Configuring Authentication for Squid Proxy on Windows

Setting up authentication for your Squid proxy on Windows can help secure your network by ensuring that only authorized users can access the proxy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to configure basic authentication:

1. Install Necessary Tools

1. Download and Install Squid: Ensure Squid is installed on your Windows system.
2. Install Apache HTTP Server Tools: These tools include htpasswd, which is used to create and manage user credentials.

2. Create a Password File

1. Open Command Prompt: Run it as an administrator.
2. Navigate to Squid Directory: Change to the directory where Squid is installed.
3. Create Password File: Use the htpasswd tool to create a password file. For example:
   htpasswd -c C:\Squid\etc\passwd username
   Replace username with the desired username. You will be prompted to enter and confirm a password.

3. Configure Squid for Authentication

1. Open Squid Configuration File: Locate and open squid.conf in a text editor.
2. Add Authentication Parameters: Add the following lines to configure basic authentication:
   auth_param basic program C:/Squid/libexec/basic_ncsa_auth.exe C:/Squid/etc/passwd
auth_param basic children 5
auth_param basic realm Squid proxy-caching web server
auth_param basic credentialsttl 2 hours
acl authenticated proxy_auth REQUIRED
http_access allow authenticated
3. Save and Close the File: Save the changes and close the text editor.

4. Restart Squid Service

1. Open Services: Go to the Services management console.
2. Restart Squid: Find the Squid service, right-click, and select “Restart”.

5. Test the Configuration

1. Configure Browser: Set your web browser to use the Squid proxy.
2. Access a Website: When prompted, enter the username and password you created.

By following these steps, you can successfully configure authentication for your Squid proxy on Windows, ensuring that only authorized users can access your network resources.