Abstract

The inability of a region to access a webpage, because of the ban being placed on users from that region as a result of its location policy, has led to this study. This problem is often solved by anonymizing web traffic by using The Onion Router (TOR). These tools, however, suffer from the problem of exposure of identity and also lack the ability to monitor web users. This study describes in detail a web proxy server service solution within the context of a tertiary institution in Nigeria and explains how this service improves the user experience. An identity management system using a web proxy server was developed to tackle these problems. The new system proxy was designed using a transparent proxy model with some additional translational features where no modification was done to the response or request of resources, other than the addition of its identification information or that of the server from which the message was recovered, and mediation of resources. Redeemer’s University proxy was used as a case study in this research work. This system is also able to effectively monitor users’ (staffs and students) operations on the web.

Key words: Web proxy, web anonymity, identity management, The Onion Router (TOR).