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Application Filter

The Application Filter controls user access to a set of preset applications.

Each of the following applications can be individually allowed or blocked:

  • YouTube

  • Google Docs

  • Google Drive

  • Gmail

  • Google Classroom

  • Google Games

The Application Filter also provides Windows Application Filtering, which filters the web traffic of applications and browsers on Windows devices.

Creating an Application Filter
To create an Application Filter:

  1. Click Content Filtering from the Main Menu, then click Filters from its sub-menu. The Filters screen appears.

  2. Click Application Filter from the Web Filters section. The Application Filter screen appears.

    Application Filter

  3. Type the name of the filter in the Enter filter name text box.

  4. Click Create Filter + to add the filter. The new filter appears at the bottom of the list.

  5. Locate the filter to configure and click the Edit Icon icon. The Edit screen appears.

    Application Filter Edit Screen

    Note

    Application Filter allows all applications by default. Change which applications are blocked and which are allowed.

Blocking and Allowing Applications
To block and allow applications:

  1. Click Content Filtering from the Main Menu, then click Filters from its sub-menu. The Filters screen appears.

  2. Click Application Filter from the Web Filters section. The Application Filter screen appears.

    Application Filter

  3. Locate the filter to edit and click the Edit Icon icon. The Edit screen appears.

    Application Filter Edit Screen

  4. Click the Allow or Block button for the desired application.

  5. Click Update for each application you allow or block to apply the changes.

Filtering Windows Applications

Prerequisites

Ensure the following prerequisites are in place before applying the Application Filter:

  • The Blocksi MSI agent deployed to the Windows devices to be filtered. Refer to the Windows Deployment section for deployment instructions.

  • The applications already installed on the target devices.

To filter Windows applications:

  1. Click Content Filtering from the Main Menu, then click Filters from its sub-menu. The Filters screen appears.

  2. Click Application Filter from the Web Filters section. The Application Filter screen appears.

  3. Locate the filter to edit and click the Edit Icon icon. The Edit screen appears.

    Application Filter Edit Screen

  4. Under Windows Application Filtering, use the toggle to select a filtering mode:

    • Filter All Except Listed Applications (Default) - Filters all applications and browsers except those added in the Filtered Applications Table. Best for comprehensive, device-wide filtering with specific exceptions.

    • Allow All Except Listed Filtered Applications - Allows all application and browser web traffic and filters only the applications added in the Filtered Applications Table. Best for restricting specific applications without affecting others.

    Windows Application Filtering Section

  5. Type the paths or executable names of the Windows applications to filter or allow in the Insert Windows Application Path or Application extension text box.

    Tip

    To filter common browsers, add the following executable names:

    • Google Chrome - chrome.exe

    • Microsoft Edge - msedge.exe

    • Firefox - firefox.exe

    Important

    Some applications need more than one executable name to run properly. For example, Dropbox requires both DropboxUpdate.exe and Dropbox.exe.

  6. Click Insert. The entry appears in the Filtered Applications Table.

    Note

    To remove an entry, click the Trash Icon button in the last column of its row.

Important

An Application Filter takes effect only when it is part of a policy assigned to the relevant users. After adding the filter to the appropriate policy, click Update Policies on All Clients to apply the changes.

Troubleshooting
If filtering does not take effect:

  1. Open Task Manager on the target device and note the application's running processes.

  2. Open the bsflt.log file in the root of the C:\ drive and press Ctrl+F to find the ApiMethods::fetchWhitelistedApps row. This row lists the allowed .exe files.

  3. If Task Manager shows .exe files not listed in the log, add them to the Filtered Applications Table using the procedure in the Filtering Windows Applications section.

Managing Application Filters

Click Content Filtering from the Main Menu, then click Filters from its sub-menu. Click Application Filter from the Web Filters section. The Application Filter screen appears.

Application Filter
Renaming an Application Filter
To rename an Application Filter:

  1. Locate the filter to rename and click the filter name. A box opens to allow you to rename the filter.

    Change Filter Name

  2. Rename the filter and click the Save button.

Modifying an Application Filter
To modify an Application Filter:

  1. Locate the filter to modify and click the Edit Icon icon to the right of the filter name. The Edit screen appears.

    Application Filter Edit Screen

  2. Make the necessary changes to the filter. Click Update for any application changes and Insert if you added a Windows Application Path.

Duplicating an Application Filter
To duplicate an Application Filter:

  1. Locate the filter to duplicate and click the Duplicate Icon icon. The Duplicate Filter window opens.

    Duplicate Filter Window

  2. Type the name of the new filter in the text box.

  3. Click OK. The duplicated filter appears at the bottom of the list. It contains the same application settings as the original filter.

  4. Make any changes to the new filter and save it.

Deleting an Application Filter
To delete an Application Filter:

  1. Locate the filter to delete and click the Delete Icon icon to the right of the filter. A confirmation prompt appears.

  2. Click OK to confirm.