URL Redirection

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Problem

Users and applications request URLs that policy must steer elsewhere: enforce SafeSearch on major search engines, send traffic from deprecated hosts to approved destinations, or hide internal redirection from the browser. Without proxy-level redirection, administrators rely on client-side settings or DNS tricks that users can bypass.

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Benefits

Administrators expect SafeSquid to rewrite or redirect requests and responses consistently. HTTP 302 mode exposes the target URL to the client; internal redirection keeps the original address bar while the proxy fetches alternate content—useful for compliance and seamless steering.

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Advantages

Confirmed: SafeSquid supports two modes (HTTP 302 vs internal) from one 302 Redirect toggle, combined with Access Restriction and Profiling Engine for scoped application. Missing: Quantitative comparison to other SWG redirection features is not documented here—escalate to CTO if needed for external messaging.

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Call to action

In the Configuration Portal, open Real Time Content Security → URL Redirection. Choose 302 or internal mode per policy, then follow Enforce SafeSearch or Redirect One Website to Another. Verify behavior in Native logs.

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Redirection Modes

SafeSquid supports two redirection modes controlled by the 302 Redirect toggle:

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HTTP Redirection (302 Redirect Enabled)

When enabled, SafeSquid sends an HTTP 302 redirect response to the client browser. The browser sees the redirect and follows it to the new destination. This mode:

• Shows the redirect in browser history
• Allows the client to see both original and target URLs
• Uses standard HTTP redirect mechanisms

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Internal Redirection (302 Redirect Disabled)

When disabled, SafeSquid performs the redirection internally without informing the client. The proxy fetches content from the target URL and serves it transparently. This mode:

• Hides the redirect from the end user
• Maintains the original URL in the browser address bar
• Performs the redirection at the proxy level

Choose the mode based on whether users should see the redirect happening (HTTP) or experience seamless content steering (internal).

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URL redirection and SafeSearch guides

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Enforce SafeSearch

Search engines return explicit content when SafeSearch is not enforced. SafeSquid appends SafeSearch parameters to Google, Yahoo, and Bing queries so users cannot disable filtering. Consistent content filtering across search traffic reduces exposure and supports policy compliance. Enable SafeSearch policies using this document.

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Redirect One Website to Another

Organizations need to send traffic from one URL to another for branding, blocking, or compliance. The document covers enabling the Redirect section and creating redirection policies in Real Time Content Security. Verification in Native logs confirms redirects work as intended. Use this document to configure and validate URL-to-URL redirection.

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Next steps

Combine with Access Restriction for allow/deny by URL; use Profiling Engine for category-based policy.