Filtering home Internet access with Squid
Blacklists
Even if your kids keep to the times that they are allowed to surf the web, you will not want them accessing sites with pornographic or violent content.
To place websites off limits, you just need to add a couple of lines to your Squid configuration file (see Listing 7) then add entries with strings describing the web content you want to block to the /usr/share/squid/blacklist file (see Listing 8); regular expressions [4] are supported.
Finally, type /etc/init.d/squid reload to tell the proxy to parse the blacklist.
Listing 7
Place websites off limits
Listing 8
Block web content
Custom Blacklists
Of course, Squid will let you assign different blacklists to different users. For example, Simon is allowed to browse online auctions, whereas Tanja is still too young for such things. To set this up, just assign the blacklist in Listing 8 as /usr/share/squid/blacklist_tanja.
The example blocks pages that contain the prohibited text. To define more precise filters, you can use regular expressions, but don't rely blindly on the list; it makes far more sense to check at regular intervals to see whether it still has the desired effect. And remember that server and file names do change.
Whitelists
Another approach to filtering, and one that is far more strict, is to use whitelists. If you prefer to restrict Tanja's access to just one or a few sites, a whitelist is probably a good idea. Just add the lines in Listing 9 to your Squid configuration and create a whitelist to match. The syntax is similar to that of the blacklist; however, whitelisting can cause problems when a single website references content from many other locations.
To display the complete page, you would need to list these sites explicitly.
Listing 9
Adding a Whitelist
« Previous 1 2 3 4 Next »
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
New Steam Client Ups the Ante for Linux
The latest release from Steam has some pretty cool tricks up its sleeve.
-
Gnome OS Transitioning Toward a General-Purpose Distro
If you're looking for the perfectly vanilla take on the Gnome desktop, Gnome OS might be for you.
-
Fedora 41 Released with New Features
If you're a Fedora fan or just looking for a Linux distribution to help you migrate from Windows, Fedora 41 might be just the ticket.
-
AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10 Gives Power Users a Sneak Preview
If you're looking to kick the tires of AlmaLinux's upstream version, the developers have a purrfect solution.
-
Gnome 47.1 Released with a Few Fixes
The latest release of the Gnome desktop is all about fixing a few nagging issues and not about bringing new features into the mix.
-
System76 Unveils an Ampere-Powered Thelio Desktop
If you're looking for a new desktop system for developing autonomous driving and software-defined vehicle solutions. System76 has you covered.
-
VirtualBox 7.1.4 Includes Initial Support for Linux kernel 6.12
The latest version of VirtualBox has arrived and it not only adds initial support for kernel 6.12 but another feature that will make using the virtual machine tool much easier.
-
New Slimbook EVO with Raw AMD Ryzen Power
If you're looking for serious power in a 14" ultrabook that is powered by Linux, Slimbook has just the thing for you.
-
The Gnome Foundation Struggling to Stay Afloat
The foundation behind the Gnome desktop environment is having to go through some serious belt-tightening due to continued financial problems.
-
Thousands of Linux Servers Infected with Stealth Malware Since 2021
Perfctl is capable of remaining undetected, which makes it dangerous and hard to mitigate.