Home Troubleshooting & FAQs A website is being blocked

A website is being blocked

Last updated on Jun 11, 2026

Applies to: Web Firewall (DNS filtering, powered by Control D)

What you're seeing

You try to visit a website and it won't load. Because the Web Firewall works at the network level, a blocked site usually does NOT show an obvious "blocked by StrongKeep" message. Instead you'll see a generic browser error such as:

  • "This site can't be reached" or "Safari can't find the server"

  • DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN or ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

  • A page that half-loads: the main site works but a button, form, or embedded content does nothing (this happens when a site pulls content from a second web address that is blocked, while the main address is not)

Other sites load fine, and the problem follows your device across different Wi-Fi networks.

Step 1: Confirm it was StrongKeep that blocked it

Your StrongKeep administrator can check in under a minute:

  1. In the StrongKeep dashboard, go to Protection > Web Firewall.

  2. The Activities tab shows everything blocked in the last 30 days, grouped into categories: Malware Sites, Scam / Phishing Sites, and Newly Registered Sites, each with a count of blocked attempts and the devices affected.

  3. Click into a category to see the exact web addresses blocked and which devices tried to reach them. You can also Download Report for a full list.

If the address you're trying to reach appears in one of those lists, the Web Firewall blocked it. If it doesn't appear anywhere, the problem is likely something else: the site itself may be down, or the block may be coming from the anti-malware protection instead (see our article on blocked applications).

Step 2: Quick self-check

  1. Is your device protected by our web firewall? Open the Control D Utility App and check that it is on.

    1. You can temporarily disable it if you wish to test whether it is the Control D web firewall that is blocking your access to the site. If the site still doesn't work after disabling the web firewall, then StrongKeep's protections are not the reason why the site is unavailable.

  2. One device or all devices? If only one device is affected, check that device's status on the Web Firewall page (it should show Active). If all staff are blocked from the same site, it's a category block, which is normal behaviour rather than a fault.

  3. Other non-protected devices? If the site works fine on other devices that do not have the web firewall protection (e.g., your personal mobile phone or tablet) on the same WIFI network,

  4. Which category caught it? This matters:

    • Newly Registered Sites is the most common source of false alarms. Brand-new websites are blocked by default because many attacks start on domains registered just hours earlier. A legitimate new supplier, clinic system, or SaaS tool can get caught simply for being new.

    • Malware Sites and Scam / Phishing Sites blocks are usually correct. Treat these with more caution.

  5. Is it the whole site or one piece of it? If a page loads but something on it doesn't work, look in the category lists for related addresses (for example cdn.example.com or api.example.com rather than example.com itself).

What you can do right now

On your own device (any staff member):

  1. Open the Control D Utility App and click "Disable".

  2. Test whether the site can be visited.

    1. If so, then it was being blocked by StrongKeep. Enable the Control D Utility App again and inform your StrongKeep system administrator to file a "bypass" request for this domain (example.com) if you are certain that it is non-malicious.

    2. If you are unable to visit the site even with Control D disabled, then the site is unavailable for other reasons (e.g., site is down, VPN, hardware firewall)

In the StrongKeep dashboard (your StrongKeep administrator):

  1. Open the category page under Protection > Web Firewall and find the blocked address.

  2. Click Add Bypass Rule to allow it for your organisation.

  3. Allow a little time for the change to reach your devices, then reload the page. If it still doesn't load, restart the browser, or wait a few minutes and try again.

Only bypass sites you recognise. If the address was blocked under Malware or Scam / Phishing, or you're not sure what it is, don't bypass it yourself: ask StrongKeep support to review it first. A site that looks like your bank or a supplier but is brand new could be exactly what the filter is designed to stop.

If you're a staff member:

Send your StrongKeep administrator the full web address that's failing (copy it from the browser address bar) and a one-line reason you need it. They can either add the bypass themselves or pass it to StrongKeep support.

If you'd rather have StrongKeep review it:

Email support@strongkeep.com with the subject "Web Firewall exception request: [your company name]", the full address, and the reason it's needed. The team will check the site's reputation before unblocking.

What StrongKeep is doing and why

The Web Firewall checks every web address your devices try to reach, before any connection is made, and blocks three categories by default:

  • Malware sites: addresses known to spread viruses or malicious software. A single visit can infect a device without any download or click.

  • Scam and phishing sites: pages built to trick people into giving away passwords, payment details, or patient and customer information. Phishing remains one of the most common ways attackers get into organisations.

  • Newly registered sites: brand-new web addresses. Attackers register fresh domains precisely because no reputation system has flagged them yet, so StrongKeep applies extra caution to anything very new.

Because this happens at the network level, it protects every browser and app on the device, but it also means a blocked site fails with a plain connection error rather than a branded warning page. The dashboard exists to make those quiet blocks visible.

Most established business tools (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, mainstream SaaS) are unaffected. The trade-off is that genuinely new, legitimate sites occasionally need a bypass rule, which takes a minute to add.

When to contact support

Email support@strongkeep.com (or WhatsApp for existing customers) if:

  • You added a bypass rule and the site still won't load after waiting and restarting the browser

  • The blocked address sits under Malware or Scam / Phishing and you believe it's wrongly categorised

  • The block is affecting a clinical system or patient-care workflow and you need urgent resolution

  • A device shows Not configured or its status has been stuck on "Last seen" for days (the firewall may not be protecting it at all)

  • You're seeing unexpected blocks across your entire organisation at once

If you suspect an active attack rather than a blocked site, use the red Activate Help button in the dashboard sidebar.