What is the purpose of web filtering in FortiGate?

The purpose of web filtering in FortiGate is to control access to websites and enforce security policies based on content categories. This capability allows organizations to manage and restrict users' access to specific types of web content, which can help protect against inappropriate or harmful material, as well as potential security threats originating from malicious websites.

Web filtering operates by categorizing websites into various classes, such as social media, adult content, gambling, and more. Administrators can then create policies that permit or deny access to these categories based on the organization's security requirements and user needs. This helps in establishing a safer browsing environment and reducing the risk of exposure to malware, phishing attacks, and other cyber threats associated with unfiltered web access.

While monitoring user behavior online is important for gaining insights into web usage patterns, it does not directly describe the main function of web filtering. Similarly, identifying network vulnerabilities involves different security assessments and is not the primary goal of web filtering. Blocking all web traffic by default would be too restrictive and would not fulfill the nuanced approach to access control that web filtering provides, as it is designed to allow access to safe content while restricting harmful or unwanted types.