NotHereToPlayGames

Good News (for those that have expressed concerns). Proxomitron blocks MSFN's "keylogger" without any added filters. The "base config" (2019-01-26b1) already blocks the "keylogger" by default (I've only tested in Advanced Mode and not in Standard, Light, or Minimal Mode). Disregard. We will need to add a filter to break the "keylogger". The "base config" (2019-01-26b1) affects the "timer" but where the keylogger is in the duration of that timer may cause the keylogger to still work. My goal is to break it "completely". I don't see anything "nefarious" with that keylogger, but I do see it as a good example to demonstrate why I've used Proxomitron for 18 years and why I'm returning it to my web browser after ~2yrs away from it.

But the Dev Tools will display as present even when I block the font from being fetched -

Here is where uMatrix logs the incoming FontAwesome -

When NoScript, HOSTS file, uMatrix, UBO, you name it, blocks a font, it is still displayed in the .css element. So I still think you have something blocking FontAwesome from being "fetched". What extensions are you using?

Looks like I found something. I found three different Instagram "click here to follow" web pages that only contain a description but all three of those web pages are displaying "squares". I don't have an account so that's all the futher I can get. But all three use a font for emojis called Twemoji Mozilla. Which to me wreaks of a web master that only cares how Firefox renders the emojis, but I digress. Here's a github if interested in compiling Twemoji - https://github.com/twitter/twemoji Other than that, I'm not finding a way to "install" Twemoji on XP.

Sorry, I don't have an Instagram account. So hopefully somebody else may be able to offer assistance.

But I really really really prefer my Stylus view. No "face icons". Sorry, just a "pet peeve" of mine.

As far as that "shield" font, it's a font called "FontAwesome".

For the "sheild" in the corner of Dave-H's profile pic, you have to allow external fonts from msfn.org which I block by default in NoScript. But I also block any-and-all profile pics via Stylus so I was never aware of that "square".

We kind of need a test URL to see what's going on. I don't do Instagram so have zero reference on what it is "supposed" to look like.

Can your right-click on top of one of the emoji rectangles, select Inspect, and see what font family is being declared?

That usage is not my intended audience. I believe you will be better served with something else, unbeknownst to me what that actually is, but I'm sure it's out there.

I do think that Proxomitron will solve those "tactics". But that's also "cart before the horse" - I would prefer to start "simple" then work up to that sort of "tactic". I once ran a church forum and technology has changed drastically since then, our church forum software was quite limited on how it "banned" users. It would ban fairly wide IP Address Ranges so in order to ban various users, the net was cast too wide and it banned users that we did not intend to ban (ie, our own Youth Group Minister). We were able to use Proxomitron for the Youth Group Minister to regain access to the church forum.

You may find that you might be making the Instagram "block" more difficult than it might be. I say "might" because I've never in my entire life visited Instagram (or Facebook) -- BUT speaking from Proxomitron experience, I have used Proxomitron to access otherwise "blocked" web sites. So I do think Proxomitron will have a "way" to do what you want it to do -- although circumnavigating Instagram "blocks" is not my primary focus in creating a Proxomitron thread here at MSFN.

It can be configured to route through proxies, yes. It can also be configured to 'spoof' being routed through a proxy without actually routing through a proxy. It uses "lists" extensively but you have to create the lists manually, I don't recall any method where it "fetches IP lists from countries".

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In order for Proxomitron to function correctly, these settings need applied to extensions which would otherwise block javascript or css being injected by Proxomitron. I use NoScript and uMatrix as examples but other extensions with similar functions would require a similar setting. NoScript - (note that we trust http://local.ptron and https://local.ptron) - uMatrix -

This post for Mypal only - Next we need to resolve this Mozilla-based error - Follow these steps to generate and install a new SSL Certificate (I just accept the default entries for all dialogs) - Part 1 - Download and extract this file to the folder of your choice -- make-proxcert.zip Execute the proxcert-MakeCert.bat file contained within the extracted folder and follow the prompts (I just accept the default entries). This will create a new proxcert.pem file in the same folder as the proxcert-MakeCert.bat file that you just executed. EXIT Proxomitron if you have it running and then copy/paste/replace the new proxcert.pem file to the folder that contains Proxomitron.exe. Part 2 - Launch Proxomitron.exe with the new proxcert.pem file already in place and follow the below - I intentionally select Cancel here otherwise the config thinks that a Save/Exit/Relaunch is required when we do not need to do a Save/Exit/Relauch until after the next step - You should now have a proxcert_certonly.pem file in your Proxomitron directory. Part 3 - At this point I had to EXIT and Relaunch both Proxomitron and Mypal. You have done everything correctly if https://www.google.com/ now looks like this -

Next we need to configure our web browser to use Proxomitron. I will demonstrate this process using 360Chrome (v11) and Mypal (v27.9.4). The process is identical for newer browser versions and Chromium-based users should be able to follow the 360Chrome setup and Mozilla-based users should be able to follow the Mypal setup. There are several extensions/addons available to set your browser proxy but I prefer to just use the operating system's internet proxy settings - Please note that we intentionally use Port 8080 for both HTTP and HTTPS (our config file transfers HTTPS to port 443 on the backend but uses port 8080 on the frontend) - Operating System's Internet Proxy Setting (required for 360Chrome, optional for Mypal depending on which Connection Settings you prefer to use) - In 360Chrome - After this, 360Chrome is ready-to-go and you can skip the next post. You have done everything correctly if https://www.google.com/ now looks like this - In Mypal - After this, Mypal requires certificate issues to be resolved (next post). OR

Download link for the "base config" compiled in the previous post -->> Proxomitron - MSFN - 01-23-2022.zip Updated download (this is the "base config" PLUS the below list of updates/modifications) -->> Proxomitron - MSFN - 01-26-2022.zip ⇦ I suggest this as the best starting point. Extract to the folder of your choice. Launch via the Proxomitron.exe file - I place a link to Proxomitron.exe in my Windows Startup and also add to my desktop and Start Menu.

Okay, we now have to put everything together, so to speak. The next post offers the download, but this post explains in detail what that download is and how it was created. 1) Extract the downloaded ProxN45j.zip file to a folder of your choice. I extracted to "ProxN45j", renamed the folder to "Proxomitron", then placed the folder at "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". 2) In "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron", delete the original configuration files as these will be too old to use as a "base config" (Proxomitron is only as powerful as its "base config"). a) delete default.cfg a) delete default-backup.cfg a) delete FirstRun.txt a) delete Level 1.cfg a) delete Level 2.cfg a) delete Level 3.cfg a) delete Level 4.cfg a) delete Level 5.cfg a) delete Level 6.cfg 3) Rename/copy the downloaded zlib32.dll file to zlib.dll then copy/paste/replace the zlib.dll that exists in "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". The old zlib.dll was version 1.1.4.0. The new zlib.dll is version 1.2.8.1. 4) Extract the downloaded Proxo_OpenSSL_101Q_DLLs.zip to a folder of your choice. Copy only the libeay32.dll and ssleay32.dll files from the extracted folder (we will not be needing the openssl.exe file) and paste into "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron" (these two files will not already exist). 5) Extract the downloaded ProxomitronReborn_4605R.zip to a folder of your choice. Rename proxo.exe contained in the extracted folder to Proxomitron.exe then copy/paste/replace the Proxomitron.exe that exists in "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". The old Proxomitron.exe was version 4.5.0.0. The new Proxomitron.exe is version 4.6.0.5. 6) Extract the downloaded PtronGUI_4.6.0.5(h).zip to a folder of your choice. Execute the PtronGUI_4.6.0.5(h).exe file from the extracted folder. Follow the prompts and select the FOLDER that contains the Proxomitron.exe (version 4.6.0.5) that we copy/paste/replaced in Step 5 ("C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron") then continue to follow the prompts. This will create a proxo+ptronGUI.exe file alongside the Proxomitron.exe file in "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". At this point, I delete the Proxomitron.exe file that we created in Step 5 and rename proxo+ptronGUI.exe from Step 6 to Proxomitron.exe. 7) Extract the downloaded prox-config-sidki_2019-01-26b1.zip to a folder of your choice. Copy the three FOLDERS (html, Lists, and sidki-etc) contained within the extracted folder and paste into "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". Copy the sidki_2019-01-26b1-uNorm.ptron file contained within the extracted folder and paste into "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron". Rename the sidki_2019-01-26b1-uNorm.ptron file just pasted into "C:\Miscellaneous\Proxomitron" as default.cfg. Note that Proxomitron will load default.cfg by default when you launch Proxomitron. You can also use .bat files to launch Proxomitron and load config files not named default.cfg but I find it easiest to just load default.cfg then use the context menu on the systray icon to load config files not named default.cfg. At this point, this is the download that is provided in the next post.

These are the files to download (listed in the order that they are used in the next post which details how to create our config), do not execute anything yet, just download them. I have provided a download where all this work has already been done (two posts down), but I do prefer to detail the steps taken to get there. For users that prefer, you can skip this post and the following post. Please note that we use the "j" version of the original Proxomitron as opposed to the "m" version because the "m" version was hard-coded to fall-back (without any notification) to a "direct connection" if your assigned "remote proxy" fails to connect. ProxN45j.zip zlib32.dll Proxo_OpenSSL_101Q_DLLs.zip ProxomitronReborn_4605R.zip PtronGUI_4.6.0.5(h).zip prox-config-sidki_2019-01-26b1.zip

The first thing to remember about Proxomitron is that it can be as simple as you want it be or as complex as you want it be - its power is dependant upon its "config file". The "config file" can be intimidating but if you are familiar with a web browser's "Developer Tools" or "Inspect Element" than Proxomitron is basically only one step more advanced than what you are already familiar with. As previously mentioned, I have been a Proxomitron user since at least 2004 (that's my "joined date" at the forum dedicated to Proxomitron (my username on that forum is "ProxRocks")). The Proxomitron forum isn't as active as it used to be but there are still some very knowledgeable folks that drop by and with thread views in the thousands (ie, still a much valuable resource). The "config file" that I use is "based off of" a sidki3003 config file from 12-22-2011 and my last save was 1-28-2018 -- which basically tells me that's when I picked up Mypal and used Proxomitron strictly for Microsoft Excel Web Queries. The good news is that now there is a newer "base config" than the file I was originally using from 2011. We will be using this newer base config (1-26-2019) and starting brand new, from the ground up - don't let the "age" of the base config fool you, the power of Proxomitron is dependant on the "filters" we add to the "base config". May end up taking several days to compile this How-To Guide but we'll get there and I am confident that several users here will come to see Proxomitron as a new must-have in their arsenal.

Here I am going to document the steps it takes to configure a web browser to use Proxomitron as a web filter. I will then use the MSFN reply-box "keylogger" as an example of how Proxomitron can prevent/break that "keylogger" (I figure that is an example all users here will be able to relate to.) Proxomitron is extremely powerful - I have used it since 2004 at least but have been away from it for a couple of years (still use it for my weekly Microsoft Excel Web Queries). I used it exclusively as a web browser filter before migrating to Mypal roughly 3 years ago and then to 360Chrome roughly 1.5 years ago. I have decided that it is officially time to bring it back into the fold and I am confident that several folks here at MSFN will find it extremely useful. Proxomitron really is extremely powerful and also can be a bit "intimidating" at first because of how powerful it is - I am hoping this guide will remove all intimidation. Config download links provided in Post #5 -- Jump to Post #5