URL Filtering with in-line proxy

[Joe_Kanaszka]

Hello guys!

Questions.  Regarding Check Point URL categories:

• How often are the URL categories updated?  Is there a SmartConsole tool I can use to check what Check Point category a url is classified as?  For instance, I'd like to be able to take a random AI site, and verify that Check Point classifies it as such.

• How can I use URL filtering with an existing in-line proxy server?  All our users have a proxy server server configured by a GPO in their Windows proxy settings.  How can I configure Check Point to use URL filtering?  Do I need to configure the source address for the access rule as the IP of the proxy?  I'm guessing yes.  Is this a recommended configuration?  I don't want to use Identity Awareness as I would have to enable the "X-Forwarded-For" header on my proxy, and this may break our current proxy forwarding config.  Plus I really don't need to be that granular.

Thank you for any tips or suggestions!

[PhoneBoy · Accepted solution]

We've long ago stopped providing a local URL Filtering database, instead opting for an on-demand lookup.
That means any update are immediately reflected on the gateways.
To check the categorization of a URL: https://usercenter.checkpoint.com/ucapps/urlcat/
Note this only applies to how something is categorized in URL Filtering and does not apply for Threat Prevention, which may categorize a site differently.

Assuming this is a non-transparent (i.e. explicit) proxy, you would need to allow the proxy IP in your Access Policy.
This presumes you do not want to enforce your access policy based on specific user/group, otherwise you'll need XFF enabled.

[Joe_Kanaszka]

That's what I figured.  Thank you PhoneBoy! 

[Chris_Atkinson · Accepted solution]

There is no tool within Smartconsole itself rather there is this:

https://usercenter.checkpoint.com/ucapps/urlcat/

Where is the proxy positioned relative to the traffic flow between users / firewall / internet?

[the_rock · Accepted solution]

Hey brother,

I found this post from 2023, which more less shows the same thing Phoneboy told you. He also gave answer there as well 🙂

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/General-Topics/URL-Categorization-update/td-p/185273