With the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension, you can extend the protection of DNSWatch to provide consistent policy enforcement and security protection when your users leave the safety of your network. Similar to the DNSWatchGO Client on Windows devices, the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension provides DNS-level protection for users with Chrome. When the Chrome browser opens a site, the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension queries the DNSWatch servers to check if the site is malicious.
How the DNSWatchGO Chrome Extension Works
The DNSWatchGO Chrome extension is deployed through a private Chrome extension available in the Chrome Web Store.
The extension intercepts any URL that the Chrome browser requests data from and queries the DNSWatch server for the domain of the URL to determine whether to redirect the URL. If the requested domain is not on the known malicious domains list or on the filtered domains list, the requested content appears.
The DNSWatchGO Chrome extension protects users as follows:
- A user enters a URL in Chrome or the Chromebook browser.
- The DNSWatchGO Chrome extension copies the domain name from the URL and sends it to a DNSWatch resolver.
- Based on the content filtering policies configured in the DNSWatch dashboard, the resolver responds with either an OK, or the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) the extension should redirect to.
Supported Devices and Operating Systems
The DNSWatchGO Chrome extension supports Chrome OS devices, such as Chromebook. Although you can install the extension in a Chrome browser on non-Chrome devices for testing purposes, WatchGuard does not support that configuration in production environments.
DNSWatchGO Chrome Licenses
The DNSWatchGO Chrome extension requires an active DNSWatch license. For more information about licenses, go to About DNSWatchGO Licenses. When you use the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension, you use an existing license in the same way the DNSWatchGO Client uses a license. To view your current number of licenses in use and their renewal dates, go to the DNSWatchGO Clients page in DNSWatch.
Diagnostic Features
After deployment, the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension provides some diagnostic features to help you troubleshoot problems. There is no DNSWatchGO Diagnostic Utility for Chrome OS, but you can run a diagnostic procedure and send the results to WatchGuard Support for further assistance. For more information, go to View DNSWatchGO Chrome Extension Diagnostics.
DNSWatchGO Chrome Extension Updates
Google is responsible for updates to the software in Chrome. When WatchGuard updates the DNSWatchGO Chrome extension in the Chrome Web Store, Google pushes the upgrade automatically to Chromebooks.
Test the DNSWatchGO Chrome Extension Before Deployment