How does SmartPAC work

Securly's new SmartPAC is an ultra-lightweight client (or a tiny piece of software) maintained in the cloud. It is a Javascript client, but it is built differently using a (patent pending) combination of Securly's Proxy Auto Configuration technology and DNS infrastructure. It integrates with the Securly system over its DNS cloud APIs.

Like traditional Pac Files, SmartPAC also helps determine what traffic is to be diverted to the proxy servers but does it smartly. This means that it diverts traffic to Securly's proxy servers depending upon the need for in-depth analysis of a particular site for student safety.

The way SmartPAC works is whenever a user sends a request; it checks if the filtering policy for that user is cached. If not, it will first fetch the user's policy from DNS.

If the policy is cached (or when fetched from the DNS), SmartPAC checks if the site is allowed for that user. If it is allowed, but it is determined that it needs advanced analysis from a student safety perspective, only then is it sent to the Securly server. If the site does not require in-depth analysis, then the user can browse it, and the activity is logged.

If the filtering policy asks for the site to be blocked, then the blocked pages are sent to the cloud, and the user has displayed a blocked page. However, the site is sent to the Securly server for in-depth analysis in the pursuit of student safety.