My proposed project for ICT171 is a Web-based proxy server. This idea has been around for many years, but is a nearly obsolete way of masking your internet protocol (IP) address due to Virtual Private Networks (VPN). Web-based proxy servers are the middleman between the user and the host website, allowing the user to hide their IP address and take on the IP address of the proxy server (Lenovo US, 2021).

Users of the site would enter the destination’s URL into the field. When they submit their request, the user’s IP address will be masked to the host of the designated website. The IP address that the website will be able to see is that of the proxy server's. This type of web browsing provides an extra layer of protection, but I must also be vigilant, as any activity that is performed will be linked to a proxy IP address. As such, I intend to implement restrictions to websites that can be visited.

The idea behind my cloud-based server project came to me while I was discussing VPN with a much younger colleague, explaining that VPN’s were not commonly used when I attended school. Web-based proxy servers were utilised to bypass websites that the institutions deemed inappropriate. Even though this is a simple idea for a cloud web server, I wanted to take what I commonly used when I was younger and recreate the service, but with an understanding of how they work, utilising my learning from Murdoch and independent study.

Reference

Understand Web Based Proxy and its Uses, Lenovo US. (2021)

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/web-based-proxy/?org

I have chosen the Copy Left General Public License for this project. As the web server is simple but will perform the necessary tasks, a General Public License allows users to modify the code to enhance usability and user experience. End users should not be restricted in modifying the code to adapt to their own needs and goals, as well as any enhancements that can be made to advance the product.

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