Privoxy

Privoxy is a filtering proxy for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), often used in combination with Tor and Squid. Privoxy is a web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities for protecting privacy, filtering web content, managing HTTP cookies, controlling access, removal of advertising, pop-ups, etc. It supports both stand-alone systems and networks with multiple users.

Privoxy is programmed in C and released as free software under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License ( GPL). It runs under Windows (32 -bit), AmigaOS, BeOS, OS / 2 and most Unix derivatives (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenWrt, ...). Mac OS X is no longer supported by Privoxy, but can be installed through MacPorts or translated directly from the sources. The name was of English " privacy enhancing proxy " ( " privacy -improving proxy " ) is derived.

Functionality

It examines the outgoing HTTP traffic on Views unwanted content and information that reveals, for example, the browser on his system and render the user traceable and identifiable, as referrer, Browser-/Systemkennungen, information about configurations, etc. Views of advertising banners or web beacons are not even sent, which increases the surfing speed and traffic saving. Incoming HTTP traffic is analyzed for undesirable content, which can then be filtered. To detect unwanted content sources and addresses are examined for typical features such as typical image sizes, Origin of relevant known addresses or uniquely named folders. Dangerous, " curious " or disturbing script to be circumcised.

Privoxy is fully configurable via configuration files; any action can and will be shut down. The configuration is done via a built-in utility that uses a web browser as a user interface, or via any text editor.

History

Privoxy is based on Internet Junkbuster, who learned his last official release in 1998 ( version 2.0.2). Until 2000 ( version 2.0.2-10 ) organized Stefan Waldherr improved versions, found their way into numerous improvements from the user community. Later, after a thorough review of the code base from Privoxy to hit in August 2002, its first stable release (3.0). The latest stable version is 3.0.21 and was released on March 9, 2013.

In addition to the Privoxy web Junkbusters also Galactica Proxy Surf the data has been developed from the code, visualized in real time. Furthermore, the Junkbuster served partly as a model for WWWOFFLE.