How to Restrict Knowledge Base from Search for Group but Allow Access via Direct Link in ServiceNow

[MuhammadM]

Question:

Hi everyone,

I am working on a Knowledge Base (KB) in ServiceNow and have a specific use case I need help with. I have a Knowledge Base named "Zones" that should not be searchable by a specific group of users from the Knowledge Management Portal. However, I still want these users to be able to access the articles within the "Zones" KB via a direct link.

Currently, I am able to restrict access to the Knowledge Base using roles or by marking it inactive, but this also prevents users from accessing the articles even via direct links. My goal is to make the "Zones" KB unsearchable, but allow certain users (who cannot search the KB) to view articles if they have the direct URL.

Key Requirements:

1. Prevent specific users (or groups) from searching the Knowledge Base via the Knowledge Management Portal.
2. Allow these users to access the articles through a direct link to the KB article.
3. Ensure that admins can still search and view all articles in the "Zones" Knowledge Base.

I've tried implementing access control rules and business rules to handle search restrictions, but I haven't been able to achieve the desired functionality. Any advice or best practices on how to implement this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[MuhammadM]

But user will also read this article through link if I create a user criterion in cannot read section.