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Restricting Websites

adese

adese

macrumors member
Original poster
So I edited the /etc/hosts file to deny a user access to certain non-work-related sites (myspace, craigslist, etc) by rerouting her back to our own site. This was because of usage abuse. however I don't want to have to keep adding every website he/she goes to all the time instead of working.

is there a way to restrict all web traffic with the exception of some of our internal servers and web servers?

thank you in advance
 
Mac OS X has built-in controls that can achieve the lockdown you desire. Using a combination of restricting what applications are allowed (so that new browsers can't be installed to bypass the web restrictions) combined with the Parental Controls feature (applied to Safari, this restricts users to only what's in the Bookmarks Bar), should do the trick.
 
bartelby said:
Have you tried talking to the employee and explaining the situation?
Click to expand...

always a good idea.

Cut all outside internet access if possible, that would insure no more abuse. Use it after explaining that she can't go to those sites on company time, and if she goes there at all/or excessively cut the internet.
 
Yes we have spoken to them multiple times. His/Her boss does not know the extent of the abuse yet but it is getting to that point. You have to understand this is a huge corporate setting and therefore it is socially awkward and complicated here with everything.

As for parental controls that is not an option since the user is on the default admin login. (I know I know I know)
 
Rokem said:
always a good idea.

Cut all outside internet access if possible, that would insure no more abuse. Use it after explaining that she can't go to those sites on company time, and if she goes there at all/or excessively cut the internet.
Click to expand...

it's amazing, we've spoken to them so many times but they keep doing it all day without any regard for our wishes. he/she needs internet and network access to access file servers and web apps we have internally
 
Just a few hypotheticals, because I don't know what I'm talking about... 🙁

Is their any way to limit her access specifically to the sites her work requires that have access to?

Barring that, any way your can write a script that runs daily that will monitor her usage and automatically add any new unauthorized sites to the /etc/hosts file at the end of each day?

It would also be nice if you could run something that anytime she accessed an unauthorized website, her boss would receive an email regarding it.
 
^^ you have a sick mind, but i like it.

I'm taking into consideration you are on the IT/IS team or other tech related area of you work enviroment.

you may want to set up a proxy, like squid.
 
Two thoughts here...

1) Little Snitch
2) Can the internal firewall (spotlight -> firewall) handle this type of blocking? Considering it is a 'nix style system it shouldn't be too hard to find a free firewall.
 
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