauls.

Also consider the software’s capacity to integrate seamlessly with other security solutions you may have in place. This commonly includes integration with existing cybersecurity frameworks, firewall systems, and threat protection services, among others. 

Next-generation school URL filtering with Content Filter 

With ManagedMethods’ web content filter for schools, you can ensure that your educational institution benefits from a robust, modern, and user-friendly web filtering solution designed specifically for the unique needs of K-12 schools. Content Filter leverages the latest in cloud technology to provide seamless, scalable, and effective web content filtering that’s easy to deploy and manage.

For example, Content Filter helped Azusa Unified School District address their challenges of maintaining CIPA compliance, simplified their web filtering systems, and enhanced the overall cybersecurity posture to protect students and staff from online threats. 

On this, Azusa’s Director of Technology Manuel Sanchez, said: “Content Filter is so lightweight that we were able to run it at the same time as our existing solution without impacting our end users’ experience. We were set up in about 15 minutes and started seeing results almost immediately. The amount of visibility you’ll get from Content Filter is amazing.”

The post A Guide To Selecting The Best URL Filtering Software appeared first on ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12 authored by Katie Fritchen. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/url-filtering-software/