Enabling web filtering by authenticated group membership, role, or user identity is provided by embedding a uniform resource identifier into an electronic document requested by a client. A client browser will provide directory credentials to a trusted web filter apparatus enabling a policy controlled access to resources external to the trusted network. An apparatus comprises circuits for transmitting a uniform resource identifier to a client, receiving a request comprising authentication credentials, querying a policy database and determining a customized policy for access to an externally sourced electronic document or application. A computer-implemented technique to simplify web filter administrator tasks by removing a need to set each browsers settings or install additional software on each user terminal.