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    Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile
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    5. Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile
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    Advanced URL Filtering

    Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile

    Table of Contents

    Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile

    Add an external dynamic list to a URL Filtering profile or policy to specify sites you want to exclude from URL category policy enforcement.
    Where can I use this?What do I need?
    • Prisma Access (Managed by Strata Cloud Manager)
    • Prisma Access (Managed by Panorama)
    • NGFW (Managed by Strata Cloud Manager)
    • NGFW (Managed by PAN-OS or Panorama)
    This feature has no prerequisites.
    An external dynamic list is a text file that is hosted on an external web server. You can use this list to import URLs and enforce policy on these URLs. The firewall dynamically imports the list at the configured interval and enforces policy for the URLs (IP addresses or domains are ignored) in the list. When the list is updated on the web server, the firewall retrieves the changes and applies policy to the modified list without requiring a commit on the firewall.
    To protect your network from newly-discovered threats and malware, you can use external dynamic lists in URL Filtering profiles. For URL formatting guidelines, see Guidelines for URL Category Exceptions.

    Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile (Strata Cloud Manager)

    If you’re using Panorama to manage Prisma Access:
    Toggle over to the PAN-OS & Panorama tab and follow the guidance there.
    If you’re using Strata Cloud Manager, continue here.
    1. Enable Prisma Access to reference an external dynamic list.
      An external dynamic list allows you to define an imported list of IP addresses, URLs, or domain names that you can use in policy rules to block or allow traffic.
      To set up an external dynamic list, go to ManageConfigurationObjectsExternal Dynamic Lists:
      • Ensure that the list does not include IP addresses or domain names; the firewall skips non-URL entries.
      • Use the custom URL list guidelines to verify the list’s formatting.
      • Specify the List Type as URL List.
    2. Use the external dynamic list with URL Filtering.
      Go toManageConfigurationSecurity ServicesURL Access Management.
      • Specify Site Access for the URLs in the external dynamic list.
      • Exclude URLs in the external dynamic list from advanced inline categorization.
      You can also use external dynamic lists to create custom URL categories (return to the URL Access Management dashboard to do this).
      If a URL that is included in an external dynamic list is also included in a custom URL category, or block and allow list, the action specified in the custom category takes precedence over the external dynamic list.
    3. Test that the policy action is enforced.
      1. View the external dynamic list entries (ManageConfigurationObjectsExternal Dynamic Lists) and try to access a URL from the list.
      2. Verify that the action you defined is enforced in the browser.

    Use an External Dynamic List in a URL Filtering Profile (PAN-OS & Panorama)

    1. Configure the firewall to access an external dynamic list.
      • Ensure that the list does not include IP addresses or domain names; the firewall skips non-URL entries.
      • Use the custom URL list guidelines to verify the list’s formatting.
      • Select URL List from the Type drop-down.
    2. Use the external dynamic list in a URL Filtering profile.
      1. Select ObjectsSecurity ProfilesURL Filtering.
      2. Add or modify an existing URL Filtering profile.
      3. Name the profile and, in the Categories tab, select the external dynamic list from the Category list.
      4. Click Action to select a more granular action for the URLs in the external dynamic list.
        If a URL that is included in an external dynamic list is also included in a custom URL category, or block and allow list, the action specified in the custom category takes precedence over the external dynamic list.
      5. Click OK.
      6. Attach the URL Filtering profile to a Security policy rule.
        1. Select PoliciesSecurity.
        2. Select the Actions tab and, in the Profile Setting section, select the new profile in the URL Filtering drop-down.
        3. Click OK and Commit your changes.
    3. Test that the policy action is enforced.
      1. View the external dynamic list entries and try to access a URL from the list.
      2. Verify that the action you defined is enforced in the browser.
      3. To monitor the activity on the firewall:
        1. Select ACC and add a URL Domain as a global filter to view the Network Activity and Blocked Activity for the URL you accessed.
        2. Select MonitorLogsURL Filtering to access the detailed log view.
    4. Verify whether entries in the external dynamic list were ignored or skipped.
      In a list of type URL, the firewall skips non-URL entries as invalid and ignores entries that exceed the maximum limit for the firewall model.
      To check whether you have reached the limit for an external dynamic list type, select ObjectsExternal Dynamic Lists and click List Capacities.
      Use the following CLI command on a firewall to review the details for a list.
      request system external-list show type url name <list_name>
      For example:
      request system external-list show type url name My_URL_List
vsys5/My_URL_List: 
Next update at: Tue Jan 3 14:00:00 2017 
Source: http://example.com/My_URL_List.txt 
Referenced: Yes 
Valid: Yes 
Auth-Valid: Yes 

Total valid entries: 3 
Total invalid entries: 0 
Valid urls: 
www.URL1.com 
www.URL2.com 
www.URL3.com

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