CGIProxy

CGIProxy is a free, multiplatform and open source software project implemented in Perl as an anonymizing, filter-bypassing, and HTTP, HTTPS and FTP proxy. It’s a single CGI script that can be easily deployed on your web server.

It has been discovered that a CGI proxy is extremely useful when your own access is limited to a single server that can reach other servers, which are not accessible to you. When using CGIProxy, you will be able to reach those servers too.

Features at a glance

The software can run under mod_perl unchanged and includes text-only support (for saving bandwidth), basic ad filtering, selective script and cookie removal, access restriction by server, custom encoding of cookies and target URLs.

It can be used as an anonymous proxy, to provide VPN-like functionality where needed, or for other personal uses. While CGIProxy is extremely simple to install, it includes a wide variety of configuration options so you bend it to your needs.

The script is capable to running in four different modes, as a FastCGI script, as a CGI script, as a mod_perl script or with its own embedded secure HTTP server. More than 70 options are available for you to configure.

access restriction by server, custom encoding of target URLs and cookies, and more-- there are more than 70 options so far. It requires Perl 5.6.1 or later, but works better with a more recent version.

Supported operating systems

The CGIProxy script has been successfully tested with a wide range of GNU/Linux and UNIX-like operating systems, as well as with the Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows OSes. It is independent of a hardware architecture, so it can be used on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Perl 5.6.1 or later is required for CGIProxy to run on your server.

What is new in this release:

• Major sites are working again, and in all major browsers.
• Also, FastCGI support was fixed.

What is new in version 2.1.9:

• Added German, Italian, Javanese, and Sundanese message localization.
• Content Security Policy (CSP) 1.0 is now supported with Firefox and Chrome.
• Other browsers, and CSP 1.1, will be added when they support CSP.
• Added $ALERT_ON_CSP_VIOLATION option.
• Various bugs fixes and workarounds.

What is new in version 2.1.8:

• Added Chinese, French, and Indonesian message localization.
• The full Gmail now works through CGIProxy.
• YouTube once again works through CGIProxy.
• Can now use a SOCKS 5 proxy, such as Tor (recommended only on same server). Configured with $SOCKS_PROXY, $SOCKS_USERNAME, and $SOCKS_PASSWORD .
• Database initialization now works better.
• Can now use a remote database by setting the $DB_SERVER config variable.
• Many bugs fixed or worked around, and privacy holes closed.
• Now once again runs on Perl 5.6.1 (one statement in 2.1.7 required Perl 5.10.0).
• Shuffles HTTP request headers to better avoid detection.
• $ANONYMIZE_INSERTION now defaults to 1.

What is new in version 2.1.7:

• CGIProxy now has message localization: The user can choose an interface in Arabic, English, Farsi, Russian, or Turkish. If you would like support for other languages, please consider translating CGIProxy's messages-- see http://www.jmarshall.com/tools/cgiproxy/translate.html for full details.
• The full facebook site now works almost fully through CGIProxy, so it's no longer redirected to the mobile site by default. If it's slow for you or your users, see the comments and suggestions above where %REDIRECTS is set.
• Running under FastCGI now works on servers other than just nginx.
• Resuming partial downloads is now supported, with partial support of the Range: header.
• The JavaScript library (jslib) is now gzipped when possible, to save bandwidth. Should have done this a while ago.
• Fixed error with "-c" in usage message; sorry about that.
• Added support for Content-Security-Policy: header, though it's disabled until the header is better defined and browsers support it.
• Many bugs fixed, making many sites work better.

What is new in version 2.1.6:

• Now can run as a FastCGI script.
• Now can run without an external HTTP server, by using its own embedded secure HTTP server.
• Installation is easier, as Perl modules can be automatically installed (including under your home directory) by running "./nph-proxy.cgi install-modules" from the command line. See the $LOCAL_LIB_DIR config option, if you need to install the modules and you're not root.
• Windows support has improved.
• Documentation has been improved, especially for installation.
• Command-line usage is now documented; run "./nph-proxy.cgi -?" for usage.
• There are some new config options, mostly for FastCGI support, the embedded server, and database support.
• Some of the configuration section has been rearranged; most potentially needed config options are now near the top.
• Fixed a bug handling spaces in path when using proxy_encode().

What is new in version 2.1.5b:

• Added redirection for Gmail to %REDIRECTS ; redirects to HTML-only version.

What is new in version 2.1.5:

• Now optionally uses a server-side database to store cookies, which fixes "Bad Request" errors when user has too many cookies. Can use either MySQL or Oracle. Configure this with $DB_DRIVER, $DB_USER, $DB_PASS, and $USE_DB_FOR_COOKIES .
• Now supports a simple mechanism to automatically redirect pages that aren't handled well by CGIProxy. For example, www.facebook.com is redirected to m.facebook.com (mobile), until we can get www.facebook.com working better. This is configured with the %REDIRECTS hash.
• 17 bugs fixed, mostly in JavaScript support but some in Flash and HTML support too.

What is new in version 2.1.4:

• This version fixes a few bugs and closes a few privacy holes.
• Among other things, CAPTCHA now works better.

What is new in version 2.1.3:

• Flash support, including online video, was improved.
• There is no longer a delay before viewing a YouTube video.
• Some security/privacy holes were fixed, including improved support for the Same-Origin Policy.
• There were also other fixes and workarounds, making more pages work correctly.

Requirements:

• Perl

Limitations:

• Anonymity may not be perfect.
• A database must be used to store cookies.
• Does not follow the HTTP proxies specifications.
• Supports only HTTP, HTTPS and FTP protocols.