Web Filter - Static URLs and subdomains

[KiloBravo]

My first post, so firstly.... Hi. I've read a lot on this forum but never actually created an account to post anything, now that i have, I'm sure this is going to be the first of many.

I'm creating a static URL whitelist with whole load of URLs. I'm trying to make sure I get the rules right first time as I've been given an output from another appliance that was doing their web filtering for them and don't want to have to go through it again. So i just wanted to know....

if i want to allow (everything is blocked by default) xxx.yyy.zzz.com/abc would a 'simple' rule with that exact URL suffice? Or should i do a 'wildcard' rule with xxx.yyy.zzz.com/abc*? 

Is there a difference?

I've read the guide for 5.6(the version I'm on) but all of the examples do not include subdomains nor do they say much about the wildcard option. 

[Donaire · Accepted solution]

Hey mate, 

I don't think you need to whitelist the "subdomains" 

Let me say for example: You have fortinet.com and forum.fortinet.com, both are in a blacklist, if you whitelist fortinet.com any other blocking rule applied to this domain or "subdomains" would be overtaken. 

Thats because a whitelist as higher priority over the blacklist. 

[KiloBravo]

Donaire wrote:

Hey mate, 

I don't think you need to whitelist the "subdomains" 

Let me say for example: You have fortinet.com and forum.fortinet.com, both are in a blacklist, if you whitelist fortinet.com any other blocking rule applied to this domain or "subdomains" would be overtaken. 

Thats because a whitelist as higher priority over the blacklist. 

Thanks Donaire.

I guess my follow up question to that is...if i did want to be more specific and only allow forum.fortinet.com (and it's pages) but not the whole of fortinet then I'd do as mentioned and put an entry in for 'forum.fortinet.com'?

[Donaire]

KiloBravo wrote:

Donaire wrote:

Hey mate, 

I don't think you need to whitelist the "subdomains" 

Let me say for example: You have fortinet.com and forum.fortinet.com, both are in a blacklist, if you whitelist fortinet.com any other blocking rule applied to this domain or "subdomains" would be overtaken. 

Thats because a whitelist as higher priority over the blacklist. 

Thanks Donaire.

I guess my follow up question to that is...if i did want to be more specific and only allow forum.fortinet.com (and it's pages) but not the whole of fortinet then I'd do as mentioned and put an entry in for 'forum.fortinet.com'?

I am very sorry to appear late, as i have not been reading my email since then.  How is this issue?