A proxy filter, also known as a proxy server, is a machine or application that serves as a middleman between a client and a server. When a user accesses a server through a proxy, the server believes it is completing the requests of the proxy, not the actual user, so it shields the client from identification. Computer administrators that want to restrict access to certain sites within their computer networks often make extensive use of a proxy filter, but users that want to get around network restrictions also employ them. Other users of proxy filters include people that have limited access to the Internet or those who wish to access content from other regions.
Network administrators are often forced to place certain sites, like social networking sites and other online services that reduce workplace productivity, under restriction. They often do so by utilizing a proxy filter as a gateway between users of the corporate computer network and the outside world. The proxy server will have a list of keywords, domains and Internet protocol (IP) addresses that are disallowed so that any user that tries to access them is redirected to a warning page instead of the requested site. Some proxy servers have advanced filtering options that allow network administrators to block file types and similar sounding keywords as well.
Proxies act outside of the jurisdiction of web-filtering software; users can use proxies to access websites that would be otherwise restricted on the network. Many filtering solutions exclude proxy filter sites from their centralized list of restricted domains. The ones that include the websites that act as a proxy filter have to constantly update their restricted sites list to include the hundreds of proxy sites that are created every day on the Internet.
Corporate network administrators are not the only ones that use proxy filters to restrict users from accessing parts of the Internet. Some governments have been using the proxy filter concept for years to prevent their citizens from accessing parts of the Internet that they deem to be unpatriotic or contrary to official government ideology. Governments that resort to content blocking often employ far more sophisticated methods of web filtering than those used in commercial applications. There are equally sophisticated proxy filter solutions that can be used to enable citizens of such countries to access the Internet in its entirety.Firewalls are special software programs designed to keep intruders out of a network. These programs run on computer hardware and can be designed to keep out probing computer hackers. A personal firewall is one that is managed and controlled at the computer desktop level. It is typically included in most anti-virus software packages.
It is easy to configure a personal firewall. This software enables the filtering of inbound and outbound messages on a computer network. The firewall can disable specific ports on the computer system, which are often used by computer hackers as a method of infiltrating a network.The Windows? operating system is generally sold with personal firewall software included. If other firewall software is desired, the Windows? software should be disabled. It is not recommended to run two firewall software programs simultaneously because the protection may become unreliable.
There are many types of personal firewall software available. These include commercial products and free-for-download, open source products. When selecting firewall software, it is important to choose a product from a reliable security vendor. This will help to ensure the computer network does not become compromised. Personal firewall software should be easy to configure, install, and manage. Once the software is configured, it should remain in a monitoring mode at all times. The software should be set to default startup status to ensure the security is enabled each time the computer system is turned on. This will enable 24-hour protection on the computer network of the home or business.
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