Probity is an open source software currently in planning phases. It is a filtered web-proxy designed for non-profits and schools. While in planning stages, it differs in that in not only providing a filter system it will provide actual ban lists and banning rulesets making a ready to go filter proxy. This allows a low total cost of ownership for schools. Its also better at filtering because it is a dedicated server process on another machine then client computers. Probity is good for increasing security of filtered internet access. It less likely to be "hacked" or circumvented because it is being made to exist on a totally separate computer sitting in between the computers and the internet. Probity is currently going into a discussion phase to gather information on designing the proper engine needed for all its users.

Providing this software as a redhat rpm will make it perfect for schools and non-profits implementing a popular linux distro on there server while allowing easy use on other linux systems. Such a proxy is not just a dumb gateway to the internet, its a firewall that also works with modules such as: anti-virus software and anti-virus filter patterns. This allows checking the files for viruses. Yet while doing this it allows semi-privacy by using a trip wire system to block, filter or moderate chat. This system, being designed, red flags conversations inappropriate for the users access level and hands it off to a robot and/or human moderator.

The probity project starting with user interaction boards to discuss certain issues, have feature requests to shape together a ruleset / banlist system, while also creating those files and doing initial testing. After which, the project will have a poll and vote on what to discuss and / or build next.

Platforms to support are at least linux redhat through the use of a redhat rpm installation package.

Platforms to be able to access the proxy are:

• X-Terminaled Workstations
• Workstations
• Linux on Set Top Boxes
• Windows 3.1 upto Windows XP
• Laptops
• MacOS
• BeOS
• Amigas

Protocols:

• HTTP 1.0/1.1
• FTP
• HTTPS
• [aim chat]
• [icq chat]
• [irc chat]
• [yahoo chat]

Files aimed to be filtered are: html, pdf, doc, rawtext, wml, xml, gif, jpeg, png, bmp, icon, targa, shockwave / flash. javascript, java, and other basic web files.

Programming to be used includes: c/c++, perl, php, html, wml, javascript , and a custom or modified script language to allow the filter to have interactive filtering so the user can assist it to improve all ban lists and rule sets.

Languages to be used initially are just english, on linguistics phase 2, french, spanish and german will be added, and the probity hopes to continue phasing out non supported languages and allow translation features to be added.

Probity will sufficiently encrypt databases, currently the project uses a one-way encryption algorithm and phrase and word particle system. So that the proxy's blacklist can be used only for protection and not a naughty list for checking out things like: bad sites, corrupt hosting company's, obscene word lists, and any code that retrieves any such banned content.