- Privoxy may be invoked with the following command-line
- options:
+ Privoxy may be invoked with the following command line options:
- --version (unix only)
- Print version info and exit.
+ --help Print brief usage info and exit.
- --help (unix only)
- Print a short usage info and exit.
+ --version
+ Print version info and exit.
- --no-daemon (unix only)
- Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become
- process group leader, don't detach from controlling
- tty, and do all logging there.
+ --no-daemon
+ Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become process
+ group leader, don't detach from controlling tty, and do all log-
+ ging there.
- --pidfilepidfile (unix only)
- On startup, write the process ID to pidfile. Delete
- the pidfile on exit. Failiure to create or delete
- the pidfile is non-fatal. If no --pidfile option is
- given, no PID file will be used.
+ --pidfilepidfile
+ On startup, write the process ID to pidfile. Delete the pidfile
+ on exit. Failure to create or delete the pidfile is non-fatal.
+ If no --pidfile option is given, no PID file will be used.
- --useruser[.group] (unix only)
- After (optionally) writing the PID file, assume the
- user ID of user and the GID of group, or, if the
- optional group was not given, the default group of
- user. Exit if the privileges are not sufficient to
- do so.
+ --useruser[.group]
+ After (optionally) writing the PID file, assume the user ID of
+ user and the GID of group, or, if the optional group was not
+ given, the default group of user. Exit if the privileges are not
+ sufficient to do so.
+ --chroot
+ Before changing to the user ID given in the --user option,
+ chroot to that user's home directory, i.e. make the kernel pre-
+ tend to the Privoxy process that the directory tree starts
+ there. If set up carefully, this can limit the impact of possi-
+ ble vulnerabilities in Privoxy to the files contained in that
+ hierarchy.
- If the configfile is not specified on the command line,
- Privoxy will look for a file named config in the current
- directory (except on Win32 where it will try config.txt).
-
+ --pre-chroot-nslookuphostname
+ Initialize the resolver library using hostname before
+ chroot'ing. On some systems this reduces the number of files
+ that must be copied into the chroot tree.
+ If the configfile is not specified on the command line, Privoxy
+ will look for a file named config in the current directory. If no con-
+ figfile is found, Privoxy will fail to start.
DESCRIPTION
- Privoxy is a web proxy with advanced filtering capabili
- ties for protecting privacy, filtering web page content,
- managing cookies, controlling access, and removing ads,
- banners, pop-ups and other obnoxious Internet junk.
- Privoxy has a very flexible configuration and can be cus
- tomized to suit individual needs and tastes. Privoxy has
- application for both stand-alone systems and multi-user
- Junkbuster was originally written by JunkBusters Corpora
- tion, and was released as free open-source software under
- the GNU GPL. Stefan Waldherr made many improvements, and
- started the SourceForge project to continue development.
-
+ Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities
+ for enhancing privacy, modifying web page data and HTTP headers, con-
+ trolling access, and removing ads and other obnoxious Internet junk.
+ Privoxy has a flexible configuration and can be customized to suit
-
INSTALLATION AND USE
- Browsers must be individually configured to use Privoxy as
- a HTTP proxy. The default setting is for localhost, on
- port 8118 (configurable in the main config file). To set
- the HTTP proxy in Netscape and Mozilla, go through: Edit;
- Preferences; Advanced; Proxies; ManualProxyConfigura
- tion; View.
-
- For Internet Explorer, go through: Tools; InternetProper
- ties; Connections; LANSettings.
-
- The Secure (SSL) Proxy should also be set to the same val
- ues, otherwise https: URLs will not be proxied.
+
INSTALLATION AND USAGE
+ Browsers can either be individually configured to use Privoxy as a HTTP
+ proxy (recommended), or Privoxy can be combined with a packet filter to
+ build an intercepting proxy (see config). The default setting is for
+ localhost, on port 8118 (configurable in the main config file). To
+ set the HTTP proxy in Firefox, go through: Tools; Options; General;
+ ConnectionSettings; ManualProxyConfiguration.
+
+ For Internet Explorer, go through: Tools; InternetProperties; Connec-
+ tions; LANSettings.
+
+ The Secure (SSL) Proxy should also be set to the same values, otherwise
+ https: URLs will not be proxied. Note: Privoxy can only proxy HTTP and
+ HTTPS traffic. Do not try it with FTP or other protocols. HTTPS
+ presents some limitations, and not all features will work with HTTPS
+ connections.
For other browsers, check the documentation.
-
CONFIGURATION
- Privoxy can be configured with the various configuration
- files. The default configuration files are: config,
- default.action, and default.filter. These are well com
- mented. On Unix and Unix-like systems, these are located
- in /etc/privoxy/ by default. On Windows, OS/2 and AmigaOS,
- these files are in the same directory as the Privoxy exe
- cutable.
-
- The name and number of configuration files has changed
- from previous versions, and is subject to change as devel
- opment progresses. In fact, the configuration itself is
- changed and much more sophisticated. See the user-manual
- for a brief explanation of all configuration options.
-
- The actions list (ad blocks, etc) can also be configured
- with your web browser at http://www.privoxy.org/config.
- Privoxy's configuration parameters can also be viewed at
- the same page. In addition, Privoxy can be toggled on/off.
- This is an internal page.
-
-
-
-
-
SAMPLE CONFIGURATION
- A brief example of what a default.action configuration
- might look like:
-
-
- # Define a few useful custom aliases for later use
- {{alias}}
- +no-cookies = +no-cookies-set +no-cookies-read
-
- # Do accept cookies
- -no-cookies = -no-cookies-set -no-cookies-read
-
- # Treat these blocked URLs as images.
- +imageblock = +block +image
-
- # Define page filters we want to use.
- myfilters = +filter{html-annoyances} +filter{js-annoyances}\
- +filter{no-popups} +filter{webbugs}
-
- ## Default Policies (actions) ############################
- { \
- -block \
- -downgrade \
- +fast-redirects \
- myfilters \
- +no-compression \
- +hide-forwarded \
- +hide-from{block} \
- +hide-referer{forge} \
- -hide-user-agent \
- -image \
- +image-blocker{blank} \
- +no-cookies-keep \
- -no-cookies-read \
- -no-cookies-set \
- +no-popups \
- -vanilla-wafer \
- -wafer \
- }
- /
-
- # Now set exceptions to the above defined policies #######
-
- # Sites where we want persistant cookies
- {-no-cookies -no-cookies-keep}
- .redhat.com
- .sun.com
- .yahoo.com
- .msdn.microsoft.com
-
- # This site requires cookies AND 'fast-redirects' on
- {-no-cookies -no-cookies-keep -fast-redirects}
- .nytimes.com
-
- # Add custom headers, and turn off filtering of page source
- {+add-header{X-Privacy: Yes please} #-add-header{*} \
- +add-header{X-User-Tracking: No thanks!} -filter}
- privacy.net
-
- .adforce.imgis.com
- .ad.preferences.com/image.*
- .ads.web.aol.com
- .ad-adex3.flycast.com
- .ad.doubleclick.net
- .ln.doubleclick.net
- .ad.de.doubleclick.net
- /.*/count\.cgi\?.*df=
- 194.221.183.22[1-7]
- a196.g.akamai.net/7/196/2670/000[12]/images.gmx.net/i4/images/.*/
-
- # Block any URLs that match these patterns
- {+block}
- /.*/(.*[-_.])?ads?[0-9]?(/|[-_.].*|\.(gif|jpe?g))
- /.*/(plain|live|rotate)[-_.]?ads?/
- /.*/(sponsor)s?[0-9]?/
- /.*/ad(server|stream|juggler)\.(cgi|pl|dll|exe)
- /.*/adbanners/
- /.*/adv((er)?ts?|ertis(ing|ements?))?/
- /.*/banners?/
- /.*/popupads/
- /.*/advert[0-9]+\.jpg
- /ad_images/
- /.*/ads/
- /images/.*/.*_anim\.gif
- /rotations/
- /.*(ms)?backoff(ice)?.*\.(gif|jpe?g)
- 195.63.104.*/(inbox|log|meld|folderlu|folderru|log(in|out)[lmr]u|)
- .images.nytimes.com
- .images.yahoo.com/adv/
- /.*cnnstore\.gif
-
-
-
- See the comments in the configuration files themselves, or
- the user-manual for explanations of the above syntax, and
- other Privoxy configuration options.
-
+ Privoxy can be configured with the various configuration files. The
+ default configuration files are: config, default.filter, default.action
+ and default.action. user.action should be used for locally defined
+ exceptions to the default rules in match-all.action and default.action,
+ and user.filter for locally defined filters. These are well commented.
+ On Unix and Unix-like systems, these are located in /etc/privoxy/ by
+ default.
+
+ Privoxy uses the concept of actions in order to manipulate the data
+ stream between the browser and remote sites. There are various actions
+ available with specific functions for such things as blocking web
+ sites, managing cookies, etc. These actions can be invoked individually
+ or combined, and used against individual URLs, or groups of URLs that
+ can be defined using wildcards and regular expressions. The result is
+ that the user has greatly enhanced control and freedom.
+
+ The actions list (ad blocks, etc) can also be configured with your web
+ browser at http://config.privoxy.org/ (assuming the configuration
+ allows it). Privoxy's configuration parameters can also be viewed at
+ the same page. In addition, Privoxy can be toggled on/off. This is an
+ internal page, and does not require Internet access.
+
+ See the UserManual for a detailed explanation of installation, general
+ usage, all configuration options, new features and notes on upgrading.
FILES
- /usr/sbin/privoxy
- /etc/privoxy/config
- /etc/privoxy/default.action
- /etc/privoxy/advanced.action
- /etc/privoxy/basic.action
- /etc/privoxy/intermediate.action
- /etc/privoxy/default.filter
- /etc/privoxy/trust
- /etc/privoxy/templates/*
- /var/log/privoxy/logfile
-
-
- mentation should be included in the local documentation
- directory, though is not complete at this time.
-
+ /usr/sbin/privoxy
+ /etc/privoxy/config
+ /etc/privoxy/match-all.action
+ /etc/privoxy/default.action
+ /etc/privoxy/user.action
+ /etc/privoxy/default.filter
+ detect them automatically.
-
SIGNALS
- Privoxy terminates on the SIGINT, SIGTERM and SIGABRT sig
- nals. Log rotation scripts may cause a re-opening of the
- logfile by sending a SIGHUP to Privoxy. Note that unlike
- other daemons, Privoxy does not need to be made aware of
- config file changes by SIGHUP -- it will detect them auto
- matically.
+
NOTES
+ This is a UNRELEASED version of Privoxy. Not all features are well
+ tested.
+ Please see the UserManual on how to contact the developers, for fea-
+ ture requests, reporting problems, and other questions.
-
NOTES
- This is a BETA version of Privoxy. Not all features are
- well tested.
+
SEE ALSO
+ Other references and sites of interest to Privoxy users:
- Please see the user-maual on how to contact the developers
- for feature requests, reporting problems, and other ques
- tions.
+ http://www.privoxy.org/, the Privoxy Home page.
+ http://www.privoxy.org/faq/, the Privoxy FAQ.
-
-
BUGS
- Probably. Please see the user-manual for how and where to
- report bugs.
+ http://www.privoxy.org/developer-manual/, the Privoxy developer manual.
+ https://sourceforge.net/projects/ijbswa/, the Project Page for Privoxy
+ on SourceForge.
+ http://config.privoxy.org/, the web-based user interface. Privoxy must
+ be running for this to work. Shortcut: http://p.p/
-
-
SEE ALSO
- http://www.privoxy.org/
- http://config.privoxy.org/
- http://www.privoxy.org/faq/
- http://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/
- http://www.privoxy.org/developer-manual/
- http://sourceforge.net/projects/ijbswa (Privoxy Project
- Page)
- http://www.waldherr.org/junkbuster/
- http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/cookies.html
- http://privacy.net/analyze/
- http://www.squid-cache.org/
- http://linuxalpha.ch/steudten/software/
-
+ https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=11118&atid=460288, to submit
+ ``misses'' and other configuration related suggestions to the develop-
+ ers.
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
- Stefan Waldherr
- Andreas Oesterhelt
- Jon Foster
- Markus Breitenbach
- Thomas Steudten
- David Schmidt
- Haroon Rafique
- Joerg Strohmayer
- Shamim Mohamed
- John Venvertloh
- Hal Burgiss
- Rodrigo Barbosa
- Gábor Lipták
+ Fabian Keil, lead developer
+ David Schmidt, developer
+ Hal Burgiss
+ Mark Miller
+ Gerry Murphy
+ Lee Rian
+ Roland Rosenfeld
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
- This program is free software; you can redistribute it
- and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public
- License as published by the Free Software Foundation;
- either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any
- later version.
-
- This program is distributed in the hope that it will be
- useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied
- warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
- PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more
- details.
-
- You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public
- License along with this program; if not, write to the Free
- Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330,
- Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
-
- Internet Junkbuster Proxy is a trademark of Junkbusters
- Corporation.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
+ COPYRIGHT
+ Copyright (C) 2001-2011 by Privoxy Developers <ijbswa-develop-
+ ers@lists.sourceforge.net>
+
+ Some source code is based on code Copyright (C) 1997 by Anonymous
+ Coders and Junkbusters, Inc. and licensed under the GNUGeneralPublic
+ License.
+
+ LICENSE
+ Privoxy is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ under the terms of the GNUGeneralPublicLicense, version 2, as pub-
+ lished by the Free Software Foundation.