Working with content rules

Content rules are the rules which govern your content security policy. Each content rule specifies what the policy should look for, and what actions to take when a rule is violated. Content rules are applied to policy routes.

Content rules are created from a set of pre-configured adaptable content rule templates. See Content Rule Templates to find out which templates are available.

A content rule consists of the following elements:

• Content Rule Usage

  The Content Rule Usage panel lists the policy routes which use the content rule.

• Overview

  The Overview section displays the content rule's name and description.

• What To Look For? clauses

  What To Look For? clauses define the conditions which trigger the content rule. For example, the Virus Detection clause searches messages or web traffic for a known virus.

  See What To Look For? conditions for more information.

  Content rules can consist of more than one predefined What To Look For? clause. All the specified conditions must be met for the rule to trigger. You can modify clauses but they cannot be removed from, or added to content rules.

• What To Do? actions

  What To Do? actions specify all the actions you want the Gateway to perform when the content rule is triggered.

  • Disposal Actions define how detected messages are handled.
  • Primary Actions define how web traffic is handled.

  See What To Do? actions for more information.

  You can add additional What Else To Do? actions to certain content rules.

• Content Rules and Peered Gateways

  It is possible to add and modify content rules which are licensed on any of the peers in the group. However, each Gateway peer applies the local licensed policy. This might result in redundant content rules on Gateway peers which are not licensed to apply them.

  For example, in a peer group of Gateways, Peer A might be installed with a supplementary license feature for Redaction whereas Peer B is not. It is possible to add a Redact Text content rule to a policy route on Peer B, but redaction will not be applied to content processed by Peer B.

You can manage content rules using the Manage Content Rules page. Click Policy > Content Rules.

How do I...

• Create a Content Rule?

  To help you create content rules quickly and easily, the Gateway provides a selection of pre-configured content rule templates which can be used to design new content rules.

  1. Click New in the Content Rules area of the Manage Content Rules page.

  2. Select a content rule template from the list of available templates. The Gateway generates your new content rule, based on the template you selected.

     See the Content Rule Templates topic for a full list of available templates and their corresponding clauses and actions. This might help you to determine which template most closely matches your requirements.

  3. Use the Click here to change these settings button to edit the Overview. You can change the Name of the content rule and add any relevant Notes.

  4. Edit the What to Look For? clauses if required.

  5. Edit the What to Do? actions if required. The rule may include additional What Else To Do? actions such as Generate an Inform.

     To apply no action, select Perform no action or Continue to the next rule from the Primary Action drop-down list.

  6. Click Save.
  7. Click Apply configuration to ensure your changes take effect. If Gateways are configured as a group, any group changes should be applied to each Gateway.

• Edit a Content Rule?

  1. Select the content rule from the Manage Content Rules page and click Edit.

  2. Use the Click here to change these settings button to edit the Overview. You can change the Name of the content rule and add any relevant Notes.

  3. Edit the What to Look For? clauses if required. You cannot add or remove What to Look For? clauses.

  4. Edit the What to Do? actions if required. The rule may include additional actions such as Generate an Inform or Send a Copy.

  5. Click Save.
  6. Click Apply configuration to ensure your changes take effect. If Gateways are configured as a group, any group changes should be applied to each Gateway.

• Copy a Content Rule?

  1. Select the content rule you want to copy from the list displayed on the Manage Content Rules page.
  2. Click Copy. The rule is copied and renamed. For example, if you copy a rule named Add Legal Disclaimer the new rule is automatically named Add Legal Disclaimer Copy.

• Delete a Content Rule?

  1. Select the content rule you want to delete, from the list displayed on the Manage Content Rules page.
  2. Click Delete.
  3. Click Delete in the Confirm Delete dialog box.

  You cannot delete a rule if it is currently applied to a policy route. Edit the policy route and remove the content rule before attempting to delete it from the Manage Content Rules page.

• Apply a Content Rule to a Policy Route?

  1. Click Policy > Mail Policy Routes or Web Policy Routes. The Manage Policy Route page is displayed, listing the defined policy routes.
  2. Select the route to which you want to apply your content rule.
  3. Click Edit. The Modify Policy Route page is displayed. It indicates the configuration of the selected policy route.
  4. In the Unless One Of These Content Rules Triggers section, click New.
  5. Select your content rule from the list displayed. You can continue adding content rules until you click the Close button.
  6. Arrange the content rules into the order you want them to be processed. Select a rule and use the up/down buttons:
  7. Click Apply configuration to ensure your changes take effect. If Gateways are configured as a group, any group changes should be applied to each Gateway.

Content rules include a Usage panel, describing which policy routes each rule is currently applied to. You can click the name of each policy route to view its configuration.

See also...

• Content Rule Templates
• What to Look For? clauses
• What to Do? actions
• More about Policy Routes
• About the Policy Center