filterbak

Filterbak is a term used in information technology to refer to a backup copy of filter configuration data. It is not a standardized file type; rather, filterbak describes a naming convention used by various software applications to save a previous state of filter rules or settings. The backup is typically created when a user edits filters, when an application updates its configuration, or during routine maintenance.

Contexts where filter backups are common include email clients with spam or content filtering, firewall or network-security appliances, web content filters, and data processing pipelines that apply rule-based filtering. In these systems, a file or data object labeled with filterbak may accompany the active filter configuration and serve as a restore point.

Common formats for filterbak data vary by application. They can be plain text, JSON, XML, or a binary blob, with typical filenames such as filters.bak, filter.bak, or filters.json.bak. Users may see a dedicated restore option in the software or perform a manual replacement by renaming the backup to the active filename.

Best practices include keeping multiple versioned backups, storing them in a secure and accessible location, and verifying integrity before restoration. Be mindful of compatibility between backup and current filter syntax or software version. Protect backup files from unauthorized modification and use checksums or signing where available.

See also: backup, configuration file, .bak extension, filter rules.