open-source non-caching web proxy - Privoxy

Source: Dev.to

Overview

Privoxy is a free, open‑source, non‑caching web proxy that filters HTTP/HTTPS traffic at the application layer. It boosts privacy, removes ads, manages cookies, and lets you apply custom rules for content control.

Key features

• Ad & tracker blocking – filters banners, pop‑ups, web bugs, and common ad URLs.
• Cookie & header management – strips tracking cookies, can spoof the User‑Agent, and hide the Referer header.
• Proxy chaining – forwards traffic to Tor or any SOCKS proxy for added anonymity.
• Access controls – IP‑based restrictions and a stealth mode for secure deployments.
• Cross‑platform – runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. Official site: .

Installation

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install privoxy -y
sudo systemctl start privoxy
sudo systemctl enable privoxy

Windows

1. Download the installer from the official site.
2. Run the installer as Administrator.
3. Install the service manually (if needed):

privoxy.exe --install

4. The configuration file is located at C:\Program Files\Privoxy\config.txt.

Configuration

• Main config file

  • Linux: /etc/privoxy/config
  • Windows: C:\Program Files\Privoxy\config.txt

• Typical settings

# Listen on localhost (default)
listen-address 127.0.0.1:8118

# To allow other hosts on the LAN
# listen-address 0.0.0.0:8118
# permit-access 192.168.1.0/24

# Load action files
actionsfile default.action
actionsfile user.action

# Logging
debug 1
logfile logfile

• Reloading the configuration

# Linux
sudo systemctl reload privoxy

# Windows (run in an elevated command prompt)
net stop privoxy
net start privoxy

Example Rules

Ad‑blocking rule (user.action)

{ +block{Ads} }
.* /ads/ /banner/ /doubleclick\.net/

Forward all traffic through Tor (Tor runs on 127.0.0.1:9050)

forward-socks5t / 127.0.0.1:9050 .
forward-socks5  / 127.0.0.1:9050 .

Using Privoxy

1. Set your browser’s proxy to 127.0.0.1:8118 for both HTTP and HTTPS.
2. Test the setup by visiting the status page: .

If you enabled listen-address 0.0.0.0:8118 and permit-access, devices on the same LAN can use the proxy by pointing to the host’s IP address and port 8118 (ensure your firewall permits the traffic).

Comparison with Other Proxies

• Squid – primarily a caching forward proxy; not focused on privacy filtering.
• Nginx – mainly a reverse proxy/load balancer; lacks built‑in content‑filtering capabilities.
• Privoxy – non‑caching, highly configurable filtering, ideal for privacy‑conscious users, parents, or low‑bandwidth environments.