Fortiguard Web Filtering Unblock Better Guide

Suddenly, a chat box popped up on his screen. It wasn't a coworker. It was the internal IT help desk.

| Do | Don’t | |----|-------| | ✅ Verify site is safe before unblocking | ❌ Unblock entire category (e.g., “All social media”) | | ✅ Use URL filter with allow action | ❌ Disable web filtering globally | | ✅ Log unblock actions for audit | ❌ Unblock known malicious sites (C2, phishing) | | ✅ Submit recategorization for persistent false positives | ❌ Rely only on temporary unblock daily | fortiguard web filtering unblock

is a cloud-based security service integrated into Fortinet’s FortiGate firewalls. It categorizes millions of websites (e.g., Social Media, Malware, Phishing, Adult, Streaming) and enforces access policies. When a site is blocked, users see a FortiGuard Block Page with a reason and a FortiGuard category (e.g., Category 48 – Bandwidth Wasting ). Suddenly, a chat box popped up on his screen

If you are restricted by an organization's policy, several workarounds exist, though they may violate local IT policies. | Do | Don’t | |----|-------| | ✅

: This allows you to specifically "Allow" or "Exempt" a URL. Log in to the FortiGate web interface. Navigate to Security Profiles > Web Filter .

Allowing exceptions can create security holes. To maintain a balance between productivity (unblocking) and security, adhere to these best practices: