What is the difference between HTTPS Inspection and MITM?

To identify and report on information, web traffic requires inspection as it is encrypted for security purposes. HTTPS Inspection and MITM are similar functions for intercepting text sent from your users’ devices for filtering and reporting. Each has different requirements to consider when deciding whether the feature will suit your school. HTTPS Inspection and MITM can exclude groups like teachers from having their traffic intercepted, filtered, or included in reports.

Inspection is used for:

• Enforcing Safe Search to omit adult search results from Google, Bing, and YouTube.
• Blocking specific search terms or categories of topics on Bing, Google, or YouTube.
• Monitoring the text in video titles, topics, and descriptions for reporting.
• Recording the text in search and video details for reports, including the User Journey Report and Red Flags Reports

HTTPS Inspection (Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure) 

HTTPS Inspection involves a device in the network decrypting the encrypted traffic temporarily to inspect the contents, then re-encrypting it before sending it to its destination. A security certificate is used to verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of the inspecting device. It must be installed on a computer or device before HTTPS Inspection will work.

School Manager would act as the physical appliance on your network, and the security certificate must be installed on your school’s devices (for example, on shared computers in your library). Once configured, School Manager will intercept, decrypt, and filter text before it is sent to specified websites, and it can also enforce Safe Search.

MITM (Man In The Middle)

Man In The Middle (MITM) is an optional function for the Connect app that allows the app to intercept and inspect text from your users’ devices to inspect internet traffic. Connect with MITM enabled can also force a user only to be able to log in using their school account when they attempt to log in to Microsoft or Google. 

Rather than using a physical School Manager appliance with HTTPS Inspection, the Connect app can inspect when it’s running on your users' Windows, macOS, and iOS/iPadOS devices. You can also inspect using MITM if your school uses the Connect for Chrome extension on your devices. MITM can be easier to configure as there is no requirement for Hardware or installing a security certificate.

Users with Owner/Global Administrator access can enable or check if MITM is enabled for Connect by logging into School Manager > Configuration > Mobile Agent > On School Manager Network or Off School Manager Network > MITM Enabled Checkbox. You can enable MITM for both on-network and off-network devices (devices connected to a School Manager network or not).