Information about Proxy Closedown
To all to me unknown users of www.auth-o-mat.com/tino/nph-ex.cgi Note that access to the proxy is legal, however it now is closed due to machine overload. I am sorry for this. The proxy you were using was designed only for my own and my friends use. It was not considered to be used by others, ever. Also note that the proxy is on a development machine which does extensive logging. That it is accessible through an official SSL certificate is by purpose.
Note that following information is not logged: Cookies, data transferred (this is pages downloaded or passwords send via POST).
Note that following information is logged: The URL retrieved with full PATH, referrers and IPs.
Logging is done for my internal purpose only. No information will be sold or handed to others by me.
I think, somebody found my Proxy URL, probably through some Referrer or whatever. I simply do not know how my URL was detected and who leaked it. I don't want to know, too. I think the "leak" was at worldpress.com. No, I do not complain about those who published the URL. It was probably done to counterfeit censorship. Therefor you have my sympathy!
However the result is an extraordinary load on the machine handling this Proxy. The machine was not designed to handle so many connection at a time, also I have to pay excessive traffic. No, that's all not your fault. I did not protect my script, so you are doing fine! (If you are puzzled: This is hacker ethic. I am no hacker myself, but the hacker culture has my sympathy.)
But, as you might agree, I have to take countermeasures to protect my server. I currently cannot move the proxy to another machine, as the SSL certificate used is bound to some services on this particular machine. So I have no option to put this proxy somewhere else right now.
Also I only own this one single official SSL certificate, so I cannot move the script to another machine with another cert. Also I am on holidays in a few days, so I have not enough time to find another workaround.
This means:
I had not have any option left than to close down the proxy. I am sorry for that! However this shows something to me:- There seems to be desperate demand for open SSL proxys on the Internet.
- The load on such machine will be higher than usual.
- Even simple solutions can help others.
- First I will look for a provider who is willing to support me in operating an open proxy. I think I already know two. However currently I don't have free capacities there.
- Also things are not as easy, as when others do things like fraud through such a proxy, the ISP must be prepared to know about the situation of this proxy. Also there must be a way to inform me in time at any time. This must be done to prevent me and the service from harm.
- This proxy will become officially available through HTTPS, TOR, I2P and a general proxy.
- There will be a strict and clear policy for access to the proxy by authorities. Note that I only operate servers in Germany, this means, only the German law enforcement will be allowed to get access to logging data, and for this a court order will be needed.
- This means for you: If you do no things which are considered illegal by German Law nobody can find out what you do through this proxy, except me, but I will not do, promised. However if you do something which is against German Law, you can be certain that I will help the authorities to track you down. This, too, is a promise.
If you are puzzled:
- Following is illegal here: Child porn, all types of fraud, ignorance of the holocaust, circumvention of copy protections.
- Following is allowed here: Access to porn if you are 18 years or older, access to copyrighted material as long as you do this for a private purpose and it's not copy protected.
- Following is given to you as a right by law in Germany, it is even recommended to do so: Free speech and expressing one's own mind, as long as you do not harm others with this directly. Criticism of politics, of the state and criticism of politicians (a democracy needs that to survive). Telling the truth even if some dislike that.
But I am not ready yet
I am not prepared to give this to you today. I cannot tell when I can manage to implement a public proxy. However I now have seen the demand and this means, I will try to help.
Why I am thinking about all this:
One important thing in this live, a lesson to tell all people, is: Those, who can do something must do something. Because if they don't, there is nobody left to do it.
-Tino, 2007-07-04, updated 2007-07-06
PS: Nobody forces me to tell you this all. However as I tell you that I am bound to it. By German Law.