How to block proxy servers

Typically, proxy servers are used to access blocked sites or browse the Internet anonymously. Unfortunately, such servers can threaten your computer's security due to viruses that spread over unsecured networks. To block proxy servers, update security features and block related services.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Windows 10

Step 1. Open an Explorer window

To do this, on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, click on the folder-shaped icon; this icon is called Explorer. File Explorer is a program that displays the folders and files that you work with frequently. When you click the "File Explorer" button, a new window will open on the screen. The left side panel displays folders and drives connected to your computer.

Step 2. Click "This PC"

A window will open displaying custom folders, such as My Documents, and connected external (flash drives) and internal (hard drives) devices.

Step 3. Click on Local Disk (C:) ". This disk is located in the "Devices and Disks" section; system folders are stored on it.

Step 4. Click on the Windows folder

• Scroll down.
• Double click on the "Windows" folder.

Step 5. Open the "System32" folder

This folder contains files that ensure the stable operation of Windows and all programs.

Step 6. Open the "Drivers" folder

It contains files that allow programs to access data.

Step 7. Open the "etc" folder

It stores system configuration files. Double click on this folder to open it.

Step 8. Edit the "hosts" file

This is necessary to create a blacklist of blocked web addresses.

• Right click on "hosts".
• In the menu that opens, click "Open with" (or "Open with another program").
• A new menu "How do you want to open this file?" Will open.
• Select "Notepad".

Step 9. Go to the very end of the text file

There you will enter web addresses.

To move to a new line, click at the very end of the document and press the Enter button twice

Step 10. Enter "127.0.0.1" and then press the "Tab" key

The address 127.0.0.1 refers to the local IP address of your computer. Any website that tries to load on your computer gets partial access through this address.

You can also press the space bar once instead of pressing the Tab key

Step 11. Enter the address of the site you want to block

For example, if you want to block Yahoo, enter www.yahoo.com.

We recommend that you enter different ways of writing the site address, for example, yahoo.com and m.yahoo.com

Step 12. Save your changes

Save the file for the lock to take effect. To save a file:

• Click "File".
• Click on "Save" in the dropdown menu.

Step 13. Make sure the website is blocked

Make sure that the entered addresses are indeed blocked.

• Launch your web browser.
• In the address bar of your browser, enter the website address that you specified in the hosts file. Enter the address exactly as it appears in the hosts file.

Step 14. Done

If the site is blocked, the "Unable to connect" page (or similar) will open.

• If the site is open, copy its address in the address bar of your browser and paste the address into the "hosts" file.
• Save the hosts file after making any changes.
• If your computer is running a web server, you may be connecting to that server instead of seeing the "Unable to Connect" page.

Method 2 of 4: macOS

Step 1. Open Finder

In Finder, you can access custom files; by default, the Finder will open the Documents folder.

Step 2. Open the Utilities folder

Click Applications in the left sidebar, scroll down and click on the Utilities folder - it contains important system applications such as Keychain Access and Disk Utility.

Step 3. Double click on "Terminal"

Terminal is a command line application.

Step 4. Access the hosts file

• In terminal enter sudo nano / etc / hosts
• Press Enter.

Step 5. Enter the administrator password

You will be prompted for the administrator password that is used to access the computer. Enter your password and then press Enter.

Open the "hosts" file. When you press "Enter", a window will open with the contents of the "hosts" file. This file contains rules for connecting sites to a computer and rules for saving data

Step 6. Go to the very end of the text file

There will already be some text in the file - do not delete or modify it. There should be some space under the text to enter new text.

If there is no space, click at the end of the last line of text and press Enter to move to a new (empty) line

Step 7. Enter "127.0.0.1" and press the spacebar

127.0.0.1 is the local IP address of your computer, which is used by websites to access computer files and save data.

Step 8. Enter the address of the site you want to block

For example, if you want to block Bing, enter www.bing.com.

We recommend that you enter different ways of writing the site address, for example, bing.com or m.bing.com

Step 9. Press Control-O to open the Save window

Since the "hosts" file is open in a special window, it cannot be saved as usual.

If you see “-original” at the end of the file name, remove it

Step 10. Press "Enter" to close the dialog box

You can also click "Save".

Step 11. Close the text editor

To do this, click on the red circle in the upper left corner of the window. You will be returned to the terminal window.

Step 12. Enter the sudo dscacheutil -flushcache command

Do this in a terminal window.

Step 13. Press Enter

Your changes will take effect and the special text editor will be closed.

Step 14. Done

Check if the sites you have blocked open. If they do not open, the computer successfully blocks them.

Method 3 of 4: Control Panel

Step 1. Open the control panel

• Open the Start menu at the bottom of the screen.
• Click on the Control Panel shortcut.
• In Windows 10, type "control panel" in the start menu search bar.

Step 2. Double click on "Internet Options"

Do this in the Control Panel window. A new dialog box will open.

In Windows 10, type "Internet Options" in the search bar in the upper right corner of the Control Panel window

Step 3. Click on the "Contents" tab

Do this in a new dialog box.

Step 4. Turn on the "Access Restriction" function

It allows you to control content based on ratings, descriptions and exclusions.

• Scroll through the categories under Select a Category to View Grade Levels.
• Find the slider that you can use to set an acceptable blocking level for each category. If the slider is all the way to the left, all content associated with the category is allowed; if the slider is in the extreme right position, all content associated with the category is blocked.

Step 5. Create a password

If this is the first time you enable Access Restriction, you will be prompted to create a password so that no one can change your settings.

• Enter your password twice to confirm it.
• Click Apply.
• If you have already used Access Restriction, enter the password you created the first time.
• Enter the password for the Access Restriction function twice.

Step 6. Click on the "Allowed Sites" tab

On this tab, you can create a whitelist of sites (these are sites that will not be blocked).

• Click on "Settings".
• Enter password.
• Click on the Allowed Sites tab.

Step 7. Save the settings and close the dialog box

To do this, click "OK". The changes you make will take effect.

Step 8. Close the "Properties

Internet". To do this, click "OK" again.

Step 9. Done

Try opening multiple sites to see how the categories you have configured are being blocked.

Method 4 of 4: Chrome

Step 1. Install the Block Site extension

Extensions provide access to additional features that are not available in the standard version of Chrome. Block Site is an extension that blocks websites.

• Click "Install" in the upper right corner of the page.
• The "Install Block Site?" Window will open.
• Click Install Extension.
• The extension will appear in the download bar at the bottom of the screen.
• When the extension is loaded, a dialog box appears informing you that the Block Site extension has been added to Chrome.

Step 2. Right click to block sites

Certain sites can be blocked manually.

• Right click anywhere on the website.
• In the drop-down menu, hover the pointer over “Block site”.
• Click “Add current site to blacklist” from the submenu.

Step 3. Create your own blacklist

• Right-click anywhere in the browser window.
• In the drop-down menu, hover the pointer over “Block site”.
• Click "Options" in the submenu.
• Chrome will open a new tab with the Block Site extension settings.
• On the left sidebar, click "Block words".
• Turn on "Custom list".
• In the text box, enter the word you want to block.
• Click “Add word” next to the text box.

Step 4. Done

In Chrome, try visiting a site that you have blocked or that contains a keyword that you have blocked.

Advice

• Blocking keywords or phrases is often more effective than blocking the proxy server itself.
• Sometimes, a safe site can be blocked due to a keyword. Watch this and unblock such sites.
• Be careful when uninstalling proxy blocking applications. If you uninstall such an application, the proxy settings of the mobile device will be reset to their default values.

Warnings

• Always install security software; also make sure it is installed correctly.
• While blocking proxy servers can prevent network attacks on your computer, be sure to keep your network secure. Constant vigilance and an experienced system administrator are the foundations of a secure network.
• Proxies are not the only, but the most popular, way to bypass network filters.