Download Restriction

Necessity to Restrict Downloads

Restricting downloads from malicious websites is crucial to protect your computer and personal data. Malicious websites host harmful files like viruses, malware, or ransomware that can infect your system and steal sensitive information. These infections can lead to data loss, financial fraud, and other serious consequences. Preventing downloads from such websites reduces the risk of cyberattacks.

Restricting Browser Downloads

It is imperative to secure your network by blocking downloads from malicious websites. With the Download Filter feature in Browser Security module of Endpoint Central, you can limit downloads to trusted/authorized websites. The Download Filter policy enables admins to control downloads based on file types, file sizes, URLs, or time.

1. Navigate to Browsers -> Policies -> Download Filter.
2. Click Create Policy.
3. You can block all the downloads by clicking Yes against Block Downloads.
4. The downloads can also be restricted based on specific conditions. It will be blocked if any or all of the conditions are met. The conditions can be inputted through the items below:
   • Web Domains/URLs: Can be either the tab URL or the download URL.
   • Web Groups: The web groups created can be added.
   • File Size: Specified in bytes (e.g., 4KB = 4000 bytes).
   • File Types: Specified as file extensions (e.g., .pdf, .exe).
   • Time Limit: Specified in 24-hour format (e.g., 10:00:00).
5. Certain items can be excluded from the download restriction by mentioning them in the Exclusion List.
6. Associate the policy to computers/groups of computers in which you want the download restriction policy to take place.
   

   Note: The download filter policy is not supported within Incognito mode and Guest mode of browsers. Alternatively, Incognito mode can be disabled under Policies -> Browser Customization -> Security Restriction -> Disable Incognito Policy while Guest mode can be disabled under Policies -> Browser Customization -> User Account Settings -> Allow users to use guest mode.