How to block Instagram from users behind a SonicWall

Instagram is an online photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures and videos, apply digital filters to them, and share them on a variety of social networking services, such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Flicker. A distinctive feature is that it confines photos to a square shape, similar to Kodak Anastomotic and Polaroid images, in contrast to the 16:9 aspect ratio now typically used by mobile device cameras. Users are also able to record and share short videos lasting for up to 15 seconds.

This article describes how to block Instagram Mobile App in Android 2.2 or later, iOS 5.0 or later and in Windows Phone 8 Phone using App Control Advanced feature.

Resolution for SonicOS 7.X

This release includes significant user interface changes and many new features that are different from the SonicOS 6.5 and earlier firmware. The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 7.X firmware.

In order to effectively block Instagram, the following signatures listed below in order are required to be enabled for blocking:

• 1) DNS Query instagram.com - 7713
• 2) HTTP Activity 1 - 7714
• 3) HTTP Activity 2 - 7715
• 4) HTTPS Activity 1 - 7716
• 5) HTTPS Activity 2 - 7716
• 6) App Feature (Image Upload)- 10834
• 7) App Feature (Video Upload)- 10835

Login to the SonicWall Management GUI.

    1. Click Policies at the top navigation menu

    2. Navigate to the Security Services|App Control page 

    3. Enable the check boxes Enable App Control, Enable Logging For All Apps if required

    4. Click on the Accept button at the bottom to apply the changes.

    5. On the top click on Signatures

    6.  View Style select SOCIAL-NETWORKING under Category

    7. Select Instagram under Application; select Application under Viewed By.

    8. Click on the configure option of the Instagram Application to bring up the Edit App Control App window. 

    10. You will see a Warning Message: Application's Block setting is the same as the Category to which it belongs. Your exception may not work as desired. Please double-check and update your application's Block settings

    11. Click on OK  if you are sure that, you have not configured the same on category Block

    12. Select Enable under Block and Log.
    NOTE: Excluded Users/Groups, Excluded IP Address Range can be used to exclude users or groups or IP address(es) from Instagram use restriction.

     13. Click on OK to save

After clicking on OK, you can notice that the Instagram application has check mark on Block & Log columns.

You can set Viewed By to Signature to see the list of signatures enabled for block & log for Instagram.

Enabling Application Control on zones

1. Click Objects in the top navigation menu
2. Navigate to Zones
3. Click on the configure button under the zone where you want to enable App Control.
4. Check Enable App Control Service.
5. Click on OK to save.

How to Test

Error Message in the Instagram App

• After connecting to the wireless network, when user launches Instagram App on the mobile phone, the user will get an error message stating  Couldn't refresh feed along with a  refresh icon

Log Messages in SonicWall

1. Click Investigate in the top navigation menu
2. The log messages can be seen in the under Event logsThe following log messages (Red Color) shown below will be generated in SonicWall when hosts try to launch the Instagram App on the mobile phone.

Resolution for SonicOS 6.5

This release includes significant user interface changes and many new features that are different from the SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

In order to effectively block Instagram, the following signatures listed below in order are required to be enabled for blocking:

• 1) DNS Query instagram.com - 7713
• 2) HTTP Activity 1 - 7714
• 3) HTTP Activity 2 - 7715
• 4) HTTPS Activity 1 - 7716

Login to the SonicWall Management GUI.

1. Click Manage in the top navigation menu
2. Navigate to the Rules | Advanced Application Control page.
3. Enable the check boxes Enable App Control, Enable Logging For All Apps if required
4. Click on the Accept button at the bottom to apply the changes.
5. Under App Control Advanced | View Style select MULTIMEDIA under Category;
6. Select Instagram under Application; select Application under Viewed By.
7. Click on the configure option of the Instagram Application to bring up the Edit App Control App window. 
8. You will see a Warning Message: Application's Block setting is the same as the Category to which it belongs. Your exception may not work as desired. Please double-check and update your application's Block settings
9. Click on OK if your sure that, you have not configured the same on Category Block
10. Select Enable under Block and Log. 
11. Click on OK to save.

NOTE: Excluded Users/Groups, Excluded IP Address Range can be used to exclude users or groups or IP address(es) from Instagram use restriction.

After clicking on OK, you can notice that the Instagram application has check mark on Block & Log columns.

You can set Viewed By to Signature to see the list of signatures enabled for block & log for Instagram.


Enabling Application Control on zones

1. Click Manage in the top navigation menu
2. Navigate to Network | Zones
3. Click on the configure button under the zone where you want to enable App Control.
4. Check Enable App Control Service.
5. Click on OK to save.

How to Test

Error Message in the Instagram App

• After connecting to the wireless network, when user launches Instagram App on the mobile phone, the user will get an error message stating  Couldn't refresh feed along with a  refresh icon.

Log Messages in SonicWall

1. Click Investigate in the top navigation menu
2. The log messages can be seen in the under Event logsThe following log messages (Red Color) shown below will be generated in SonicWall when hosts try to launch the Instagram App on the mobile phone.
   

Resolution for SonicOS 6.2 and Below

The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. For firewalls that are generation 6 and newer we suggest to upgrade to the latest general release of SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

In order to effectively block Instagram, the following signatures listed below in order are required to be enabled for blocking:

• 1) DNS Query instagram.com - 7713
• 2) HTTP Activity 1 - 7714
• 3) HTTP Activity 2 - 7715
• 4) HTTPS Activity 1 - 7716

Step 1: Login to the SonicWall Management GUI.
Step 2: Navigate to the Firewall | App Control Advanced page. (In TZ 100/200 devices this page is under Security Services | App Control)

Step 3: Enable the check boxes Enable App Control, Enable Logging For All Apps and click on the Accept button at the top to apply the changes.



Step 4: Under App Control Advanced > View Style select MULTIMEDIA under Category; select Instagram under Application; select Application under Viewed By.
Step 5: Click on the configure option of the Instagram Application to bring up the Edit App Control App window. 


 
Step 6: Select Enable under Block and Log.
NOTE: Excluded Users/Groups, Excluded IP Address Range can be used to exclude users or groups or IP address(es) from Instagram use restriction.
 

Step 7: Click on OK to save. After clicking on OK, you can notice that the Instagram application has check mark on Block & Log columns.



You can set Viewed By to Signature to see the list of signatures enabled for block & log for Instagram.



Enabling Application Control on zones
 
Step 8: Navigate to Network | Zones.
Step 9: Click on the configure button under the zone where you want enable App Control. (In this article, WLAN zone is considered, App Control can be enabled on all other zones also)



Step 10: Check the option Enable App Control Service and click on OK to save the change.
 

How to Test

Error Message in the Instagram App

• After connecting to the wireless network, when user launches Instagram App on the mobile phone, the user will get an error message stating  Couldn't refresh feed along with a  refresh icon.

Log Messages in SonicWall

• The log messages can be seen in the Log > View (SonicOS 5.8.X.X and SonicOS 6.1.X.X) or Log | Log Monitor (SonicOS 5.9.X.X) section of the GUI.
• The following log messages (Red Color) shown below will be generated in SonicWall when hosts try to launch the Instagram App on the mobile phone.