YouTube is not loading while connected to Web Security Service (WSS)

TECH250456

Last Updated December 31, 2019

While attempting to play a YouTube video, it will play the commercial, then fails to play the video.
This occurs on multiple browsers.
This also helps troubleshoot any website that is not loading.
403 Errors

Web Security Service

YouTube website

Duplicate the problem:

Open a web browser, such as Chrome and enter the developer tool by selecting the F12 function key.
Select Network tab and check "Preserve Log".
Navigate to Youtube.com
Search for site exhibiting the behavior. Example: Search for “Solo” and attempt to play a video.
View the Developer (F12) log listing 403 Errors.
Note the 403 errors would also be visible if you run a forensic report in the WSS portal.threatpulse.com
Check one of the URLs with the 403 error not going through WSS. Example: Use a host using a browser (Firefox): https://r2---sn-qxo7rn7e.googlevideo.com
If you receive a 404, examine the certificate details by navigating to Extensions> Certificate Subject Alt Name. Check the list and verify categorization: sitereview.bluecoat.com. Example: drive.google.com is categorized as storage, it will block these requests if they are blocked by your policy.
Note: WSS looks at the certificate subject alt names (SANs) and will evaluate them.

Example 1:

Example 2:

One possible solution:

Remove the block for "storage" and see if that resolves the YouTube page from not loading.
Go to your Portal.threatpulse.com and login
Solutions> Content Filtering> Policy. In the G2 rule and click on “Allowed Web Applications” and search for Youtube. Add it as an allowed web application and then activate the policy. This could fix policy to allow Youtube.

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