WebFilter URL Categorties
The Blue Coat WebFilter database contains more than 8.2 million websites, published in more than 50 languages, and organized into 58 categories.
Unlike other vendors, Blue Coat does not rely on site-mining processes such as web crawlers to find new websites and applications. Instead, Blue Coat leverages its large URL research ecosystem of on-proxy WebFilter customers and off-proxy OEM deployments to refer sites for categorization. On average, these customers feed more than 50 million requests each day into the Blue Coat FOCUS™ automated rating system, which uses a combination of proprietary, patent-pending classification software and human inspection to categorize sites and review classifications.
With the exception of malware sites, which Blue Coat Labs™ actively deploys technologies to pursue, the WebFilter database is driven only by the actual web usage patterns of customers. This drives the relevance and accuracy of its contents. As a result, WebFilter has an average 92-95% coverage range of requested sites in enterprise deployments, coupled with an extremely low rate of false-positives. To further ensure accuracy, each site in the WebFilter database is classified into multiple categories, as appropriate. This allows WebFilter customers to define a virtually unlimited number of “cross-categories” to fit their specific filtering requirements (e.g., Motor Sports, Sports Betting, etc.).
To address the small percentage of sites not already classified in the on-proxy WebFilter database, customers can use Blue Coat’s optional Dynamic Real-Time Rating (DRTR™) technology. DRTR is a unique, proprietary tool that can actually categorize unrated URLs “on the fly” as a user attempts to access them. Web sites for which DRTR is able to determine a rating with high confidence – typically objectionable content, such as pornography and adult materials – are immediately categorized and instantly blocked or allowed, based on the user’s policy. Customers can also choose to operate DRTR in passive mode, to respond to subsequent requests for a previously unrated site without imposing even the slightest delay to the first user. All DRTR ratings are cached.
The following is an alphabetical listing and description of these categories used by Blue Coat WebFilter to classify web sites
Category |
Description |
Abortion |
Sites which provide information or arguments in favor of or against abortion, describe abortion procedures, offer help in obtaining or avoiding abortion, or provide information on the effects, or lack thereof, of abortion. |
Adult/Mature Content |
Sites that contain material of adult nature that does not necessarily contain excessive violence, sexual content, or nudity. These sites include very profane or vulgar content and sites that are not appropriate for children. |
Alcohol/Tobacco |
Sites that promote or offer for the sale alcohol/tobacco products, or provide the means to create them. Also includes sites that glorify, tout, or otherwise encourage the consumption of alcohol/tobacco. Does not include sites that sell alcohol or tobacco as a subset of other products. |
Arts/Entertainment |
Sites that promote and provide information about motion pictures, videos, television, music and programming guides, books, comics, movie theatres, galleries, artists, or reviews on entertainment. Also includes sites dedicated to or run by museums, zoos, or amusement parks. |
Auctions |
Sites that support the offering and purchasing of goods between individuals. Does not include classified advertisements. |
Brokerage/Trading |
Sites that provide or advertise trading of securities and management of investment assets (online or offline). Also includes insurance sites, as well as sites that offer financial investment strategies, quotes, and news. |
Business/Economy |
Sites devoted to business firms, business information, economics, marketing, business management and entrepreneurship. This does not include sites that perform services that are defined in another category (such as Information Technology companies, or companies that sell travel services). |
Chat/Instant Messaging |
Sites that provide chat or instant messaging capabilities or client downloads. |
Computers/Internet |
Sites that sponsor or provide information on computers, technology, the Internet and technology-related organizations and companies. |
Cult/Occult |
Sites that promote or offer methods, means of instruction, or other resources to affect or influence real events through the use of spells, curses, magic powers, satanic or supernatural beings. |
Cultural Institutions |
Sites sponsored by cultural institutions, such as Boy Scouts of America, Lions Club, and Rotary Club. |
Education |
Sites that offer educational information, distance learning, or trade school information or programs. Also includes sites that are sponsored by schools, educational facilities, faculty, or alumni groups. |
Sites offering web-based email services, such as online email reading, e-cards, and mailing list services. |
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Financial Services |
Sites that provide or advertise banking services (online or offline) or other types of financial information, such as loans. Does not include sites that offer market information, brokerage or trading services. |
For Kids |
Sites designed specifically for children. This category is typically used in conjunction with other categories. |
Gambling |
Sites where a user can place a bet or participate in a betting pool, participate in a lottery, or receive information, assistance, recommendations, or training in such activities. Does not include sites that sell gambling-related products/machines or sites for offline casinos and hotels, unless they meet one of the above requirements. |
Gay/Lesbian |
Sites that provide information, promote, or cater to gay or lesbian lifestyles. Does not include sites that contain adult content. |
Government/Legal |
Sites sponsored by or which provide information on government, government agencies and government services such as taxation and emergency services. Also includes sites that advertise legal services, lawyers for hire, adoption services, information about adoption, immigration information, and immigration services. |
Hacking |
Sites that distribute, promote, or provide hacking tools and/or information which may help gain unauthorized access to computer systems and/or computerized communication systems. Hacking encompasses instructions on illegal or questionable tactics, such as creating viruses, distributing cracked or pirated software, or distributing other protected intellectual property. |
Health |
Sites that provide advice and information on general health such as fitness and well-being, personal health or medical services, drugs, alternative and complimentary therapies, medical information about ailments, dentistry, optometry, general psychiatry, self-help, and support organizations dedicated to a disease or condition. |
Humor/Jokes |
Sites that primarily focus on comedy, jokes, fun, etc. May include sites containing jokes of adult or mature nature. Sites containing humorous Adult/Mature content also have an Adult/Mature category rating. |
Category |
Description |
Illegal Drugs |
Sites that promote, offer, sell, supply, encourage or otherwise advocate the illegal use, cultivation, manufacture, or distribution of drugs, pharmaceuticals, intoxicating plants or chemicals and their related paraphernalia. |
Illegal/Questionable |
Sites that advocate or give advice on performing illegal acts such as service theft, evading law enforcement, fraud, burglary techniques and plagiarism. Also includes sites that provide or sell questionable educational materials, such as term papers. |
Intimate Apparel/Swimsuit |
Sites that contain images or offer the sale of swimsuits or intimate apparel or other types of suggestive clothing. Does not include sites selling undergarments as a subsection of other products offered. |
Job Search/Careers |
Sites that provide assistance in finding employment, and tools for locating prospective employers. |
Military |
Sites that promote or provide information on military branches or armed services. |
News/Media |
Sites that primarily report information or comments on current events or contemporary issues of the day. Also includes radio stations and magazines. Does not include sites that can be rated in other categories. |
Newsgroups |
Sites that offer access to Usenet news groups or other messaging or bulletin board systems. |
Nudity |
Sites containing nude or seminude depictions of the human body. These depictions are not necessarily sexual in intent or effect, but may include sites containing nude paintings or photo galleries of artistic nature. This category also includes nudist or naturist sites that contain pictures of nude individuals. |
Online Games |
Sites that provide information and support game playing or downloading, video games, computer games, electronic games, tips, and advice on games or how to obtain cheat codes. Includes magazines dedicated to video games and sites that support or host online sweepstakes and giveaways. |
Open Image/Media Searches |
Sites with image or video search capabilities which return graphical results (i.e. thumbnail pictures) that include potentially pornographic content along with non-pornographic content (as defined in the Pornography category). Sites that explicitly exclude offensive content are not included in this category. |
Pay to Surf |
Sites that pay users in the form of cash or prizes, for clicking on or reading specific links, email, or web pages. |
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) |
Sites that distribute software to facilitate the direct exchange of files between users, including software that enables file search and sharing across a network without dependence on a central server. |
Personals/Dating |
Sites that promote interpersonal relationships. |
Phishing |
Sites that are designed to appear as a legitimate bank or retailer with the intent to fraudulently capture sensitive data (i.e. credit card numbers, pin numbers). |
Political/Activist Groups |
Sites sponsored by or which provide information on political parties, special interest groups, or any organization that promotes change or reform in public policy, public opinion, social practice, or economic activities. |
Pornography |
Sites that contain sexually explicit material for the purpose of arousing a sexual or prurient interest. |
Proxy Avoidance |
Sites that provide information on how to bypass proxy server/appliance features or gain access to URLs in any way that bypasses the proxy server/appliance. This category includes any service which will allow a person to bypass the Blue Coat filtering system, such as anonymous surfing services. |
Real Estate |
Sites that provide information on renting, buying, or selling real estate or properties. |
Reference |
Sites containing personal, professional, or educational reference, including online dictionaries, maps, census, almanacs, library catalogues, genealogy-related sites and scientific information. |
Category |
Description |
Religion |
Sites that promote and provide information on conventional or unconventional religious or quasi-religious subjects, as well as churches, synagogues, or other houses of worship. Does not include sites about alternative religions such as Wicca or witchcraft (Cult/Occult), or atheist beliefs (Political/Activist Groups). |
Restaurants/Dining/Food |
Sites that list, review, discuss, advertise and promote food, catering, dining services, cooking and recipes. |
Search Engines/Portals |
Sites that support searching the Internet, indices, and directories. Note: This category is used for sites which have been "parked" or contain a standard template, but does not have ratable content. These sites will be revisited periodically to ensure that their content does not change. |
Sex Education |
Sites that provide information (sometimes graphic) on reproduction, sexual development, safe sex practices, sexuality, birth control, tips for better sex, and sexual enhancement products. |
Shopping |
Sites that provide or advertise the means to obtain goods or services with either prices listed or a clear way to order. Does not include sites that can be classified in other categories (such as vehicles or weapons). |
Society/Lifestyle |
Sites providing information on matters of daily life. This does not include sites relating to entertainment, sports, jobs, sex or sites promoting alternative lifestyles such as homosexuality. Personal homepages fall within this category if they cannot be classified in another category. |
Software Downloads |
Sites that are dedicated to the electronic download of software packages, whether for payment or at no charge. |
Sports/Recreation/Hobbies |
Sites that promote or provides information about spectator sports, recreational activities, or hobbies, including sites that discuss or promote camping, gardening, and collecting. |
Spyware Effects/Privacy Concerns |
Sites to which spyware (as defined in the Spyware/Malware Sources category) reports its findings or from which it alone downloads advertisements. Also includes sites that contain serious privacy issues, such as “phone home†sites to which software can connect and send user info; sites that make extensive use of tracking cookies without a posted privacy statement; and sites to which browser hijackers redirect users. Usually does not include sites that can be marked as Spyware/Malware. Note: Sites rated as spyware effects typically have a second category assigned with them. |
Spyware/Malware Sources |
Sites which distribute spyware and other malware. Spyware is defined as software which takes control of your computer, modifies computer settings, collects or reports personal information, or misrepresents itself by tricking users to install, download, or enter personal information. This includes drive-by downloads; browser hijackers; dialers; intrusive advertising; any program which modifies your homepage, bookmarks, or security settings; and keyloggers. It also includes any software which bundles spyware (as defined above) as part of its offering. Information collected or reported is "personal" if it contains uniquely identifying data, such as email addresses, name, social security number, IP address, etc. A site is not classified as spyware if the user is reasonably notified that the software will perform these actions (ie, it alerts that it will send personal information, be installed, or that it will log keystrokes). Note: Sites rated as spyware should have a second category assigned with them. |
Streaming Media/MP3s |
Sites that sell, deliver, or stream music or video content in any format, including sites that provide downloads for such viewers. |
Travel |
Sites that promote or provide opportunity for travel planning, including finding and making travel reservations, vehicle rentals, descriptions of travel destinations, or promotions for hotels or casinos. |
Vehicles |
Sites that provide information on or promote vehicles, boats, or aircraft, including sites that support online purchase of vehicles or parts. |
Category |
Description |
Violence/Hate/Racism |
Sites that depict extreme physical harm to people or property, or that advocate or provide instructions on how to cause such harm. Also includes sites that advocate, depict hostility or aggression toward, or denigrate an individual or group on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, or other involuntary characteristics. |
Weapons |
Sites that sell, review, or describe weapons such as guns, knives or martial arts devices, or provide information on their use, accessories, or other modifications. Does not include sites providing information on BB guns, paintball guns, black powder rifles, target shooting, or bows and arrows, unless the site also meets one of the above requirements. Also does not include sites that promote collecting weapons, or groups that either support or oppose weapons use. |
Web Advertisements |
Sites that provide online advertisements or banners. Does not include advertising servers which serve adult-oriented advertisements. Note: This category is also used to classify sites which merely record a "hit" and then forward or redirect you to a different page. |
Web Communications |
Sites that allow or offer web-based communication via e-mail, chat, instant messaging, message boards, etc. Note: If a site is rated as Web Communications, it will also be rated as one of the following: Chat/Instant Messaging, Email, or Usenet News Groups. |
Web Hosting |
Sites of organizations which provide top-level domain pages, as well as web communities or hosting services. |
Relevant, Accurate, Dynamic Filtering Enterprises depend on URL filtering solutions to manage Internet use, comply with regulations, and limit legal liability. But binary “allow/block” architectures cannot keep up with the increasingly complex and dynamic nature of the Internet. Today’s enterprises require an optimized, integrated filtering solution that can effectively leverage the capabilities of a secure proxy architecture. |
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Blue Coat WebFilter is a relevant, accurate, and dynamic URL filtering solution that addresses this need: RELEVANT
ACCURATE
FOCUS drives fastest, highest volume rating lifecycle
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