Barracuda Web Filter Overview:
Designed for businesses of all sizes.
What really bothers management is not knowing what employees are doing on the web: How much time do employees spend on social networks or gaming sites? Is anyone downloading malware or pornography? Why is the Internet running slowly today? The Barracuda Web Filter gives administrators clear visibility into web activity to answer these important questions while blocking today’s aggressive web threats.
With extensive policy tools for managing web access in the workplace and no per-user fees, Barracuda Web Filter is a powerful and affordable content filtering appliance with models designed for use in organizations of all sizes.
Filters Content, Malware, Social Media and Rogue App Threats
The Barracuda Web Filter lets organizations benefit from online applications and tools without exposure to web-borne malware and viruses, lost user productivity, and misused bandwidth. As a comprehensive solution for web security and management, it unites award-winning spyware, malware, and virus protection with a powerful policy and reporting engine. Advanced features ensure that organizations adapt to emerging requirements like social-network regulation, remote filtering, and visibility into SSL-encrypted traffic.
Unlimited remote user licenses are included to enforce content and access policies for mobile devices outside of the corporate network. The Barracuda Web Filter is also available as a virtual appliance.
Enforce web content and access policies for users both on and off the network:
Unlock the Power of the Web
For today’s connected business, constant interaction with online resources and applications is a simple necessity—despite the risks of lost productivity, wasted bandwidth, and data loss. The Barracuda Web Filter lets organizations enjoy the benefits of web connectivity without the risks.
The Barracuda Advantage
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Constantly Evolving CapabilitiesThe Barracuda Web Filter is continually updated with the latest malware signatures, suspicious URL listings, and online application functionality. And as new requirements emerge—such as the need to monitor and regulate social-networking activities—upgrading with new capabilities is automatic, and always transparent. |
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Knowledge = PowerThe Barracuda Web Filter’s intuitive management interface delivers detailed, real-time visibility into network activity and web interactions. This lets administrators identify users and applications that waste bandwidth and harm productivity, and enforce granular policies to regulate access without impacting legitimate business uses. |
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Security Beyond BoundariesEnforcing access policies on remote and mobile devices that are used off-network is critical for preventing malware intrusions into the network, and for preventing data loss. The Barracuda Web Filter includes unlimited licenses for agents and tools that ensure users and devices are protected whether they are on the network or at a public Wi-Fi hotspot. |
Benefits:
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Protect Against Web-Based Threats Keep networks and users safe by blocking spyware downloads, preventing viruses, and restricting requests to malicious websites by leveraging intelligence from thousands of collection points worldwide. Our award-winning antivirus and anti-spyware technologies combine preventive, proactive, and reactive measures to deliver industry-leading content filtering and malware protection. Key Features: Spyware and Virus Protection, Barracuda Central, Spyware/Malware Removal |
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Secure Laptops and Mobile Devices
Extend security and policies to remote users. With the Barracuda Web Security Agent and the Barracuda Safe Browser, traffic from remote clients can be filtered with the same policies set for on-network users.
Key Features: The Barracuda Web Security Agent, The Barracuda Safe Browser

Simplify Management
Centrally manage the Barracuda Web Filter through the cloud. Configurations on the Barracuda Web Filter are simple and easy-to-deploy ensuring customized network protection is in place in a matter of minutes.
Key Features: Cloud-Based Centralized Management, Easy-to-use Policy Configurations, Simple Pricing
Features:
Spyware and Virus Protection
All Barracuda products are supported by Barracuda Central, a 24×7 advanced security operations center that works continuously to monitor and block the latest Internet threats. Barracuda Central collects email, URLs, and other data from tens of thousands of collection points in more than 80 countries and analyzes it to develop defenses, rules, and signatures to keep networks safe.
As new threats emerge, Barracuda Central is quick to respond to early outbreaks and delivers the latest definitions through Barracuda Energize Updates. These updates require zero administration and ensure that the Barracuda Web Filter provides comprehensive and accurate protection against the latest Internet threats.
Barracuda Central
All Barracuda products are supported by Barracuda Central, a 24×7 advanced security operations center that works continuously to monitor and block the latest Internet threats. Barracuda Central collects data from more than 150,000 collection points worldwide and analyzes it to develop defenses, rules, and signatures. As new threats emerge, Barracuda Central is quick to respond to early outbreaks and delivers the latest definitions through Barracuda Energize Updates. These updates require zero administration and ensure that the Barracuda Web Security Service provides comprehensive and accurate protection against the latest Internet threats.
Spyware/Malware Removal
Not only does the Barracuda Web Filter prevent the potential download of malware onto the network, it can also remove it if they have been downloaded onto a computer on the network.
The Barracuda Malware Removal Tool performs a comprehensive scan of computers for any traces of spyware or other malware. This thorough scan quickly identifies potential threats residing on a computer and provides the option for removal of those that have been found.
Web 2.0 and Social-Media Regulation
The Barracuda Web Filter provides granular control over Web 2.0 sites and web applications, including social media platforms. Scanning and inspecting SSL-encrypted traffic for specific categories and domains enable granular policy enforcement. Administrators can also configure the Barracuda Web Filter to monitor and archive outbound web application communications like Facebook posts, tweets, and web-based email to a message archiving solution, such as the Barracuda Message Archiver. These messages can be indexed and then mined for forensic analysis. Suspicious activity alerts can also be generated using predefined or customized categories.
Application Control
In addition to standard port/protocol-based policies, the Barracuda Web Filter uses real-time deep packet inspection technology to analyze protocols independent of their port of destination servers. By integrating Layer 7 protocol analysis with policy controls, the Barracuda Web Filter enables complete control over application usage.
Content Filtering
The Barracuda Web Filter provides flexible controls for pinpoint regulation of online activity. Administrators can create policies that control user access to 99.7 percent of commonly visited websites using 95 content categories including pornography, violence, hacking, sports, news, dating, shopping, chat, and more. Content filtering policies can be customized to restrict specific websites or look for patterns in web addresses.
The Barracuda Web Filter’s image/multimedia safe search feature prevents search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN from displaying objectionable thumbnail images in search results. Administrators can also create policies that control web-file downloads based on file type.
SSL Inspection
Organizations can control online content normally hidden by SSL. This includes content found in social-media platforms, web-based email, and search engines. Administrators can specify domains and URL categories for which SSL-encrypted traffic will be decrypted and scanned for malware and policy. Not only can organizations restrict entire platforms, it’s now possible to enforce granular access for secure websites (e.g., YouTube for Schools).
Intuitive Dashboard Views
The Barracuda Web Filter provides an intuitive dashboard interface for quick understanding of the threats and activities of users on the network. The changes are immediately apparent on the dashboard that features recent infection activity, potentially suspicious activities, a live view of TCP connection usage, and summary data of network usage.
Comprehensive Reporting
To budget computing resources and ensure adherence to corporate policies, IT and HR administrators often require detailed information about how Internet users in the network are spending time online. In addition to its powerful web filtering and malware protection capabilities, the Barracuda Web Filter allows administrators to generate more than 60 different reports on Internet activity.
Interactive reports with multiple layers of drill-down capability can be generated on users’ web browsing activity, by domains and content categories, by time spent online, and/or by bandwidth consumption.
Suspicious Activity Alerts
The Barracuda Web Filter includes pre-built English-language dictionaries of keywords and phrases pertaining to harassment, weapons, terrorism, and pornography. Administrators can configure the device to automatically generate alerts when content containing these keywords or phrases is posted to social media portals and search engines. Administrators can also add their own keywords and phrases for monitoring. The alerts are tagged with real network user identities, making it easy to identify the source, independent of online profiles.
The Barracuda Web Security Agent
The Barracuda Web Security Agent (WSA) is a tamper-proof client that can be installed on remote, off-network laptops or desktops to help implement a consistent web security policy across localized and distributed workforces. The Barracuda WSA supports both Windows and Mac OS X.
The Barracuda Safe Browser
The Barracuda Safe Browser is a full-featured web browser that enforces compliance with the policies configured on the Barracuda Web Filter.
Cloud-Based Centralized Management
Barracuda Web Filters are integrated with the Barracuda Cloud Control (BCC) web-based management portal, which leverages Barracuda’s global cloud infrastructure to enable organizations to centrally manage all their devices through a “single pane of glass” interface. Administrators can see a global view of all their devices as well as centrally manage policies and configuration. The intuitive interface makes it easy for small and medium-sized organizations to implement and manage their Barracuda Web Filters with minimal IT overhead.
Easy-to-use Policy Configurations
The intuitive web interface allows for quick and easy configuration and administration of policy rules. Setup takes fifteen minutes or less. System information, logs, powerful policy features and reports are just a few clicks away. Reporting requires no database administration.
Simple Pricing
The Barracuda Web Filter is delivered with all features and capabilities fully enabled. Content filtering and advanced malware protection is offered as a simple all-inclusive subscription without any per-user fees. The Barracuda Cloud Control management portal is included free of charge.
Model Comparison:
All 7 models of the Barracuda Web Filter come with a full suite of standard features. The following features are ones which vary by model.
Model Comparison | 210 | 310* | 410* | 610* | 810 | 910 | 1010 |
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Capacity | |||||||
Throughput (Mbps) | 5-10 | 10-50 | 30-80 | 100-200 | 200-500 | 500-1,000 | 1,000-2,000 |
Web Cache Size | – | 10 GB | 50 GB | 100 GB | 200 GB | 300 GB | 1 TB |
Concurrent Users | 25-100 | 100-400 | 300-800 | 800-2,000 | 1,500-3,000 | 2,500-4,500 | 4,000-15,000 |
Active TCP Connections | 50-400 | 400-2,000 | 2,000-5,000 | 5,000-10,000 | 10,000-20,000 | 20,000-35,000 | 35,000-100,000 |
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Rackmount Chassis | Desktop | 1U Mini | 1U Mini | 1U Fullsize | 2U Fullsize | 2U Fullsize | 2U Fullsize |
Dimensions (in) | 10 x 2 x 8.3 | 16.8 x 1.7 x 14 | 16.8 x 1.7 x 14 | 16.8 x 1.7 x 22.6 | 17.4 x 3.5 x 25.5 | 17.4 x 3.5 x 25.5 | 17.4 x 3.5 x 27.9 |
Weight (lbs) | 5.2 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 46 | 52 | 75 |
AC Input Current (Amps) | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 7.2 |
Ethernet Passthrough | – | 1 x Gigabit | 1 x Gigabit | 1 x Gigabit | 1 x Gigabit | 1 x Gigabit | 2 x 10 Gigabit |
Redundant Disk Array (RAID) | – | – | – | Hot Swap | Hot Swap | Hot Swap | Hot Swap |
ECC Memory | – | – | – | ![]() |
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Redundant Power Supply | – | – | – | N/A | Hot Swap | Hot Swap | Hot Swap |
Optional 10GbE Fiber | – | – | – | – | – | – | ![]() |
Features | |||||||
Hardened and Secure OS | ![]() |
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Content Filtering | ![]() |
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Application Control | ![]() |
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Advanced Policy Creation | ![]() |
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Network Threat Protection | ![]() |
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Spyware Removal | ![]() |
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Summary Reports | ![]() |
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Role-based Administration | ![]() |
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Web 2.0 Application Control | ![]() |
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Syslog Support | ![]() |
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Ethernet Bypass Hardware | ![]() |
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WCCP | ![]() |
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Remote Filtering | ![]() |
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SNMP/API | ![]() |
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Linked Management | ![]() |
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SSL Inspection | ![]() |
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Social-Media Monitoring | ![]() |
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*Also available as virtual appliances for data center environments.
Technical Specs
![]() Content Filtering
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![]() Advanced Policy Creation
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![]() Network Threat Protection
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System Features |
Support Options |
Hardware Features |
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![]() Barracuda Energize Updates
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![]() Connectors
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Deployments:
Barracuda Web Filter Technology
The Barracuda Web Filter combines preventative, reactive, and proactive measures to form a complete content filtering and anti-malware solution for businesses of all sizes. The Barracuda Web Filter enforces Internet usage policies by blocking access to objectionable content and unauthorized Internet applications, while its award-winning anti-malware technology blocks spyware downloads, prevents viruses, and blocks requests to malicious websites. To ease deployment, Barracuda Web Filter seamlessly integrates with existing network components and user authentication systems. Web-based threats evolve swiftly, so as new requirements emerge—e.g., social-networking control—the Barracuda Web Filter is automatically updated with new capabilities to meet those requirements, at no extra charge. With industry-leading capabilities and no per-user licensing fees, the Barracuda Web Filter is the most cost-effective solution in the industry.
Comprehensive Web Filtering
Layered Approach: Barracuda multilayered approach to web filtering includes a variety of technologies to regulate web usage and protect against malware. The Barracuda Web Filter gives administrators granular control to manage bandwidth usage, visits to websites, and use of Internet applications to enforce corporate Internet usage policy. Several layers of defense protect against all forms of harmful traffic between internal clients and the Internet, including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and application protocols. The measures include: IP-based policy controls, spyware protocol detection and blocking, user authentication, application protocol blocking, URL filtering, user/group-based policy controls, early detection and deep content inspection for virus checking, file type blocking, spyware download blocking, and desktop spyware protection.
Barracuda Central: All Barracuda Networks products are supported by Barracuda Central, a 24×7 advanced security operations center that works continuously to monitor and block the latest Internet threats. Barracuda Central collects email, URLs, and other data from tens of thousands of collection points located in more than 80 countries. In addition, Barracuda Central gets data contributions from more than 150,000 collection points and analyzes the data collected to develop defenses, rules, and signatures to defend your network. As new threats emerge, Barracuda Central is quick to respond to early outbreaks and delivers the latest definitions through Barracuda Energize Updates. These updates require zero administration and ensure that the Barracuda Web Filter provides comprehensive and accurate protection against the latest Internet threats.
Barracuda Central monitors data 24×7 from more than 150,000 Barracuda Networks products in over 80 countries and 17 languages. As new threats emerge, Barracuda Central quickly responds to outbreaks and delivers the latest definitions through automatic Barracuda Energize Updates.
Content Filtering:
Recreational web browsing adversely impacts employee productivity and exposes the network to malware threats. With Barracuda Web Filter, administrators can create policies that control user access to websites using multiple methods, including URL content categories, URL by domain or pattern, and file type blocking. Administrators can choose to block, allow, warn, or monitor access to these domains based on corporate policies.
Application Filtering:
The Barracuda Web Filter provides extremely granular control over Web 2.0 sites and applications, which allows administrators to limit access based on activity type within the same portal. For example, an organization may want to use Facebook or Twitter for viral marketing campaigns but prevent employees from playing games on Facebook or leaking confidential information through Twitter. In addition, administrators can configure the Barracuda Web Filter to archive outbound social media communications, like Facebook posts, tweets, and web-based email, to a message archive solution like the Barracuda Message Archiver. These messages can be searched to comply with HR or litigation requests. This level of functionality allows organizations to provide mission-critical access to Web 2.0 sites while restricting time and bandwidth wasting actions and applications.
Gateway Malware Protection:
The Barracuda Web Application Filter’s spyware protection engine blocks access to blacklisted sites in the extensive, up to date Barracuda Central Database. It also unpacks and examines individual files within 17 different types of archives for viruses and spyware. It can be configured to block password-protected archives that may contain harmful payloads. And, it scans inbound traffic for spyware, adware, trojans, and viruses.
Integrated Desktop Spyware Protection:
From inside the network, the Barracuda Web Filter identifies and blocks communications from infected systems to the Internet. By monitoring traffic at Layer 4, the Barracuda Web Filter detects and blocks outbound spyware activity across all protocols and ports. Once an infected machine is identified, the Barracuda Web Filter intercepts web browsing sessions and presents the user with the Barracuda Spyware Removal Tool in the form of an ActiveX control. The Barracuda Web Filter provides complete security, without the need to install client software on each workstation, by integrating powerful gateway and desktop spyware protection strategies.
Transparent User Authentication:
The Barracuda Web Filter integrates with popular LDAP servers including Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, and IBM Lotus Domino Directory. It transparently authenticates workers using their Windows credentials over NTLM or Kerberos when IP-based authentication is not feasible. This is useful in terminal services, Network Address Translation (NAT), or other thin client environments such as Citrix, where multiple clients share one IP address.
Policy Management:
A powerful policy engine supports granular policies by user, group, IP address ranges, or time. The Barracuda Web Filter allows custom creation of allow and block lists, specification of URL patterns, and restriction of Internet downloads based on MIME type, e.g., executables, streaming media, or videos. Administrators can control Internet access from specific client machines or external servers based on source or destination IP address and ports. In addition, exception rules can be created to override global policies and further refine Internet access policy.
SSL Visibility:
The combination of SSL Filtering and SSL Inspection lets customers filter SSL (HTTPS) websites subject to the same filtering rules and policies applied to HTTP traffic. With SSL Filtering, the Barracuda Web Filter monitors Domain Name System (DNS) traffic generated by HTTPS requests and stores an internal database that maps IP addresses to domain names. Using this database, the Barracuda Web Filter can apply policies based on the IP addresses without actually decrypting the traffic to identify domain names. Also, if users require more of granular control, SSL Inspection would decrypt and scan user HTTPS web requests, enabling malware detection and web policy enforcement. It does this by acting as a secure intermediary between user HTTPS web requests and the destination web server (i.e., Facebook, YouTube). After processing, this HTTPS traffic will be re-encrypted on the fly by the Barracuda Web Filter and routed to the destination web server.
Remote Filtering
The Barracuda Web Filter extends protection beyond the network perimeter with the Barracuda Web Security Agent (WSA) and the Barracuda Safe Browser (BSB). The WSA is a tamper-proof client software for off-network Windows and Mac OS X computers, while the BSB is a fully-functional mobile browser for iOS-based devices. In both cases, web traffic from remote clients is filtered through a central Barracuda Web Filter to apply the same web policies to users on and off the network. Both the WSA and the BSB can be centrally configured from the administrator interface. Together, these powerful solutions let organizations implement a consistent web policy across local and distributed workforces without purchasing additional tools.
Documentation:
Download the Barracuda Networks Web Filter Data Sheet (.PDF)
Download the Barracuda Networks Web Filter Technology Data Sheet (.PDF)