Is a web cache a security issue?


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Hi, I was discussing with a friend of mine my plans on building a custom security gateway for home and I told him that one of my main requirement is to have a web cache to save bandwidth ex. YouTube.

But according to him, web cache is a security issue and he explained his point of view but I didn't understand him properly. For this, I want to disuses this point here and to see the points of view regarding this.

Thank,

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I'm not an expert, but I guess it would depend on what is being cached. Sensitive stuff like cookies or bank websites might be bad to cache, but YouTube? I'm not so sure that is a problem. :-/

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I'm not an expert, but I guess it would depend on what is being cached. Sensitive stuff like cookies or bank websites might be bad to cache, but YouTube? I'm not so sure that is a problem. :-/

Web caches typically don't cache SSL stuff
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You might want to discuss the difference between security and privacy concerns with him. Any sort of cache/history of web sites you visit could be seen as a privacy concern if people have access to it.. They could see hey billy likes to view midget porn because of the stored images.

But a cache does not store data that would allow them access to your midget port website account for example.

Either or be it security or privacy -- who would have access to this cache? It would be stored on a machine on your private network. So either or is kind of mute is it not? Your browser is already doing it on your local machine - so how is the concern more since its just on a different machine in your network?

Keep in mind - your prob not going to get much of a hit on your cache to be honest. For starters lots of sites now are all dynamic, do you have lots of users that visit the same sites as other users in your home? Browsers cache already, the only reason to move the cache to a common device would be if you have lots of users that visit the same sites. If your on midget porn sites, while others in the house are visiting Asian and bestiality porn sites your not going to have many hits on the cache for common things ;)

It is fun project, and you will learn a lot I am sure getting it up and running and then checking your cache hit % - just don't be too surprised when the hit % is lower than you would think.

And to be clear -- no I do not see it as a concern. Unless you have people in the house that do not have access to your local machines browser cache, that would have access to this cache. If that bothers you then yes there is some privacy concerns to be taken into account.

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Beautifully explained BudMan. This is precisely the reason why it is necessary to access a site that is safe to browse. If you are using FireFox web browser, you might want to add an addon - "WOT - Safe Surfing" to know the site's that are safe for browsing before you actually click them. Other than that you may even use AVG Safe Search and AVG Security Toolbar.

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