ContentBarrier gives you the option of allowing users to only access the Internet with specific applications, rather than filter web access by category. For example, you can prevent a user from using any web browser. You can choose which applications can access the Internet; all other applications are blocked.
To set up application filtering, click the Blocked Applications button on the ContentBarrier button bar, then check Only allow selected applications to connect to the Internet.
Application filtering will supersede all other ContentBarrier filtering rules. If, for example, you do not add a web browser to the application list, then web filtering will have no effect: all websites will be inaccessible, as no program that accesses them is available. However, ContentBarrier's other filtering rules apply to all applications added to this list. So if you choose to allow a user to access the Internet with a web browser, then ContentBarrier's active web filtering categories will
filter websites visited.
To add applications to the list, click the + button and navigate to your Applications folder. You can also drag applications from a Finder window into this list. As you
add applications, they display in the list.
To remove an application from the list, click it to select it, then either click the - button or press the Delete key.
If, at any time, you want to stop using application filtering for a given user, simply click their name in the Users list, click the Blocked Applications button, then
uncheck Only allow the following applications to connect to the Internet.
When ContentBarrier blocks an attempt to access the Internet by a non-approved application, it displays a warning.
Note: some applications may use "helper" applications when they connect to the Internet. One example is Apple's Safari, which requires that WebProcess access the
Internet. If you add Safari to the list of allowed applications, this will not add WebProcess. To add the latter helper application, go to your user's log, click
Applications, then find which applications have been blocked. (There may be others.) Click the disclosure triangle next to an application or helper application you want to allow, then hold down the Control key and click on its name. A contextual menu displays one option: Allow Application. Choose this and the application in question will be added to the list of allowed applications.
You may also want to check the logs from time to time; many applications that you might not expect need to connect to the Internet. Apple's Address Book, for example, makes an Internet connection, as does Help Viewer, the application that provides Mac OS X help. Your users will probably tell you which applications are blocked, but you can always see them, and then allow them, from the log.
Need Help Using ContentBarrier?
If you still have questions about using our ContentBarrier software, please check our ContentBarrier Knowledge Base for answers to the most common questions by clicking the link below:
You can also contact our Support Team directly for assistance by completing a support ticket online here:
Our Mac experts are here to help!
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