Based on your feedback and the continuing development, updates of - default.action will be - made available from time to time on the files section of - our project page. -
3.1. What exactly is an "actions" file?If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release updates of - Privoxy or the actions file, subscribe - to our announce mailing list, ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net. -
The syntax and purpose of configuration files has remained the same - throughout the 3.x series. Although each release contains updated, - utilizes the concept of "improved" versions and it is recommended to use the newer - configuration files. -
But all configuration files have substantially - changed from the Junkbuster days, and early - versions of Privoxy 2.x. The old files, like - blocklist will not work at all. -
Refer to the " What's Newactions" - page for information on configuration changes that may occur from one release to another. -
Actions files - are where various actionsPrivoxy could take while processing a certain request, are configured. Typically, you would define a set of default actions - that apply to all URLs, then add exceptions to these defaults where needed. + that apply globally to all URLs, then add exceptions to these defaults where needed. There is a wide array of actions available that give the user a high degree of control and flexibility on how to process each and every web page.
3.4. The 3.2. The "actions" concept confuses me. Please list
some of these "actions".. For a comprehensive discussion of the actions concept, please refer
to the in the user
- manualUser
+ Manual. It includes a Actions files are just text files in a special syntax and can be edited
with a text editor. But probably the easiest way is to access
@@ -279,26 +215,29 @@ TARGET="_top"
>View &
change the current configuration"3.5. How are actions files configured? What is the easiest
-way to do this?
3.3. How are actions files configured? What is the easiest
+way to do this?
As of Privoxy v2.9.15, three actions files
- are being included, to be used for
+> Three actions files
+ are being included by the developers, to be used for
different purposes: These are
Privoxy
- developers, user.action, where users are encouraged
- to make their private customizations, and standard.action,
- which is for internal Privoxy use only.
+>,
+ where users are encouraged to make their private customizations.
Please see Based on your feedback and the continuing development, updates of
+ default.action will be
+ made available from time to time on the files section of
+ our project page.
+ If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release updates of
+ Privoxy or the actions file, subscribe
+ to our announce mailing list, ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net.
+ 3.5. Where can I get updated Actions Files?
The syntax and purpose of configuration files has remained roughly the + same throughout the 3.x series, but backwards compatibility is not guaranteed. + Also each release contains updated, "improved" versions and it is + therefore strongly recommended to install the newer configuration files + and merge back your modifications. +
"Complicated" is in the eye of the beholder. Those that are + familiar with some of the underlying concepts, such as regular expression + syntax, take to it like a fish takes to water. Also, software that tries + hard to be "user friendly", often lacks sophistication and + flexibility. There is always that trade-off there between power vs. + easy-of-use. Furthermore, anyone is welcome to contribute ideas and + implementations to enhance Privoxy. +
The default configuration shouldn't impact the usability of any of these services. - It will, however, make all cookiesfragile } + # Gmail is ... mail.google.com3.8. What's the difference between the +>3.9. What's the difference between the "Cautious""Medium" and "Adventuresome" defaults?"Advanced" defaults?
Configuring "problem" sites are included, but in
general, the more aggressive your default settings are, the more exceptions
- you will have to make later. See the "Cautious" setting. This is safest and will have the fewest
+ problems. See the It should be noted that the "Adventuresome""Advanced" profile (formerly known
as the "Advanced" profile) is not only more
- aggressive, but also includes fun and, extreme usage of most of
+>"Adventuresome" profile) is more
+ aggressive, and will make use of some of
Privoxy's features. Use at your own risk!
It may seem strange that regular users can edit the config files with their browsers, although the whole "privoxy", - it can update the config files. + it can update its own config files.
If you run Privoxy for multiple untrusted users (e.g. in - a LAN), you will probably want to turn the web-based editor and remote toggle - features off by setting "off" by setting ".
Note that in the default configuration, only local users (i.e. those on - "localhost") can connect to As of Privoxy, - so this is not (normally) a security problem. +> 3.0.7 these options are disabled by default.
There are a number of pre-defined filters to deal with common annoyances. The filters are only defined here, to invoke them, you need to use the filter action in one of the actions files. Filtering is automatically - disabled for inappropriate MIME types.
in one of the actions files. Content filtering is automatically + disabled for inappropriate MIME types, but if you now better than Privoxy + what should or should not be filtered you can filter any content you like.Filters should + not be confused with blocks, which + is a completely different action, and is more typically used to block ads and + unwanted sites.
If you are familiar with regular expressions, and HTML, you can look at the provided config is a new feature as of v. 3.0.4.
is a new feature as of v. 3.0.5.There is no GUI editor option for this part of the configuration, but you can disable/enable the various pre-defined filters of the included @@ -699,6 +741,19 @@ CLASS="FILENAME" HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/show-status" TARGET="_top" >web-based actions file editor. + Note that the custom actions editor must be explicitly enabled in + the main config file (see enable-edit-actions).
If you intend to develop your own filters, you might want to have a look at + Privoxy-Filter-Test.
By default, The replacement for blocked images can be controlled with the . This can be done by editing the
default.action file, or trough the user.action file, or through the web-based actions file editor Remember that telling which image is an ad and which
isn't, is mostly guesswork. While we hope that the standard configuration
- is rather smart, it can and will make errors. The checkerboard image is visually
- decent, but it shows you that and where images were blocked, which can be very
+>, is an educated guess. While we hope that the standard configuration
+ is rather smart, it will make occasional mistakes. The checkerboard image is visually
+ decent, and it shows you where images have been blocked, which can be very
helpful in case some navigation aid or otherwise innocent image was
- erroneously blocked. Some people might also enjoy seeing how many banners
- they "see" what is happening. Some people might also enjoy seeing how
+ many banners they don't have to see..3.12. Instead of ads, now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see anything.
3.13. Instead of ads, now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see anything.3.13. Why would anybody want to see a checkerboard pattern?
3.14. Why would anybody want to see a checkerboard pattern?
This happens when the banners are not embedded in the HTML code of the page itself, but in separate HTML (sub)documents that are loaded into (i)frames @@ -940,18 +999,21 @@ CLASS="SECT2" CLASS="SECT2" >3.15. Can Privoxy run as a service -on Win2K/NT/XP?3.16. Can Privoxy run as a service +on Win2K/NT/XP?
Yes. Version 3.0.4 introduces full Yes. Version 3.0.5 introduces full Windows service
functionality. See the User Manual the User Manual for details on how to install and configure
3.16. How can I make Privoxy work with other
-proxies like Squid or Tor?3.17. How can I make Privoxy work with other
+proxies like Squid or Tor? This can be done and is often useful to combine the benefits of
3.17. Can I just set Privoxy to use port 80
-and thus avoid individual browser configuration?3.18. Can I just set Privoxy to use port 80
+and thus avoid individual browser configuration? No, its more complicated than that. This only works with special kinds
of proxies known as "transparent""intercepting"
The whole idea of Privoxy is to modify client requests + and server responses in all sorts of ways and therefore + it's not a transparent proxy as described in + RFC 2616.
However, some people say "transparent proxy" when they + mean "intercepting proxy". If you are one of them, + please read the next entry.
No, Privoxy currently does not have this ability, - though it may be added in a future release. Transparent proxies require - special handling of the request headers beyond what - can't intercept traffic itself, + but it can handle requests that where intercepted and redirected + with a packet filter (like Privoxy is now capable of.
PF or + iptables), as long as the Host + header is present. +Chaining As the Host header is required by HTTP/1.1 and as most + web sites rely on it anyway, this limitation shouldn't be a problem.
Please refer to your packet filter's documentation to learn how to + intercept and redirect traffic into Privoxy behind another proxy that has - this ability should work though. - See the forwarding chapter - in the User Manual. As - a transparent proxy to be used for chaining we recommend Transproxy - (. + Afterward you just have to configure Privoxy to + http://transproxy.sourceforge.net/).
accept + intercepted requests.Versions of Outlook Express uses Outlook prior to Office 2007, use + Internet Explorer - components to both render HTML, and fetch any HTTP requests that may be embedded in an HTML email. - So however you have components to both render HTML, + and fetch any HTTP requests that may be embedded in an HTML email. So however + you have Privoxy configured to work - with IE, this configuration should automatically be shared.
configured to work with IE, this + configuration should automatically be shared, at least with older version of + Internet Explorer.Starting with Office 2007, Microsoft is instead using the MS-Word rendering + engine with Outlook. It is unknown whether this can be configured to use a + proxy. +
The short answer is, you can't. 3.21. I sometimes notice cookies sneaking through. How?3.23. I sometimes notice cookies sneaking through. How? 3.22. Are all cookies bad? Why?3.24. Are all cookies bad? Why? No, in fact there are many beneficial uses of
3.23. How can I allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?3.25. How can I allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites? There are several actions that relate to cookies. The default behavior is to
allow only "session cookies", which means the cookies only last
for the current browser session. This eliminates most kinds of abuse related
- to cookies. But there may be cases where we want cookies to last. To disable all cookie actions, so that cookies are allowed unrestricted,
both in and out, for Place the above in user.action. Note some of these may
+>. Note that some of these may
be off by default anyway, so this might be redundant, but there is no harm
being explicit in what you want to happen. 3.24. Can I have separate configurations for different users?3.26. Can I have separate configurations for different users? Each instance of Privoxy, each with
- a unique listen-address and configuration path, and then
+ a unique
+ listen-address
+ configuration setting, and configuration path, and then
each of these can have their own configurations. Think of it as per-port
configuration. 3.25. Can I set-up Privoxy as a whitelist of
+>3.27. Can I set-up Privoxy as a whitelist of
"good" sites? sites? Sure. There are a couple of things you can do for simple whitelisting.
+> Sure. There are a couple of things you can do for simple white-listing.
Here's one real easy one: This allows access to only those three sites.
A more interesting approach is Another approach is Privoxy's @@ -1364,9 +1479,9 @@ CLASS="QUOTE" >. See the User Manual TrustTrust documentation - documentation.
These are fairly simple approaches and are not completely foolproof. There are various other configuration options that should be disabled (described @@ -1378,6 +1493,246 @@ TARGET="_top" so that users can't modify their own configuration and easily circumvent the whitelist.
Ad blocking is achieved through a complex application of various Privoxy + actions. These + actions are deployed against simple images, banners, flash animations, + text pages, JavaScript, pop-ups and pop-unders, etc., so its not as simple as + just turning one or two actions off. The various actions that make up + Privoxy ad blocking are hard-coded into the default configuration files. It + has been assumed that everyone using Privoxy is interested in this + particular feature. +
If you want to do without this, there are several approaches you can take: + You can manually undo the many block rules in + default.action. Or even easier, just create your own + default.action file from scratch without the many ad + blocking rules, and corresponding exceptions. Or lastly, if you are not + concerned about the additional blocks that are done for privacy reasons, you + can very easily over-ride all blocking with the + following very simple rule in your user.action: +
# Unblock everybody, everywhere
+ { -block }
+ / # UN-Block *all* URLs |
+ Or even a more comprehensive reversing of various ad related actions:
# Unblock everybody, everywhere, and turn off appropriate filtering, etc
+ { -block \
+ -filter{banners-by-size} \
+ -filter{banners-by-link} \
+ allow-popups \
+ }
+ / # UN-Block *all* URLs and allow ads |
This last "action" in this compound statement, + allow-popups, is an alias that disables + various pop-up blocking features.
Privoxy "templates" are specialized text files utilized by + Privoxy for various purposes and can easily be modified using any text + editor. All the template pages are installed in a sub-directory appropriately + named: templates. Knowing something about HTML syntax + will of course be helpful.
Be forewarned that the default templates are subject to being overwritten + during upgrades. You can, however, create completely new templates, + place them in another directory and specify the alternate path in the main + config. For details, have a look at the templdir option.
There is more than one way to do it (although Perl is not involved).
Editing the BLOCKED template page (see above) may dissuade some users, but + this method is easily circumvented. Where you need this level of control, you + might want to build Privoxy from source, and disable various features that are + available as compile-time options. You should + configure the sources as follows:
./configure --disable-toggle --disable-editor --disable-force |
This will create an executable with hard-coded security features so that + Privoxy does not allow easy bypassing of blocked sites, or changing the + current configuration via any connected user's web browser.
Finally, all of these features can also be toggled on/off via options in + Privoxy's main config file which + means you don't have to recompile anything.