File Blocking Profile Configuration Object

Overview

The FileBlockingProfile class provides functionality to manage file blocking profiles in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting profiles that define file blocking policies for controlling file transfers based on application, direction, and file type via the endpoint /config/security/v1/file-blocking-profiles.

Core Methods

Method	Description	Parameters	Return Type
`create()`	Creates a new profile	`data: Dict[str, Any]`	`FileBlockingProfileResponseModel`
`get()`	Retrieves a profile by ID	`object_id: str`	`FileBlockingProfileResponseModel`
`update()`	Updates an existing profile	`profile: FileBlockingProfileUpdateModel`	`FileBlockingProfileResponseModel`
`delete()`	Deletes a profile	`object_id: str`	`None`
`list()`	Lists profiles with filtering	`folder: str`, `**filters`	`List[FileBlockingProfileResponseModel]`
`fetch()`	Gets profile by name/container	`name: str`, `folder: str`	`FileBlockingProfileResponseModel`

File Blocking Profile Model Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Default	Description
`name`	str	Yes	None	Profile name
`id`	UUID	Yes*	None	Unique identifier (*response/update only)
`description`	str	No	None	Profile description
`rules`	List[FileBlockingRule]	No	None	List of file blocking rules
`folder`	str	No**	None	Folder location. Max 64 chars
`snippet`	str	No**	None	Snippet location. Max 64 chars
`device`	str	No**	None	Device location. Max 64 chars

* Only required for update and response models ** Exactly one container (folder/snippet/device) must be provided for create operations

Exceptions

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

Basic Configuration

The File Blocking Profile service can be accessed using the unified client interface (recommended):

from scm.client import ScmClient

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

# Access file blocking profiles directly through the client
profiles = client.file_blocking_profile

Usage Examples

Creating File Blocking Profiles

# Basic profile with an alert rule
basic_profile = {
    "name": "basic-file-blocking",
    "description": "Basic file blocking profile",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "rules": [
        {
            "name": "alert-executables",
            "action": "alert",
            "application": ["any"],
            "direction": "both",
            "file_type": ["exe", "dll"]
        }
    ]
}

# Create basic profile using the client
basic_profile_obj = client.file_blocking_profile.create(basic_profile)

# Profile with blocking rule
block_profile = {
    "name": "strict-file-blocking",
    "description": "Strict file blocking profile",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "rules": [
        {
            "name": "block-dangerous",
            "action": "block",
            "application": ["web-browsing", "ftp"],
            "direction": "download",
            "file_type": ["exe", "bat", "cmd", "msi"]
        },
        {
            "name": "alert-documents",
            "action": "alert",
            "application": ["any"],
            "direction": "upload",
            "file_type": ["doc", "pdf", "xls"]
        }
    ]
}

# Create strict profile
strict_profile_obj = client.file_blocking_profile.create(block_profile)

# Profile with continue action
continue_profile = {
    "name": "continue-file-blocking",
    "description": "File blocking profile with continue action",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "rules": [
        {
            "name": "continue-archives",
            "action": "continue",
            "application": ["any"],
            "direction": "download",
            "file_type": ["tar", "gz", "zip"]
        }
    ]
}

# Create continue profile
continue_profile_obj = client.file_blocking_profile.create(continue_profile)

Retrieving Profiles

# Fetch by name and folder
profile = client.file_blocking_profile.fetch(name="basic-file-blocking", folder="Texas")
print(f"Found profile: {profile.name}")

# Get by ID
profile_by_id = client.file_blocking_profile.get(profile.id)
print(f"Retrieved profile: {profile_by_id.name}")
print(f"Number of rules: {len(profile_by_id.rules)}")

Updating Profiles

# Fetch existing profile
existing_profile = client.file_blocking_profile.fetch(name="basic-file-blocking", folder="Texas")

# Update attributes
existing_profile.description = "Updated file blocking profile"

# Add new rule
existing_profile.rules.append({
    "name": "block-scripts",
    "action": "block",
    "application": ["any"],
    "direction": "both",
    "file_type": ["js", "vbs", "ps1"]
})

# Perform update
updated_profile = client.file_blocking_profile.update(existing_profile)

Listing Profiles

# List with direct filter parameters
filtered_profiles = client.file_blocking_profile.list(
    folder='Texas',
    rules=['block-dangerous']
)

# Process results
for profile in filtered_profiles:
    print(f"Name: {profile.name}")
    if profile.rules:
        print(f"Rules: {len(profile.rules)}")
        for rule in profile.rules:
            print(f"  - {rule.name}: {rule.action} ({rule.direction})")

# Define filter parameters as dictionary
list_params = {
    "folder": "Texas",
    "rules": ["alert-executables", "block-scripts"]
}

# List with filters as kwargs
filtered_profiles = client.file_blocking_profile.list(**list_params)

Filtering Responses

The list() method supports additional parameters to refine your query results even further. Alongside basic filters (like rules), you can leverage the exact_match, exclude_folders, exclude_snippets, and exclude_devices 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, snippet, or device) are returned. Inherited or propagated objects are filtered out.
exclude_folders (List[str]): Provide a list of folder names that you do not want included in the results.
exclude_snippets (List[str]): Provide a list of snippet values to exclude from the results.
exclude_devices (List[str]): Provide a list of device values to exclude from the results.

Examples:

# Only return profiles defined exactly in 'Texas'
exact_profiles = client.file_blocking_profile.list(
   folder='Texas',
   exact_match=True
)

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

# Exclude all profiles from the 'All' folder
no_all_profiles = client.file_blocking_profile.list(
   folder='Texas',
   exclude_folders=['All']
)

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

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

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

# Exclude profiles associated with 'DeviceA'
no_deviceA = client.file_blocking_profile.list(
   folder='Texas',
   exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for profile in no_deviceA:
   assert profile.device != 'DeviceA'
   print(f"Filtered out 'DeviceA': {profile.name}")

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

for profile in combined_filters:
   print(f"Combined filters result: {profile.name} in {profile.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 using the property setter
client.file_blocking_profile.max_limit = 4000

# List all profiles - auto-paginates through results
all_profiles = client.file_blocking_profile.list(folder='Texas')

# The profiles are fetched in chunks according to the max_limit setting.

Deleting Profiles

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

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

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

# Commit the changes directly using the client
result = client.commit(**commit_params)

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

Monitoring Jobs

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

# List recent jobs using 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.exceptions import (
    InvalidObjectError,
    MissingQueryParameterError,
    NameNotUniqueError,
    ObjectNotPresentError,
    ReferenceNotZeroError
)

try:
    # Create profile configuration
    profile_config = {
        "name": "test-file-blocking",
        "description": "Test file blocking profile",
        "folder": "Texas",
        "rules": [
            {
                "name": "block-exe",
                "action": "block",
                "application": ["any"],
                "direction": "both",
                "file_type": ["exe"]
            }
        ]
    }

    # Create the profile using the client
    new_profile = client.file_blocking_profile.create(profile_config)

    # Commit changes using the client
    result = client.commit(
        folders=["Texas"],
        description="Added file blocking profile",
        sync=True
    )

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

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

Best Practices

Rule Configuration
- Use descriptive rule names that indicate the purpose
- Set appropriate actions (alert, block, continue) based on risk level
- Be specific with file types rather than using broad wildcards
- Document rule purposes with profile descriptions
- Review rule effectiveness periodically
Container Management
- Always specify exactly one container
- Use consistent container names
- Validate container existence
- Group related profiles
Client Usage
- Use the unified client interface (client.file_blocking_profile) for simpler code
- Perform commits directly on the client (client.commit())
- Monitor jobs using client methods (client.get_job_status(), client.list_jobs())
- Initialize the client once and reuse across different object types
Performance
- Use appropriate pagination
- Cache frequently accessed profiles
- Implement proper retry logic
- Track job completion
Security
- Block dangerous file types (executables, scripts) by default
- Use continue action for files that require user confirmation
- Monitor alert actions to identify potential threats
- Review and update file type lists regularly
- Document modifications

Full Script Examples

For examples related to file blocking profiles, check the examples directory.