Pornographic websites not blocked due to "Not Rated" categorization

This article explains troubleshooting scenarios where some pornographic sites are not blocked even if SonicWall content filtering is enabled and is actively blocking Pornography category.

There are number of new websites created everyday. Until the websites are reviewed by our CFS team, they are usually classified as Not Rated. This category is usually not blocked in most environments, as it leads to all unclassified websites from being blocked even if they are legitimate.

There are number of new websites created everyday. Until the websites are reviewed by our CFS team, they are usually classified as "Not Rated". This category is usually not blocked in most environments, as it leads to all unclassified websites from being blocked even if they are legitimate.

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.

There are a couple of different ways to resolve this issue

• To confirm the category of the website, please check the URL rating at: CFS Rating. This is to ensure that the domain is not a part of two or more categories, in which case the block would not work as expected if one category was blocked and the other was allowed. If you believe the website has not been categorized correctly, please submit the URL for review by clicking on  Please submit a Rating Request on the CFS Rating page.

• In the Content Filtering Policy, block the Not Rated category. This block has its own advantages/disadvantages depending on the environment. This will block all websites that are currently rated as Not Rated as per our CFS ratings. In a locked down network, this is an advantage as it blocks new domains/unknown domains. In more lenient environments, exceptions might have to be made to allow access depending on the number of users accessing the site. 

• If you do not want to block the "Not Rated" category you can create Custom CFS Categories under Policy | Security Services | Content Filter . This overrides the current rating, and will force the CFS service to use this rating before reaching out to the CFS server. Below we add a site called abc.com as an example. 
  
  
  
  
  

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.

There are a couple of different ways to resolve this issue

• To confirm the category of the website, please check the URL rating at: CFS Rating. This is to ensure that the domain is not a part of two or more categories, in which case the block would not work as expected if one category was blocked and the other was allowed. If you believe the website has not been categorized correctly, please submit the URL for review by clicking on  Please submit a Rating Request on the CFS Rating page.

• In the Content Filtering Policy, block the Not Rated category. This block has its own advantages/disadvantages depending on the environment. This will block all websites that are currently rated as Not Rated as per our CFS ratings. In a locked down network, this is an advantage as it blocks new domains/unknown domains. In more lenient environments, exceptions might have to be made to allow access depending on the number of users accessing the site. 

• If you do not want to block the "Not Rated" category you can create Custom CFS Categories under Security Configuration | Security Services | Content Filter . This overrides the current rating, and will force the CFS service to use this rating before reaching out to the CFS server. Below we add a site called abc.com as an example. 
  
  
   

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.

There are a couple of different ways to resolve this issue

• To confirm the category of the website, please check the URL rating at: CFS Rating.This is to ensure that the domain is not a part of two or more categories, in which case the block would not work as expected if one category was blocked and the other was allowed. If you believe the website has not been categorized correctly, please submit the URL for review by clicking on Please submit a Rating Request on the CFS Rating page.

• In the Content Filtering Policy, block the Not Rated category. This block has its own advantages/disadvantages depending on the environment. This will block all websites that are currently rated as Not Rated as per our CFS ratings. In a locked down network, this is an advantage as it blocks new domains/unknown domains. In more lenient environments, exceptions might have to be made to allow access depending on the number of users accessing the site. 

• If you do not want to block the Not Rated category you can create Custom CFS Categories under System | Security Services. This overrides the current rating, and will force the CFS service to use this rating before reaching out to the CFS server. Below we add a site called abc.com as an example.