The Barracuda Web Security Gateway is an integrated web filtering and malware protection appliance. It blocks access to websites and applications by category, scans HTTP and HTTPS traffic for malware and spyware, enforces application controls on platforms like social media, and extends policy enforcement to remote and mobile users through the Barracuda Web Security Agent. Every model includes content filtering, application control, network threat protection, and SSL inspection in a flat all-inclusive subscription with no per-user fees.

Model selection is primarily driven by the number of concurrent users and available network throughput. The Gateway 210 handles 25 to 100 users and is designed for small offices and remote sites. The 310 and 410 cover 100 to 800 users and fit most small-to-midsize deployments. The 610 and 810 handle 800 to 5,000 users for mid-market and campus environments. The 910 and 1010 scale to 25,000 users for enterprise and data center use. The virtual Vx series covers 300 to 2,000 users in VMware and Hyper-V environments. Our engineers can help you right-size based on your concurrent user count and internet pipe.

Yes. SSL inspection is included on the Gateway 310 and higher. The appliance acts as a transparent intermediary, decrypting HTTPS traffic, scanning it for malware and policy violations, and re-encrypting it before passing it on. This allows enforcement on social media, Google Workspace, web-based email, and other platforms that run exclusively over HTTPS. The Gateway 210 does not support SSL inspection.

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is an optional subscription service that submits unknown files and downloads to a cloud-based sandbox for full system emulation. It detects ransomware, zero-day malware, advanced persistent threats, and polymorphic viruses that signature-based engines miss. ATP integrates with every hardware model from the 210 through the 1010, and with all Vx virtual appliances.

Yes. The Barracuda Web Security Agent (WSA) is a tamper-proof client that installs on Windows and Mac laptops. It routes web traffic through the same policy engine that governs on-network users, so remote employees browsing from home or a hotel stay subject to the same content filtering and application controls. Unlimited remote user licenses are included with every appliance subscription at no additional cost.

Yes. Barracuda Web Security Gateway includes a dedicated education feature set that simplifies CIPA compliance. It enforces safe-search filtering on Google, Bing, and Yahoo, blocks objectionable image thumbnails in search results, provides social-media activity monitoring, and generates alerts on cyberbullying-related keyword activity. Many K-12 districts and higher education campuses run the Gateway as their primary content filter.

The Vx series runs on VMware vSphere, VMware ESXi, and Microsoft Hyper-V. The Vx310 requires 2 CPU cores and supports 300 to 800 concurrent users. The Vx410 requires 4 cores and supports 800 to 2,000 users. The Vx610 requires 6 cores for larger virtualized deployments. All Vx models carry the same feature set as the hardware appliances, including SSL inspection, application control, and remote filtering.

The appliance is purchased outright and runs on an annual subscription that covers content filtering, malware protection, software updates, and Barracuda Cloud Control management access. Advanced Threat Protection is an additional subscription on top of the base license. There are no per-user fees. The subscription is renewed annually on any 1, 3, or 5 year term.