Application Filters Configuration Object

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Core Methods
3. Application Filter Model Attributes
4. Exceptions
5. Basic Configuration
6. Usage Examples
   • Creating Application Filters
   • Retrieving Application Filters
   • Updating Application Filters
   • Listing Application Filters
   • Filtering Responses
   • Controlling Pagination with max_limit
   • Deleting Application Filters
7. Managing Configuration Changes
   • Performing Commits
   • Monitoring Jobs
8. Error Handling
9. Best Practices
10. Full Script Examples
11. Related Models

Overview

The ApplicationFilters class provides functionality to manage application filter definitions in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting application filters that help organize and filter applications based on various criteria like categories, risk levels, and behaviors.

Core Methods

Method	Description	Parameters	Return Type
create()	Creates a new filter	data: Dict[str, Any]	ApplicationFiltersResponseModel
get()	Retrieves a filter by ID	object_id: str	ApplicationFiltersResponseModel
update()	Updates an existing filter	application: ApplicationFiltersUpdateModel	ApplicationFiltersResponseModel
delete()	Deletes a filter	object_id: str	None
list()	Lists filters with filtering	folder: str, snippet: str, exact_match: bool, **filters	List[ApplicationFiltersResponseModel]
fetch()	Gets filter by name and container	name: str, folder: str, snippet: str	ApplicationFiltersResponseModel

Application Filter Model Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Default	Description
name	str	Yes	None	Name of filter (max 31 chars)
id	UUID	Yes*	None	Unique identifier (*response only)
category	List[str]	No	None	List of application categories
sub_category	List[str]	No	None	List of application subcategories
technology	List[str]	No	None	List of application technologies
risk	List[int]	No	None	List of risk levels (1-5)
folder	str	Yes**	None	Folder location (**one container required)
snippet	str	Yes**	None	Snippet location (**one container required)
evasive	bool	No	False	Filter evasive applications
used_by_malware	bool	No	False	Filter malware-associated apps
transfers_files	bool	No	False	Filter file-transferring apps
has_known_vulnerabilities	bool	No	False	Filter apps with vulnerabilities
tunnels_other_apps	bool	No	False	Filter tunneling applications
prone_to_misuse	bool	No	False	Filter misuse-prone applications
pervasive	bool	No	False	Filter pervasive applications
is_saas	bool	No	False	Filter SaaS applications
new_appid	bool	No	False	Filter new applications
excessive_bandwidth_use	bool	No	False	Filter apps using excessive bandwidth
saas_risk	List[str]	No	None	Filter by SaaS risk levels
saas_certifications	List[str]	No	None	Filter by SaaS certifications
exclude	List[str]	No	None	List of applications to exclude
tag	List[str]	No	None	Tags associated with the filter

Exceptions

Exception	HTTP Code	Description
InvalidObjectError	400	Invalid filter data or format
MissingQueryParameterError	400	Missing required parameters
NameNotUniqueError	409	Filter name already exists
ObjectNotPresentError	404	Filter not found
ReferenceNotZeroError	409	Filter still referenced
AuthenticationError	401	Authentication failed
ServerError	500	Internal server error

Basic Configuration

    from scm.client import ScmClient

    # Initialize client using the unified client approach
    client = ScmClient(
        client_id="your_client_id",
        client_secret="your_client_secret",
        tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
    )

    # Access the application_filters module directly through the client
    # client.application_filter is automatically initialized for you

You can also use the traditional approach if preferred:

    from scm.client import Scm
    from scm.config.objects import ApplicationFilters

    # Initialize client
    client = Scm(
        client_id="your_client_id",
        client_secret="your_client_secret",
        tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
    )

    # Initialize ApplicationFilters object
    app_filters = ApplicationFilters(client)

Usage Examples

Creating Application Filters

    # High-risk applications filter
    high_risk_filter = {
        "name": "high-risk-apps",
        "category": ["business-systems", "collaboration"],
        "risk": [4, 5],
        "folder": "Texas",
        "has_known_vulnerabilities": True,
        "used_by_malware": True
    }

    # Create high-risk filter
    high_risk = client.application_filter.create(high_risk_filter)

    # SaaS applications filter
    saas_filter = {
        "name": "saas-apps",
        "folder": "Texas",
        "is_saas": True,
        "saas_risk": ["high", "medium"],
        "saas_certifications": ["soc2", "iso27001"]
    }

    # Create SaaS filter
    saas = client.application_filter.create(saas_filter)

Retrieving Application Filters

    # Fetch by name and folder
    filter_obj = client.application_filter.fetch(name="high-risk-apps", folder="Texas")
    print(f"Found filter: {filter_obj.name}")

    # Get by ID
    filter_by_id = client.application_filter.get(filter_obj.id)
    print(f"Retrieved filter: {filter_by_id.name}")
    print(f"Risk levels: {filter_by_id.risk}")

Updating Application Filters

    # Fetch existing filter
    existing_filter = client.application_filter.fetch(name="high-risk-apps", folder="Texas")

    # Update filter criteria
    existing_filter.risk = [3, 4, 5]
    existing_filter.category.append("networking")
    existing_filter.prone_to_misuse = True
    existing_filter.tunnels_other_apps = True

    # Perform update
    updated_filter = client.application_filter.update(existing_filter)

Listing Application Filters

    # List with direct filter parameters
    filtered_results = client.application_filter.list(
        folder='Texas',
        category=['business-systems'],
        risk=[4, 5]
    )

    # Process results
    for filter_obj in filtered_results:
        print(f"Name: {filter_obj.name}")
        print(f"Categories: {filter_obj.category}")
        print(f"Risk levels: {filter_obj.risk}")

    # Define filter parameters as dictionary
    list_params = {
        "folder": "Texas",
        "technology": ["client-server"],
        "subcategory": ["database"]
    }

    # List with filters as kwargs
    filtered_results = client.application_filter.list(**list_params)

Filtering Responses

The list() method supports additional parameters to refine your query results. Alongside basic filters (like category, subcategory, technology, and risk), you can leverage exact_match, exclude_folders, and exclude_snippets parameters to control which objects are included or excluded after the initial API response is fetched.

Parameters:

• exact_match (bool): When True, only objects defined exactly in the specified container (folder or snippet) are returned.
• exclude_folders (List[str]): List of folder names to exclude from results.
• exclude_snippets (List[str]): List of snippet values to exclude from results.

    # Only return filters defined exactly in 'Texas'
    exact_filters = client.application_filter.list(
        folder='Texas',
        exact_match=True
    )

    for f in exact_filters:
        print(f"Exact match: {f.name} in {f.folder}")

    # Exclude all filters from the 'All' folder
    no_all_filters = client.application_filter.list(
        folder='Texas',
        exclude_folders=['All']
    )

    for f in no_all_filters:
        assert f.folder != 'All'
        print(f"Filtered out 'All': {f.name}")

    # Exclude filters that come from 'default' snippet
    no_default_snippet = client.application_filter.list(
        folder='Texas',
        exclude_snippets=['default']
    )

    for f in no_default_snippet:
        assert f.snippet != 'default'
        print(f"Filtered out 'default' snippet: {f.name}")

    # Combine exact_match with exclusions
    combined_filters = client.application_filter.list(
        folder='Texas',
        exact_match=True,
        exclude_folders=['All'],
        exclude_snippets=['default']
    )

    for f in combined_filters:
        print(f"Combined filters result: {f.name} in {f.folder}")

Controlling Pagination with max_limit

The SDK supports pagination through the max_limit parameter, which defines how many objects are retrieved per API call. By default, max_limit is set to 2500. The API itself imposes a maximum allowed value of 5000. If you set max_limit higher than 5000, it will be capped to the API's maximum. The list() method will continue to iterate through all objects until all results have been retrieved. Adjusting max_limit can help manage retrieval performance and memory usage when working with large datasets.

from scm.client import ScmClient

# Initialize client
client = ScmClient(
    client_id="your_client_id",
    client_secret="your_client_secret",
    tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

# Configure max_limit on the application_filter service
client.application_filter.max_limit = 4321

# List all filters - auto-paginates through results
all_filters = client.application_filter.list(folder='Texas')

# The list() method will retrieve up to 4321 objects per API call (max 5000)
# and auto-paginate through all available objects.

Deleting Application Filters

    # Delete by ID
    filter_id = "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000"
    client.application_filter.delete(filter_id)

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

    # Prepare commit parameters
    commit_params = {
        "folders": ["Texas"],
        "description": "Updated application filters",
        "sync": True,
        "timeout": 300  # 5 minute timeout
    }

    # Commit the changes directly on the client
    # Note: All commit operations should be performed on the client directly
    result = client.commit(**commit_params)

    print(f"Commit job ID: {result.job_id}")

Monitoring Jobs

    # Get status of specific job directly on the client
    job_status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)
    print(f"Job status: {job_status.data[0].status_str}")

    # List recent jobs directly on the client
    recent_jobs = client.list_jobs(limit=10)
    for job in recent_jobs.data:
        print(f"Job {job.id}: {job.type_str} - {job.status_str}")

Error Handling

    from scm.client import ScmClient
    from scm.exceptions import (
        InvalidObjectError,
        MissingQueryParameterError,
        NameNotUniqueError,
        ObjectNotPresentError,
        ReferenceNotZeroError
    )

    # Initialize client
    client = ScmClient(
        client_id="your_client_id",
        client_secret="your_client_secret",
        tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
    )

    try:
        # Create filter configuration
        filter_config = {
            "name": "test-filter",
            "category": ["business-systems"],
            "risk": [4, 5],
            "folder": "Texas",
            "has_known_vulnerabilities": True
        }

        # Create the filter using the unified client
        new_filter = client.application_filter.create(filter_config)

        # Commit changes directly on the client
        result = client.commit(
            folders=["Texas"],
            description="Added test filter",
            sync=True
        )

        # Check job status on the client
        status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)

    except InvalidObjectError as e:
        print(f"Invalid filter data: {e.message}")
    except NameNotUniqueError as e:
        print(f"Filter name already exists: {e.message}")
    except ObjectNotPresentError as e:
        print(f"Filter not found: {e.message}")
    except ReferenceNotZeroError as e:
        print(f"Filter still in use: {e.message}")
    except MissingQueryParameterError as e:
        print(f"Missing parameter: {e.message}")

Best Practices

1. Client Usage

   • Use the unified ScmClient approach for simpler code
   • Access application filters operations via client.application_filter property
   • Perform commit operations directly on the client
   • Monitor jobs directly on the client
   • Set appropriate max_limit parameters for large datasets using application_filters_max_limit

2. Filter Definition

   • Use descriptive filter names
   • Combine multiple criteria effectively
   • Keep filters focused and specific
   • Document filter purposes
   • Review and update regularly

3. Container Management

   • Always specify exactly one container (folder or snippet)
   • Use consistent container names
   • Validate container existence
   • Group related filters

4. Performance

   • Avoid overly broad filters
   • Use specific criteria combinations
   • Consider filter evaluation impact
   • Cache frequently used filters
   • Monitor filter match counts

5. Security

   • Regularly review risk criteria
   • Update vulnerability flags
   • Monitor malware associations
   • Track certification status
   • Validate SaaS risks

6. Maintenance

   • Review filter effectiveness
   • Update criteria as needed
   • Remove unused filters
   • Document filter changes
   • Monitor filter usage

Full Script Examples

Refer to the application_filters.py example.

Related Models

• ApplicationFiltersCreateModel
• ApplicationFiltersUpdateModel
• ApplicationFiltersResponseModel