Kerio Control Web Filter Is Not Activated Categorization Is Disabled Work

Kerio Control (now part of GFI Software) is a unified threat management (UTM) firewall. Its module provides content filtering based on URL categorization. When the system shows that the Web Filter is not activated and categorization is disabled , the appliance cannot block or allow websites based on their content type (e.g., social media, adult content, gambling). Instead, it falls back to basic domain or IP-based rules.

When the Web Filter is not activated and categorization disabled:

Web browsing continues, but category-based blocking (e.g., blocking social media, pornography, gambling) fails.

Logs provide the most specific evidence of what's failing. Kerio Control (now part of GFI Software) is

Troubleshooting Kerio Control: Web Filter Not Activated & Categorization Disabled

5. Disable Reliability Detection (If Filter is Permanently Disabled)

If the web filter is activated but categorization is still disabled, follow these steps: Instead, it falls back to basic domain or IP-based rules

Kerio Control sends DNS queries to check for web filter updates and authorization. If these requests fail (often 10 times in a row within 1 minute), the engine considers the filter unreliable and disables it. This frequently happens if: The internet connection is unstable or slow. Your DNS server cannot resolve .zvelo.com domains. 3. Invalid Authorization Key

If the license is valid but the categorization remains disabled, the local Web Filter database files may be corrupt. You can force Kerio to download a fresh copy. Navigate to . Uncheck the box that says Enable Kerio Control Web Filter . Click Apply to save the changes.

Uncheck , click Apply , wait 10 seconds, re-check it, and click Apply again. 5. Clear the Web Filter Cache via SSH Troubleshooting Kerio Control: Web Filter Not Activated &

To prevent categorization from disabling unexpectedly in the future, implement these best practices:

: Use Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or OpenDNS (208.67.222.222) as custom DNS servers specifically for *.zvelo.com domains.

: If the filter remains disabled, you can manually reset the detection status via the SSH console: Login to the Kerio Control console via Navigate to the directory: cd /opt/kerio/winroute Run the command: ./tinydbclient "update SiteFilter set DetectReliability=0" Restart the service: /etc/boxinit.d/60winroute restart Adjust DNS Settings

Sometimes the firewall simply loses sync with the Kerio registration servers, even if your license is valid. Go to . Click the Refresh button at the bottom of the page. Wait for the firewall to contact the Kerio servers. Check if the Web Filter status changes to "Active." 3. Verify DNS and Internet Connectivity