{"id":343,"date":"2021-08-31T13:18:43","date_gmt":"2021-08-31T13:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.practicallynetworked.com\/?page_id=343"},"modified":"2021-10-05T17:00:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T17:00:05","slug":"securing-a-proxy-server","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.practicallynetworked.com\/securing-a-proxy-server\/","title":{"rendered":"Securing a Proxy Server"},"content":{"rendered":"

6. If you are running a Proxy server<\/b><\/span>
\nA proxy server is one method for sharing your Internet connection.\u00a0 The pros and cons of this method are described\u00a0here<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0 There are many different vendors of proxy software, but perhaps the most well-known is Qbik’s\u00a0WinGate<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 2.x versions of WinGate are infamous for the security problems that they can cause. \u00a0 The problem is not that the program is bad, but that it is easily misconfigured.<\/p>\n

The 3.x versions of WinGate use a different technology that makes them function more like a NAT-based router, and can be more secure than the 2.x versions. The 3.x\u00a0Home<\/em>\u00a0version uses only the newer NAT-like method, and can’t be misconfigured.\u00a0 But the 3.x\u00a0Standard<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Pro<\/em>\u00a0versions allow the user to also use the older, pure proxy-based method, that can be misconfigured like the 2.x version.<\/p>\n

The following “how-to” information applies to primarily to\u00a0<\/a>WinGate\u00a02.x,\u00a0 3.x\u00a0Standard<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Pro<\/em>\u00a0versions.\u00a0 But the precautions are applicable to any proxy server that requires that you set your Internet applications (web browser, email, etc.) to use a proxy, and should work for the newer 4.x and 5.x versions of WinGate:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Don’t enable any more proxy services than necessary<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Control from where your network services may be accessed.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Shut off the proxy server if you’re not using it.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. Set up your logs and review them periodically.<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    <\/a>
    \nPoint 1: Don’t enable any more proxy services than necessary<\/b><\/span>
    \nWeb browsing requires only an HTTP or WWW service.\u00a0 Once you have an HTTP service successfully running, you can use the\u00a0    WinGate help files<\/b><\/a>\u00a0to enable more services.\u00a0\u00a0 Unless you have fairly sophisticated needs you probably won’t need to enable anything beyond the following services (in addition to the HTTP\/WWW service you’ve already enabled):<\/p>\n