[ipad] Meraki SM 'Web Content Filter' to stop 'Safari In-Private' browsing?

[Koldov]

A teacher came to me yesterday asking why Google in Safari 'looked funny' on a student iPad...

 

I didn't get to actually look at what was happening as she was just pushing all the buttons (why do they do that?) trying to explain what was happening, opening and closing Safari and going to Google, but I think I remember she said it had mentioned 'In-Private' browsing....

 

Anyway, as I was asking some troubleshooting questions, she finally opened Safari and it looked 'normal', so with that she said... "Oh, look at me I'm an IT tech now!" and off she went quite pleased with herself...

 

I thought I would do some research on the subject anyway as although I'm reasonably confident (as I can be) in our LGfL filter, I'm thinking 'In-Private' browsing is something we should discourage, not sure why I didn't think of it before - but honestly it's not something I ever use (also I don't use iPads or Safari).

 

After digging through a few forums and blogs on the subject it appeared that Meraki doesn't really have a way of controlling 'In-Private' browsing (unless someone tells me otherwise?).

 

But, posts on these pages seem to suggest that if you add the 'Web Content Filter' in the restrictions of a profile it turns 'In-Private' browsing off in Safari (both near the end of the page)!

 

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Endpoint-Management-Systems/Disable-Private-Browsing-on-Safari/td-p/18096

 

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Endpoint-Management-Systems/Meraki-SM-preventing-clearing-browser-history-on-iPhone/td-p/29470

 

I wonder if anyone can confirm before I add it and have half the school knocking on my door saying they can't get to X,Y,Z webpage.

 

I intend to use the 'Default' and 'Auto-Filter' as our connection is filtered any way so I doubt I have to start adding white/blacklisted URLs and we don't have any onsite/plug-in/Meraki MX Security Appliance to leverage.

 

Does anyone know if this works?

Edited October 7, 2020 by Koldov

[Brimstone]

I would do a thorough test of this before rolling it out, the " Adult Content Filter" Restriction payload available for MDM's has at times not worked with certain versions of iOS. It's also a VERY basic filter and you will find other legitimate school freindly sites being blocked by this.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mdm/mdmc77c9609/web

 

You should ideally use a proper iOS filter, such as Lightspeed Relay or Securly

 

Apple have now put together a very useful guide which addresses many of the questions tech may have on MDM Restrictions as part of Apple's MDM Management

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mdm/mdm0f7dd3d8/1/web/1.0