Which type of filtering can FortiGate perform besides URL filtering?

Application filtering is a crucial function that FortiGate devices perform in addition to URL filtering. This type of filtering specifically identifies and controls the applications or types of applications being used on the network, allowing administrators to enforce policies based on application behavior rather than just traditional port/protocol methods.

By inspecting the application layer of the traffic, FortiGate can block or allow traffic based on a variety of factors, such as the application signature, user identity, and traffic characteristics. This enhances security by enabling more granular control and insight into the network traffic. For example, it can differentiate between multiple types of traffic on the same port (like HTTP traffic for different web applications) and apply different policies accordingly.

In contrast, while DNS filtering aims to restrict access based on domain names, protocol filtering is typically concerned with the rules of network protocols, and content filtering focuses primarily on the content of the data being transferred, not the applications themselves. Therefore, application filtering stands out as a unique capability that complements URL filtering by addressing security at a deeper level in the OSI model.