Re: OT: One for the computer gurus

iakobski <[email hidden]> wrote:

: At home, we once had a piece of spyware which was an advert for a
: popup-blocker. The problem was, it's method of proving how much you
: need a popup blocker was to spawn 15 popup windows containing content
: from pron websites. Not funny with children in the room.

The solution to this sort of stuff is

a) Use Firefox not IE
b) Install Adaware
c) Keep fully patched (not always possible unless you are on broadband though)

Spyware/viruses are a separate problem.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
Don't get me wrong, perl is an OK operating system, but it lacks a
lightweight scripting language -- Walter Dnes

On 25/4/05 10:22 am, in article
[email hidden], "iakobski"

Quoted message said:

It does depend on your users, though.

At home, we once had a piece of spyware which was an advert for a
popup-blocker. The problem was, it's method of proving how much you
need a popup blocker was to spawn 15 popup windows containing content
from pron websites. Not funny with children in the room.

So, despite the arguments about user education, trust, etc. I want to
avoid any of this accidentally happenning again. I wouldn't allow pron
to be posted through the door, why should I allow it to come in on a
wire?

My solution is to run a proxy server - Squid - plus a url filter -
SquidGuard - plus a nightly cron to download the latest blacklists. The
router blocks access from all machines bar the proxy server. Sometimes
a site I regard as acceptable is on the blacklist. It's easy to add
those to a list of overrides. I've been running like this for 2 years
now, 8 PCs 1 server, with no problems whatsoever. Richard, if you want
any hints on setting it up, I'll gladly assist.

I'd appreciate links to a tutorial. I'm running Squid on my firewall/
utility box (default with Mandrake) and some pointers would help.

...d

in message <[email hidden]>,

iakobski (') said:

It does depend on your users, though.

At home, we once had a piece of spyware which was an advert for a
popup-blocker. The problem was, it's method of proving how much you
need a popup blocker was to spawn 15 popup windows containing content
from pron websites. Not funny with children in the room.

So, despite the arguments about user education, trust, etc. I want to
avoid any of this accidentally happenning again. I wouldn't allow pron
to be posted through the door, why should I allow it to come in on a
wire?

My solution is to run a proxy server - Squid - plus a url filter -
SquidGuard - plus a nightly cron to download the latest blacklists.
The router blocks access from all machines bar the proxy server.
Sometimes a site I regard as acceptable is on the blacklist. It's easy
to add those to a list of overrides. I've been running like this for 2
years now, 8 PCs 1 server, with no problems whatsoever. Richard, if
you want any hints on setting it up, I'll gladly assist.

Yup, I set up a similar solution a few years ago for a company who were
running computer training for unemployed people. It was very easy to
set up and configure. Downloading of blacklists was automatic and once
set up the system required no further intervention.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Age equals angst multiplied by the speed of fright squared.
;; the Worlock

Simon Brooke said:

Yup, I set up a similar solution a few years ago for a company who were
running computer training for unemployed people. It was very easy to
set up and configure. Downloading of blacklists was automatic and once
set up the system required no further intervention.

I well remember in the early days of computers when they had an
exhibition at the Science Museum. To prevent kids typing in all sorts of
naughty words, they programmed it not to display a whole range of words.
Within a day of the exhibition opening some kid had hacked it and got
the forbidden word file scrolling up the display screen :-)

Tony

Yes, do all those, and recommend them to everyone around. I guess I
didn't mean spyware, I meant adware (sloppy).

I'm moving the kids over to Linux terminals (they are very keen,
especially as you can get MSN open source clone) and they tend to
prefer it over windows.

The info on http://www.squidguard.org/ is fairly old, but it works.

This is my auto update script (one day I'll add error checking :-) ):
#!/bin/sh
cd /usr/local/squidGuard/db
rm -f blacklists.tgz
wget http://squidguard.mesd.k12.or.us/blacklists.tgz
tar -xzf blacklists.tgz
/usr/local/squid/sbin/squid -k reconfigure
exit

Once you've got the config file right for your preferences, it will
automatically use the bits of the blacklists that are important to you.

On 26/4/05 11:04 am, in article
[email hidden], "iakobski"

Quoted message said:

The info on http://www.squidguard.org/ is fairly old, but it works.

This is my auto update script (one day I'll add error checking :-) ):
#!/bin/sh
cd /usr/local/squidGuard/db
rm -f blacklists.tgz
wget http://squidguard.mesd.k12.or.us/blacklists.tgz
tar -xzf blacklists.tgz
/usr/local/squid/sbin/squid -k reconfigure
exit

Once you've got the config file right for your preferences, it will
automatically use the bits of the blacklists that are important to you.

Many thanks.

Just done an 'urpmi squidguard' and will do the configuration shortly..

Done (I think).. I'll test it when I get home.

...d

David Martin said:

urpmi squidguard

West Country software?

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

On 26/4/05 12:11 pm, in article [email hidden],

Just zis Guy said:

David Martin said:

urpmi squidguard

West Country software?

Mandrake. Great for reviving those who have seen teh basilisk.

...d

In message <[email hidden]>, "Just zis Guy,
you know?" <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

David Martin said:

urpmi squidguard

West Country software?

LOL
--
Chris French, Leeds