Comments on: How To Restrict Access to Websites with Privoxy [Part 2] http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/ Cool Websites, Software and Internet Tips Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Guy McDowell http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-413437 Guy McDowell Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:54:19 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-413437 Honestly, I'm not sure how to set up Firefox in a similar manner. Honestly, I’m not sure how to set up Firefox in a similar manner.

]]> By: Nishant http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-413196 Nishant Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:06:53 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-413196 Is this settings restricted to only IE or same is applicable in Firefox. Is this settings restricted to only IE or same is applicable in Firefox.

]]> By: remote access software http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-410718 remote access software Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:22:40 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-410718 A great topics,thanks for the simple illustration A great topics,thanks for the simple illustration

]]> By: Ron http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389853 Ron Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:45:38 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389853 FYI: I was just searching my HD for any other notes I might have had on Privoxy and found that it is included as part of OperaTor. Makes sense, limits access to their network of servers. FYI: I was just searching my HD for any other notes I might have had on Privoxy and found that it is included as part of OperaTor. Makes sense, limits access to their network of servers.

]]> By: Georges K. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389787 Georges K. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:04:04 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389787 Yeah, I think in your particular case it worked out well. make sure you check out http://k9webprotection.com, for small environments, it may work reasonably well, and has a web interface for managing access... though in the case where you'd only want a kiosk mode to give access to only 1 or 2 websites, your method may be better using Privoxy. Yeah, I think in your particular case it worked out well.
make sure you check out http://k9webprotection.com, for small environments, it may work reasonably well, and has a web interface for managing access… though in the case where you’d only want a kiosk mode to give access to only 1 or 2 websites, your method may be better using Privoxy.

]]> By: Guy McDowell http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389786 Guy McDowell Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:50:51 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389786 In the real world case where I used it, the users were of the Admin and lower groups. It worked reasonably well. Normally, I wouldn't have used this approach at all. But what I had was about 50 users all connecting directly to the Internet via cellular cards (1x modems). We didn't have the funds to afford for our ISP to control access so this was the next best solution. It's definitely one big work-around. In the real world case where I used it, the users were of the Admin and lower groups. It worked reasonably well.

Normally, I wouldn’t have used this approach at all. But what I had was about 50 users all connecting directly to the Internet via cellular cards (1x modems). We didn’t have the funds to afford for our ISP to control access so this was the next best solution. It’s definitely one big work-around.

]]> By: Georges K. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389775 Georges K. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:04:02 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389775 you're right, I think in a situation like this though, IMHO, it becomes a management nightmare, especially if you're locking down registry with NTFS perms. Also, this will only be as good as the user privileges within their profile. So in order for the registry lock down to work, the user would have to be a power user or below, or, they will be able to somehow figure it out, depending on how smart they are :) That's mostly why I usually go for domain controlled methods (i.e GPO), as they cannot be easily circumvented by users no matter what they do ... (short of hacking your domain I guess... but at this point, I would imagine you would have much bigger problems than figuring out who was trying to visit greatpr0n.com :) Regarding your e-Book. I'd definitely read it, I'm always in or getting new ideas on doing things. As much as I am playing devil's advocate on this blog entry, it still remains my favorite type of blog entries to read :) ... so keep'em comin' guy! you’re right, I think in a situation like this though, IMHO, it becomes a management nightmare, especially if you’re locking down registry with NTFS perms. Also, this will only be as good as the user privileges within their profile. So in order for the registry lock down to work, the user would have to be a power user or below, or, they will be able to somehow figure it out, depending on how smart they are :)

That’s mostly why I usually go for domain controlled methods (i.e GPO), as they cannot be easily circumvented by users no matter what they do … (short of hacking your domain I guess… but at this point, I would imagine you would have much bigger problems than figuring out who was trying to visit greatpr0n.com :)

Regarding your e-Book. I’d definitely read it, I’m always in or getting new ideas on doing things.

As much as I am playing devil’s advocate on this blog entry, it still remains my favorite type of blog entries to read :) … so keep’em comin’ guy!

]]> By: Guy McDowell http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389772 Guy McDowell Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:26:22 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389772 Exactly, it is best for the home or small to medium sized business with the usual shoetstring IT budget. As far as the registry hacks go, you can go deeper if you wish and deny access to the registry or modifications to the registry after you have applied all the hacks you want. If you want to lock out other web browsers or USB based applications that could circumvent Privoxy, that can be done in the registry too. I'm thinking of doing an e-book that goes into far greater detail on how I prep a computer for a field user. Any interest in that? Let me know. Exactly, it is best for the home or small to medium sized business with the usual shoetstring IT budget.

As far as the registry hacks go, you can go deeper if you wish and deny access to the registry or modifications to the registry after you have applied all the hacks you want. If you want to lock out other web browsers or USB based applications that could circumvent Privoxy, that can be done in the registry too.

I’m thinking of doing an e-book that goes into far greater detail on how I prep a computer for a field user. Any interest in that? Let me know.

]]> By: Georges K. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/controlling-web-access-with-privoxy-part-two/#comment-389673 Georges K. Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:36:58 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=18881#comment-389673 I had never heard of Privoxy, sounds like a call solution for a home, or an SMB to control client access, for enterprises, I would think a more robust content filtering solution would be in order. Regarding the second part though, regarding locking down IE. IMHO, this is security by obscurity at best. Given someone who is more or less technically savvy, it's quite easy for them to get into the registry and revert this back. Ideally, this change would be best done through a GPO, in which case, it can't be overriden by the user. There is another piece of software that is similar to this, with a nicer interface, and doesn't require a manual proxy setting, made by Bluecoat (Enterprise web filtering), though they have a "Personal Use" version called <a href="http://k9webprotection.com" title="K9 Web Protection" rel="nofollow">K9 Web Protection</a>. I had never heard of Privoxy, sounds like a call solution for a home, or an SMB to control client access, for enterprises, I would think a more robust content filtering solution would be in order.

Regarding the second part though, regarding locking down IE. IMHO, this is security by obscurity at best. Given someone who is more or less technically savvy, it’s quite easy for them to get into the registry and revert this back. Ideally, this change would be best done through a GPO, in which case, it can’t be overriden by the user.

There is another piece of software that is similar to this, with a nicer interface, and doesn’t require a manual proxy setting, made by Bluecoat (Enterprise web filtering), though they have a “Personal Use” version called K9 Web Protection.

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