Why is SonicWall blocking access to websites?

03/26/2020 2016 17931

DESCRIPTION:

We regularly receive queries from internet users attempting to access websites at their school, college or workplace who receive an error message similar to the ones shown below:

SonicWall is a network security company that specializes in a range of internet appliances primarily directed at content control and network security. Our devices provide services for network firewalls, Unified Threat Management, Virtual Private Networks, and Anti-Spam. A firewall is a tool that is used to restrict or allow traffic based upon policy enforcement by the network administrator.

If you are receiving a SonicWall branded pop up or error message when trying to access certain websites, it means that a SonicWall product is being used to restrict what you can access.

SonicWall Content Filtering Service (CFS) allows a network administrator to block websites in certain categories which are deemed objectionable or inappropriate by the organization using the firewall. Categories range from offensive types of content such as "Violence," which would include anti-social websites that advocate use of weapons or explosives, to sites that may not be offensive but would otherwise cause a potential risk to the network in terms of bandwidth usage, such as "Malware", "Freeware/Software downloads", or "Multimedia."

If you believe that the SonicWall is incorrectly blocking a website or if you have questions as to why a certain website is being blocked, please contact your network administrator for additional assistance.