Configuring database downloads

Use the Settings > General > Database Download page to establish the schedule for automatic Forcepoint URL Database downloads. If you did not already enter the information in the Initial Setup Checklist, you can use this page to configure any proxy server or firewall settings that Filtering Service must use to download the database.

Steps

  1. Select Enable real-time security updates (default) to have Filtering Service check for security updates to the Forcepoint URL Database every 5 minutes. When a security update is detected, it is downloaded immediately.
    Real-time security updates help reduce vulnerability to threats like new phishing (identity fraud) scams, rogue applications, and malicious code infecting a mainstream website or application while lightening the load on real-time analysis.
  2. Select the Download days for automatic downloads.
    • All download days are selected when Real-Time Security Updates are enabled. Downloads are automatically performed every day to assure that the most up-to-date standard database is available for the security updates.
    • You must download the Forcepoint URL Database at least once every 14 days for policy enforcement to continue without interruption.
    • If you deselect all download days, Filtering Service automatically attempts a download when the database is 7 days old.
  3. Next to Download between, select a start time and end time between which Filtering Service attempts to download Forcepoint URL Database updates. By default, download occurs between 21:00 (9 p.m.) and 06:00 (6 a.m.), according to the time on the Filtering Service machine.
    • Filtering Service selects a random time during this period to contact the Forcepoint URL Database server. To configure alerts for download failures, see Configuring system alerts.
    • Any time Filtering Service is restarted, it checks for available Forcepoint URL Database updates. The update may begin immediately, rather than waiting for the defined period.
      Note: After downloading the Forcepoint URL Database, or updates to it, CPU usage can reach 90% while the database is loaded into local memory.
  4. Select Use proxy server or firewall if Filtering Service must access the Internet through a proxy server or a proxying firewall to download the Forcepoint URL Database. Then provide:
    • The IPv4 address or hostname of the proxy server or firewall.
    • The Port through which the database download must pass (8080, by default).
  5. If the proxy server or firewall configured above requires authentication to reach the Internet, select Use authentication, and then enter the User name and Password that Filtering Service should use to gain Internet access.
    Note: If Use authentication is selected, the proxy server or firewall must be configured to accept clear text or basic authentication to enable Forcepoint URL Database downloads.

Next steps

By default, the user name and password are encoded to match the character set for the Policy Server machine’s locale. This encoding can be configured manually via the Settings > General > Directory Services page (see Advanced directory settings).