---
title: About Cyber Shield
canonical: https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/about-cyber-shield/
product: CloudConnexa Docs
description: Cyber Shield is CloudConnexa's integrated security layer — Domain Filtering blocks malicious and suspicious websites via DNS, Traffic Filtering detects and blocks threats using IDS/IPS, and Shield Policies let you apply different protection levels to different User Groups.
keywords: Cyber Shield, Domain filtering, DNS filtering, Content Filtering, IDS/IPS, Traffic Filtering
---

# About Cyber Shield

## Overview

Cyber Shield helps protect your users and resources from malicious domains and network traffic. It provides two types of threat protection:

- **Domain Filtering** provides DNS content filtering to monitor or block access to malicious, suspicious, or unwanted domains. Protection applies even when a user's internet traffic doesn't pass through your WPC.
- **Traffic Filtering** uses an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) to monitor or block malicious traffic entering your WPC.

Configure Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering through **Shield Policies**. Shield Policies provide per-group protection, allowing different User Groups to use different filtering settings. Every WPC has a Default Policy that provides catch-all protection when no custom policy is assigned.

Refer to [About Shield Policies](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/about-shield-policies.md) to understand how policies apply Cyber Shield protection.

## Domain Filtering

Cyber Shield provides DNS content filtering to protect users from malicious and suspicious domains, including domains associated with threats such as malware, ransomware, and phishing. Because filtering occurs at the DNS layer, it can protect users even when their internet traffic isn't transported through the WPC.

Domain filtering classifies domains into 43 content categories organized into eight groups. You can monitor domain requests or block categories based on the protection level and content access requirements you configure.

You can also control specific domains:

- Add a domain to the **Allow List** to permit it when it would otherwise be blocked.
- Add a domain to the **Block List** to prevent access to it.

Cyber Shield records observed and blocked DNS requests so you can investigate which users or devices generated them.

For details about protection levels and available categories, refer to [Domain Filtering](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/shield---policies---domain-filtering/domain-filtering-protection-levels-and-content-categories.md).

## Traffic Filtering

Cyber Shield provides a built-in Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) for traffic entering your WPC.

Traffic Filtering compares network traffic against traffic signatures associated with malicious activity and other traffic of interest. Matching traffic is classified by threat priority and category.

Depending on your configuration, you can:

- **Monitor** matching traffic to detect threats and investigate activity.
- **Block** matching traffic to prevent identified threats from passing through the WPC.

Traffic filtering can identify activity associated with malware, intrusion attempts, denial-of-service attacks, trojans, worms, and other threats. Cyber Shield records detected and blocked events so you can investigate the users or devices involved.

For details about threat priorities, categories, and protection levels, refer to [Traffic Filtering](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/shield---policies---traffic-filtering/traffic-filtering-priorities-categories-and-protection-levels.md).

## Shield Policies

**Shield Policies** determine which Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering settings apply to your User Groups. Use custom Shield Policies when different User Groups require different levels of protection.

Every WPC also has a **Default Policy**. The Default Policy automatically applies to User Groups that aren't assigned to a custom policy and always applies to Networks and Hosts.

Refer to:

- [About Shield Policies](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/about-shield-policies.md) to understand how policies and User Group assignments work.
- [About the Default Policy](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/about-the-default-policy.md) to understand the catch-all policy and how it applies to User Groups, Networks, and Hosts.

> **Important**
>
> **Existing Cyber Shield configurations**
>
> If you configured Cyber Shield before Shield Policies were introduced, your existing Cyber Shield settings automatically migrate to the Default Policy. Your filtering behavior doesn't change, and you don't need to take any action.
>
> Refer to [Migrate Existing Cyber Shield Settings to Shield Policies](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/migrate-existing-cyber-shield-settings-to-shield-policies.md) for details.

## Navigate Cyber Shield

The **Shield** section of the Administration portal provides three areas for reviewing, configuring, and monitoring Cyber Shield:

- **Overview:** Review your current Cyber Shield protection and recent Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering activity.
- **Policies:** Configure the Default Policy and custom Shield Policies.
- **Metrics:** Analyze Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering events over time.

### Overview

Select **Shield → Overview** to review Cyber Shield protection and recent filtering activity.

The Overview page includes:

- **Default Policy:** Shows the Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering settings for the Default Policy and the number of User Groups it covers.
- **User Groups Coverage:** Shows how many User Groups each policy protects.
- **Top 10 Dashboard:** Shows the top Domain Filtering or Traffic Filtering events. Toggle between Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering to review activity for each filtering type. Refer to:
  - [Interact With the Top 10 Dashboard](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---overview/interact-with-the-cyber-shield-top-10-dashboard.md)
  - [Investigate Using the Top 10 Dashboard](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---overview/investigate-using-cyber-shield-top-10-dashboard.md)
  - [Export CSVs](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---overview/get-reports-from-the-cyber-shield-top-10-dashboard.md)

For initial setup, an **Onboarding banner** guides you through configuring Cyber Shield.

### Policies

Select **Shield → Policies** to configure Cyber Shield protection using Shield Policies.

The Shield Policies list shows the **Default Policy** and your custom policies, including their Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering settings and the User Groups they cover.

From the Shield Policies list, you can create and manage custom policies, review filtering settings, and see how Cyber Shield protection is distributed across your User Groups.

Refer to [Browse and Manage Shield Policies](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/browse-and-manage-shield-policies.md).

### Metrics

Select **Shield → Metrics** to analyze Domain Filtering and Traffic Filtering events over time.

The Metrics page provides time-series charts for filtering activity and further classifies detected events to help you investigate Cyber Shield activity.

Refer to:

- [View Event Metrics](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---metrics/view-cyber-shield-event-metrics.md)
- [View Traffic Filtering (IDS/IPS) Metrics](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---metrics/view-traffic-filtering--ids-ips--metrics.md)

## Related resources

- [About Shield Policies](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/about-shield-policies.md)
- [About the Default Policy](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/about-the-default-policy.md)
- [Domain Filtering](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/shield---policies---domain-filtering/domain-filtering-protection-levels-and-content-categories.md)
- [Traffic Filtering](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---policies/shield---policies---traffic-filtering/traffic-filtering-priorities-categories-and-protection-levels.md)
- [Cyber Shield product page](https://openvpn.net/cloud-vpn/cyber-shield/)

---

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Next: [Shield - Overview](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/shield/shield---overview.md)
Index: https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/llms.txt