Work web filters...

Will · 06-11-2007, 14:15

Well I managed 4 months without any problems browsing BD - however this week they appear to have blocked it!

Facebook however isn't

?

Anyway, all I did was change the DNS servers on my local pc and hey presto I can browse. The rest of my work happens via a Citrix session to which I obviously have no access or control over settings. So fortunately my local pc without being logged onto Citrix gives me a route to the internet. Then I have to change my DNS servers back to the work ones so I can log onto my various systems - but once logged in (it's a persistent session) I can change the DNS back to my DNS servers.

How long will it take them to work it out and stop my browsing? Surely if they were blocking it via DNS lookups, if I'm using an external DNS and still have a route to the internet I shouldn't have any problems no? Obviously within my Citrix session it's an other issue, but why would I browse within Citrix?!

Do you give me another 4 months? Or is there not much more they can do?

Mark · 06-11-2007, 14:37

You sure it's not just your local DNS servers getting fubar'd with stale data?

PS - if you have access to change DNS servers then you probably have access to edit \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Shove the IP address in there. DNS servers be damned. Ha!

This does of course mean they can see you're browsing BD, but there are far easier ways to find this out anyway.

Will · 06-11-2007, 14:44

Nah it comes up with a webfilter error (not sure what software they use.) As soon as I put in my DNS server it works fine. I don't want to edit my host list (I did think of that) because obviously it's a pain in the arse and I don't particularly want them to see me coming online. Though I could set up a couple of batch files to change my dns servers easily enough.

So how else would they monitor my browsing activity? I suppose it's all IP based and they can just reverse DNS it?

Davey_Pitch · 06-11-2007, 15:06

Do you go through a work proxy at all? That's how I monitor the kids here, and no matter if they could change DNS or not, if they come through the proxy whatever they do I can watch it and see. Your work could well have something like that in place.

Will · 06-11-2007, 15:25

Possibly, what's the easiest way to tell? they don't mind occasional browsing but I think I'm the only one that logs onto forums so it's a bit obvious, hotmail and so on aren't an issue. It's not an overly important issue, but I just don't want them to bother me

Mark · 06-11-2007, 15:46

Knocked this up for you.

http://www.markvgray.com/header.php

Will · 06-11-2007, 17:30

Ohh cool - I'll try it tomorrow when I'm back at work!

Will · 07-11-2007, 06:42

Well from work I get:

Code:

You're not using a proxy, or the proxy isn't detectable.

Here's the rest of the information relating to your request:

Obviously it's not conclusive but it's a start! Woohoo it means I can be naughty!

Feek · 07-11-2007, 09:54

No it doesn't, Will. At the moment we bypass the proxy in here for our unofficial web browsing but we're about to add a monitoring system which sits on a hub plugged into our internet router. All internet traffic will go via that hub and as it's not a switch, all traffic will go down all ports so whether people have bypassed the proxy or not, their traffic will be monitored and logged.

Currently the proxy hole is known about by all in the department so it's not an issue but once we fix it and the monitoring goes in then we're all going to have to be careful.

So just because you're not going via a proxy, it doesn't mean you're not being watched or checked upon.

Will · 07-11-2007, 10:09

Well I'm only on here and ocuk, as well as bbc news and google searches it's not really in breach of any of the IT policies. Besides, I don't really care if they're watching, I just don't want the sites blocked!

Thanks for the info though Feek.

06-11-2007, 14:15	#1
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Work web filters... Well I managed 4 months without any problems browsing BD - however this week they appear to have blocked it! Facebook however isn't ? Anyway, all I did was change the DNS servers on my local pc and hey presto I can browse. The rest of my work happens via a Citrix session to which I obviously have no access or control over settings. So fortunately my local pc without being logged onto Citrix gives me a route to the internet. Then I have to change my DNS servers back to the work ones so I can log onto my various systems - but once logged in (it's a persistent session) I can change the DNS back to my DNS servers. How long will it take them to work it out and stop my browsing? Surely if they were blocking it via DNS lookups, if I'm using an external DNS and still have a route to the internet I shouldn't have any problems no? Obviously within my Citrix session it's an other issue, but why would I browse within Citrix?! Do you give me another 4 months? Or is there not much more they can do? __________________ *No No!*

06-11-2007, 14:44	#3
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Nah it comes up with a webfilter error (not sure what software they use.) As soon as I put in my DNS server it works fine. I don't want to edit my host list (I did think of that) because obviously it's a pain in the arse and I don't particularly want them to see me coming online. Though I could set up a couple of batch files to change my dns servers easily enough. So how else would they monitor my browsing activity? I suppose it's all IP based and they can just reverse DNS it? __________________ *No No!*

06-11-2007, 15:06	#4
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	Do you go through a work proxy at all? That's how I monitor the kids here, and no matter if they could change DNS or not, if they come through the proxy whatever they do I can watch it and see. Your work could well have something like that in place. __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

06-11-2007, 15:25	#5
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Possibly, what's the easiest way to tell? they don't mind occasional browsing but I think I'm the only one that logs onto forums so it's a bit obvious, hotmail and so on aren't an issue. It's not an overly important issue, but I just don't want them to bother me __________________ *No No!*

06-11-2007, 17:30	#7
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Ohh cool - I'll try it tomorrow when I'm back at work! __________________ *No No!*

06-11-2007, 14:37	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	You sure it's not just your local DNS servers getting fubar'd with stale data? PS - if you have access to change DNS servers then you probably have access to edit \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Shove the IP address in there. DNS servers be damned. Ha! This does of course mean they can see you're browsing BD, but there are far easier ways to find this out anyway.

06-11-2007, 15:46	#6
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Knocked this up for you. http://www.markvgray.com/header.php

07-11-2007, 06:42	#8
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Well from work I get: Code: You're not using a proxy, or the proxy isn't detectable. Here's the rest of the information relating to your request: Obviously it's not conclusive but it's a start! Woohoo it means I can be naughty! __________________ *No No!*

07-11-2007, 09:54	#9
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	No it doesn't, Will. At the moment we bypass the proxy in here for our unofficial web browsing but we're about to add a monitoring system which sits on a hub plugged into our internet router. All internet traffic will go via that hub and as it's not a switch, all traffic will go down all ports so whether people have bypassed the proxy or not, their traffic will be monitored and logged. Currently the proxy hole is known about by all in the department so it's not an issue but once we fix it and the monitoring goes in then we're all going to have to be careful. So just because you're not going via a proxy, it doesn't mean you're not being watched or checked upon. __________________

07-11-2007, 10:09	#10
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Well I'm only on here and ocuk, as well as bbc news and google searches it's not really in breach of any of the IT policies. Besides, I don't really care if they're watching, I just don't want the sites blocked! Thanks for the info though Feek. __________________ *No No!*