Xfinity Network Proxy
Comcast is proxying all unencrypted content – DEV Community
Brian
Posted on
Nov 29, 2018
I originally posted this on the originally unsecure platform, facebook. I should edit this for grammar, but I just wanted to bang it out, because you know… job/work.
I cannot stand #comcast, no one that knows me finds this surprising, I’m forever ranting about them. The fact that Comcast is the only option for so many people is ridiculously sad. My job requires me to be on the internet constantly, I do a lot of security research and general research.
Today, I found the most horrific thing a security nerd can find. Comcast is FORCING all unencrypted traffic through Comcast proxy servers. I don’t have a choice, I wasn’t asked, or notified (I’m sure the TOS that’s 938429 pages long mentioned it). This enables Comcast to inject anything they want into your unencrypted web browsing.
If you want to see technical details about what these jackholes are doing, see here:
I tested a popular website, (a only website) with and without a VPN on, and the difference in HTML delivered was comcast HTML injection, which included 3rd party asset calls, analytics tracking, etc.
I want to protect my entire network (including all those people in my home) against this kind of absolutely unacceptable spying, however it gets fugly, because as cord cutters, we use streaming services, and Netflix and Hulu are NOT VPN friendly. These services actively block VPNs because viewers can appear to be in a different geological location (ODIN FORBID YOU NOT BEING AN AUTHORIZED AREA), so if I run my whole house through a VPN, then we won’t be able to use streaming services.
I’ve been considering deploying a local forced proxy for any port 80 traffic to be forced through a VPN connection at MY gateway and not comcast’s. Nearly every streaming service uses HTTPs, so this wouldn’t diddle with streaming services.
The point of this rant is to SHAME comcast, not that they care in the least about consumers. You may constantly see ads for VPNs as you browse online, and these are the reasons why, you absolutely CANNOT trust your local service provider when it hijacks your content and modifies it before it gets to you. Ask China what it’s like to have all your traffic monitored and modified before it gets to you. Comcast could potentially change anything before you have a chance to read the original version. If Comcast obtains a CA that browers accept, they would then be able to hijack your HTTPS connections, which is ABSOLUTELY concievable at this point.
Websites that use web application firewall services like Cloudflare are also subjected to this kind of risk. Cloudflare inspects all traffic to and from source servers, so it’s a single point that could modify, track, and potentially block content. If a BlackHat were to compromise Cloudflare, thousands of ecommerce businesses could be at risk of having traffic snooped. Same with Comcast, if (AND WHEN) they are compromised, they could modify YOUR traffic so that you’re seeing what someone else wants you to see.
Trust no one. Especially worthless corporations like Comcast.
Find Proxy Settings on Your Computer (for Local Testing parameters)
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You can find the proxy settings applicable to your machine and use them to set up Local Testing connections.
Introduction
A proxy server sits between your machine and your ISP. In most organizations, proxies are configured
by network admins to filter and/or monitor inbound and outbound web traffic from employee computers.
In this article, we’ll show you how to view proxy settings (if your computer is behind a proxy server).
You can then use the information to set up Local Testing connections with BrowserStack..
Find Proxy Settings in Windows
In most cases, browsers will use proxy settings that are set on the computer. However, each browser has a
settings page to configure proxy settings as well.
There are two ways to find proxy settings in Windows: via the Settings app (Windows 10 only) or via the
Control Panel.
Using the Settings App (Windows 10) to find proxy settings
Click on Start, then click on the gear icon (Settings) at the far left.
In the Windows Settings menu, click on Network & Internet.
In the left pane, click on Proxy.
Here you have all the settings that are related to setting up a proxy in Windows. It’s split into
two configurations: Automatic or Manual proxy setup.
Using the configuration details to set up Local Testing connection:
If “Use setup script“ is enabled, it means that you have configured PAC proxy on your system. You
can obtain the path to PAC file from the “Script Address“ section.
Note: To set up a Local Testing connection using the PAC file, you need to ensure that the PAC file is stored on your computer and path needs to an absolute path to that file.
If “Manual proxy setup” is enabled, you can simply obtain Proxy Host and Port from the “Address“
and “Port“ section.
For Local Testing to work correctly, you need to bypass the traffic for – – from your
proxy. You can do this by adding an entry in the Proxy Exception> text field in the
“Manual proxy setup” section.
Using Control Panel (all Windows versions) to find proxy settings
In any Windows version, you can find the proxy settings via the Control Panel on your computer.
Click on Start and open the Control Panel. Then click on
Internet Options.
In the Internet Options, go to Connections > LAN settings.
Here you have all the settings that are related to setting up a proxy in Windows. It’s basically
split into two configurations: either Automatic configuration or
Proxy Server setup.
If “Use automatic configuration script“ iis checked, it means that you have configured PAC proxy
in your system. You can obtain the path to PAC file from the “Script Address“ section.
If “Use a proxy server for your LAN” is checked, you can obtain Proxy Host and Port from the
“Address“ and “Port“ section.
proxy. You can do this by clicking the “Advanced“ button and adding an entry in the
“Do not use proxy server for addresses beginning with:“ text field.
Find Proxy Settings in OS X
On OS X, you have to view the proxy settings in System Preferences. This is where most browsers check automatically. However, each browser has a settings page to configure proxy settings as well.
Open System Preferences and click on Network.
On the left-hand side, click on an active network connection. Note that you can have different proxy settings for different network connections. Click on the Advanced button on the bottom right.
Click on the Proxies tab and you’ll see a list of proxy protocols you can configure.
If “Automatic Proxy Configuration“ is checked, it means that you have configured PAC proxy in your system. You can obtain the path to PAC file from the “Script Address“ section.
If “Web Proxy (HTTP)” or “Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)“ is checked, you can simply obtain Proxy Host, Port, Username, and Password.
For Local Testing to work correctly, you need to bypass the traffic for – – from your proxy. You can do this by adding an entry in the ”Bypass proxy settings for these Hosts & Domains” text field.
Connection duration and disconnection
In Linux, finding your proxy settings will depend on what distribution you are running. Mostly, the procedure would be similar for the various distributions.
On Ubuntu, open on System Settings from the launcher and scroll down to Hardware. Click on Network.
Click on Network Proxy, you can choose from Automatic or Manual.
If the “Automatic“ option is selected, it means that you have configured PAC proxy in your system. You can obtain the path to PAC file from the “Configuration URL“ section.
If the “Manual“ option is selected, you can simply obtain Proxy Host and Port from the appropriate section.
For Local Testing to work correctly, you need to bypass the traffic for – – from your proxy. You can do this by using the command-line interface as follows:
To change proxy exceptions, use ‘set’ option with ‘gsettings’ command as follows.
$ gsettings set ignore-hosts “[‘localhost’, ”, ‘::1’]”
If access to the above sections is restricted on your computer, you can seek help from your IT/Network Team to gather this information.
How to Set Up a Proxy Server on Your PC, Mac, or Web Browser – Avast
As for what a proxy server is, think of your proxy as a gateway between you and the internet. When you visit a website, the proxy server communicates with it on behalf of your browser. Then, when the website answers, the proxy forwards the data to you.
Proxy servers can do many jobs. These include scanning for viruses, acting as a firewall, speeding up your connection by caching, and hiding your public IP address.
You have lots of choices when it comes to internet privacy. There’s a lot to learn, such as understanding what a reverse proxy is or distinguishing between VPNs, proxies, and Tor. If you want dependable protection and encryption for your internet traffic, consider a VPN. Avast SecureLine VPN hides your data from snoopers and protects your online identity, and it’s also much easier to set up than a proxy server.
There’s no similar guarantee of protection with a proxy, especially if you’re using one of the many web-based proxies available online. These public proxy services may slow down your service, and even worse, they may be insecure. Instead, we suggest you learn how to set up a proxy server on Windows, MacOS, and the most popular web browsers.
If you’re configuring your browser to use a proxy operated by a company, school, or other similar organization, some of these instructions may require you to contact your IT staff. This is the case particularly when you are asked to manually enter a script name, formally called a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file. You may also need to type in the proxy’s IP and port numbers. In both cases, turn to your IT helpdesk if you haven’t been given this information. If you’re using a proxy that you’ve purchased or created on your own, you’ll already have these details.
How to set up a proxy server in Windows
Here’s how to set up your Windows PC to use a proxy server on Windows 8 or Windows 10:
Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to access the Windows Settings menu.
On Windows 10, click Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. On Windows 8, click Settings > Network Proxy.
Under the Manual Setup section, set the “Use a Proxy Server” toggle to On. Make sure the “Automatically detect settings” toggle is also on.
By default, Windows automatically checks to see if your business, school, or local network already has an automatic proxy server setup ready to run for you. If it does, Windows tells you its name, and encourages you to follow its instructions.
Assuming that Windows finds a PAC file, in the Automatic Proxy Setup, set the Use Setup Script switch to On.
Enter the script address and click Save.
Congratulations! You’re done and ready to proxy.
How to manually set up a proxy in Windows 8 or Windows 10
Not every organization sets up the process automatically. If you need to set up a proxy manually in Windows 8 or Windows 10, here’s how to do it.
To access the Windows Settings menu, press the Windows + I keys simultaneously.
On Windows 10, click Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. On Windows 8 systems, click Settings > Network Proxy.
Scroll down to “Manual proxy setup” and set the “Use a Proxy Server” switch to On.
In the address field, type the proxy server name or IP address. In the Port field, enter the proxy port number. You can get these from your IT support tech.
If the proxy server is protected by a password, select the “Proxy server requires password” checkbox. Enter your account name and password in the Username and Password fields.
Click Save.
That’s all there is to it. You’re now set up to use your proxy server on Windows. The next time you use the internet, you’ll be using the proxy server.
How to set up a proxy server on a Mac running macOS
Here’s how to set up a proxy server on a Mac running macOS 10. 15 Catalina. Other macOS versions use essentially the same commands.
Open System Preferences. One way to get there is to click on the Apple menu > System Preferences.
Choose the Network icon to adjust connectivity settings.
Select the type of network you use, which is usually Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Click Advanced > Proxies.
To automatically configure your proxy server settings, select Auto Proxy Discovery. Click on Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS). Type in the proxy server address and its port number in the fields on the right.
To use a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file, select Automatic Proxy Configuration and enter the proxy address into the URL field.
Click OK to save the proxy setup.
You’re now ready to surf the internet via your proxy.
How to set up a proxy in Google Chrome
By default, Chrome uses your macOS or Windows proxy. To change your proxy settings from within Chrome, take the following steps:
Open the Chrome toolbar and select Settings.
Scroll down to the bottom of the display. Click on Show advanced settings…
Scroll down to “System” and choose Open your computer’s proxy settings.
Next, go back to the instructions for your operating system listed above to set up your proxy server settings and follow them.
In short, to set up a proxy server in Google Chrome, you’re just doing the first few steps in the browser, and then completing the process in your machine’s operating system.
How to set up a proxy server in Safari
Like Chrome, Safari’s default setting is to follow the proxy configurations within your OS. Here’s how to change your proxy settings from within Safari:
Click on Safari in the browser toolbar. Choose Preferences.
Click on the Advanced tab. Under “Proxies, ” click Change settings…
Next, you must go back to the instructions for macOS listed above to set up your proxy server settings and follow them.
How to set up a proxy server in Edge
Edge is Windows 10’s built-in web browser, and unless you tell it otherwise, it’ll use your proxy configurations in Windows. The latest versions of Edge are based on Chrome, so the configuration is similar. The following steps show you how to set up a proxy from within Edge:
In Microsoft Edge, at the top-right corner, click the Menu button. Select Settings.
Scroll down to the Advanced settings section and click the View advanced settings icon.
Click the Open proxy settings button.
Next, go back to the instructions for Windows 10 listed above, then follow them to configure your proxy server settings.
How to set up a proxy server in Firefox
Unlike other web browsers, Firefox doesn’t default to using your system’s proxy settings. You’ll need to change your proxy from within Firefox:
Open the Firefox menu and select Options.
Click on the Advanced icon.
Select the Network tab.
In the Connection Settings, select, Auto-detect proxy configuration for this network. When prompted, enter the proxy address.
Alternatively, in the Connection Settings, you can select, Use system proxy settings. If you choose that option, Firefox uses the proxy settings in your operating system.
Click OK to save your settings.
How to set up a proxy server in Internet Explorer
Please keep in mind that Internet Explorer is an outdated web browser. Instead, switch to a browser that’s still receiving regular updates and support, such as Avast Secure Browser, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari. Though since quite a few people and companies still use Internet Explorer (IE), you should know how to set things up when necessary.
As with other browsers, IE defaults to using your Windows proxy configurations. Here’s how to set your proxy up from within IE.
Open the IE toolbar and select Internet Options.
Open the Connections tab.
Select LAN Settings.
Check the “Use a proxy server for your LAN” box.
When prompted, enter the proxy server name and port number.
How to set up a proxy server in Android
With Android, you must configure proxy settings for each network you use. In addition, the proxy will only be used by your web browser. Other internet applications may choose to use or ignore the proxy based on their own internal settings. This is another reason why VPNs tend to be better choices — when you use one, it covers all the internet traffic from your device.
Open Android’s Settings and tap Wi-Fi to view a list of Wi-Fi networks.
Long-press the Wi-Fi network name for which you want to change the proxy settings. Tap Modify Network.
Tap Advanced Options.
Tap Manual to change your proxy’s settings. Enter your hostname and proxy port.
OR
If you have a Proxy Auto-Config (PAC) file, select Proxy Auto-Config and Android will prompt you to enter the PAC address.
Tap SAVE.
How to set up a proxy server in iOS
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
Select the active Wi-Fi connection.
Under HTTP proxy, click Configure Proxy.
Tap Manual to change your proxy’s settings. Enter your host name, proxy port, and, if needed, your authentication username and password.
If your provider supports Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD), tap Automatic. If required, enter the Proxy Auto-Config (PAC) file location.
Tap back to the Wi-Fi selection window.
Protect your online anonymity the easy way
Proxy servers have their uses, particularly within large organizations. However, setting one up requires a bit of work, and this is a job typically entrusted to network administrators and other IT professionals.
Avast SecureLine VPN is an internet privacy solution that’s both simpler to use and far more protective of your identity and online activities. A single click or tap of a button gets you encryption that keeps you anonymous online and prevents anyone from snooping on your sensitive personal info, such as your online banking, health info, or private photos. Enjoy true online privacy on your desktop, laptop or mobile device with a VPN that’s as convenient as it is secure.
Frequently Asked Questions about xfinity network proxy
Does Xfinity Internet use a proxy server?
Comcast is FORCING all unencrypted traffic through Comcast proxy servers. … This enables Comcast to inject anything they want into your unencrypted web browsing.Nov 29, 2018
Does Xfinity Internet have a VPN?
Comcast supports VPN access through your wireless gateway, using any security setting you choose. If you’re using your own WiFi router connected to your wireless gateway, make sure that bridge mode is enabled on your wireless gateway.
What is proxy setting?
A proxy server sits between your machine and your ISP. In most organizations, proxies are configured by network admins to filter and/or monitor inbound and outbound web traffic from employee computers. In this article, we’ll show you how to view proxy settings (if your computer is behind a proxy server).
