RE: Browsing the cache

> > I would also know how to browse around the cache, I watched
> the FAQ, and
> > the archives and saw ppl asking for the same but I didn't
> see any reference
> > to any program or method to do that.
>
> We think thats a bad idea in general because the cache may contain
> senstive information. browsing the cache may violate some users
> privacy.

I really think that's an ethical issue for the sysadmin concerned, and not
really something that should be excluded from software just because it might
be misused. Taken to an extreme, that argument could justify losing the
logging capabilities from squid, because someone might see what URLs are
being accessed by people. The whole SYSTEM contains sensitive information.

Sysadmins have a huge amount of power to abuse privacy of users. We can
intercept their email without them knowing, for example. What if sendmail
encrypted the mail spool or kept it in some non-accessable fashion? It'd be
nicer for the privacy of users, sure - but would make our jobs a lot harder
when something was wrong.

Anyone running a proxy for a large userbase is in a position of trust, and
it seems a bit strange for anyone to try and take ethical decisions out of
our hands - it's something between the sysadmin and the users.

I'm really not trying to be start flaming people here - hell, if nobody
WANTS to write a cache browser, then don't. If I need one badly enough I'll
work something out - but I just had to say something. I don't desperately
WANT to browse the cache and see what people are doing, I just thought your
reason for not doing it was a little questionable.

Please send flames to me directly - this is sort of off-topic-ish, but I had
to say it.

Mike.
Received on Tue Aug 10 1999 - 23:26:18 MDT