Proxy Servers Might Be Caching Your Site

He has: 286 posts

Joined: Mar 2003

Proxy servers, operated by search engines like AltaVista, have been storing cached versions of many Web sites, like this one:

http://world.altavista.com/urltrurl?lp=en_en&trurl=http://www.webmaster-forums.net

Does this mean that Alta Vista is collecting login information from these cached versions? Or are they collecting affiliate links? Is this casuse for alarm?

There is a full discussion of the problem at this site:

http://www.threadwatch.org/node/1194

mairving's picture

They have: 2,256 posts

Joined: Feb 2001

I don't think that it is some kind of evil plot. Proxy servers cache pages for several reasons. A search engine like Google caches pages to make them available so that there is always something to click on. ISP's also use caching proxy servers. Most do it to "speed up" their dialup connection.

I don't know how they would obtained login or affiliate information from a cached copy. After all if one could obtain login info from your cache, you could use your browser cache.

Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states

He has: 286 posts

Joined: Mar 2003

Quote: I don't think that it is some kind of evil plot.

Probably not. I just get suspicious sometimes. Smiling

Quote: I don't know how they would obtained login or affiliate information from a cached copy.

I don't think they can do it directly, but the more information they have about a high-profile site, especially if data is entered there regularly, the easier it is for them to enter it.

Wow, I'm paranoid today Laughing out loud

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