TwoTrees Shelterbelt – worst filtering system ever!
My school uses a filter called Shelterbelt from a company called TwoTrees Technologies. I have to say – it has to be some of the most unprofessionally designed software that I have ever used.
EFF.org blocked
First of all I was doing a project at school where I was writing something about the EFF. When I tried to go to the EFF’s website at school, I found this:
I felt that there was no reason for them to be blocking the EFF’s website. I did feel that maybe since the EFF opposes censorship on the Internet, they may have had something against that. I wrote this email to the email address on the “blocked” page, proxymaster@twotrees.com, on February 20, 2007:
“My school uses the Shelterbelt filtering system. While doing some research I noticed that the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s website, EFF.org, is blocked. Why is this? Your website claims that “Twotrees Internet Management is an outside company without any biases” yet I cannot help but believe that this may be a result of your own personal biases against Internet civil liberties organizations.”
It is March 3, almost two weeks later, and I still have not received a reply from TwoTrees! And of course EFF’s site is still blocked!
BoingBoing blocked
Sometimes I want to go to BoingBoing.net when I am at school (not in the middle of class!) But of course I get this:
I thought that Iran was the only place where BoingBoing was blocked, but I guess I’m wrong!
Competitors’ websites blocked
I noticed that if you go to Websense’s web site you get this: (Websense is a very popular filtering system in case you don’t know)
Same thing with Secure Computing, the developer of the well-known SmartFilter filtering software:
What legitimate business should feel the need to use their power as a developer of filtering software to arbitrarily block their competitors’ websites, especially major ones?
Shelterbelt’s reaction to PHProxy and other web proxies
The Shelterbelt filter gives you a “special” blocked page if you try to go to a recognized proxy/anonymization site. In my case it gave me this page when I looked up PHProxy on Wikipedia.
I got the same thing if I went to ProxyPlus.cz or CCProxy, which are both network proxy/firewall software programs. Maybe they want to block these competitors’ sites just like they blocked Secure Computing and Websense?
The most interesting part is where it tells you that “the browser may have frozen.” It does work, and they do it by running a loop, therefore the browser with JavaScript (it does it whether you use IE/Firefox/anything else).
I cannot share the JavaScript code because there is a copyright notice in the code. I would like to stay on the safe side, as you never know what TwoTrees might do if they find out, even if it’s as low as going after me for posting their little piece of JavaScript code written in 15 minutes. But I can say that basically it’s a script that runs a loop over and over again to crash the browser. Overall, it looks like it was written by a 10-year-old!
In addition if you do get to a PHProxy site that is not blocked the filter will block your IP as soon as you try to get to a website. Fortunately, at many schools (including my own), getting a new IP is as simple as restarting the computer!
Other Pages
Go check out http://db1.twotrees.com/errorpages/. It has a lot of error pages from Shelterbelt that easily show how unprofessionally TwoTrees’ system is designed. Of course, it’s unprofessional enough that they leave this directory open in the first place!
Half the pages say something to the tune of “the Proxymaster has been paged to immediately review the activity of this workstation.” They’re just “dumb” HTML pages!
Here’s a few of the best ones:
http://db1.twotrees.com/errorpages/00009.html – “This workstation has been identified as making intentional attempts at pornographic sites.” – how does it know that all attempts at accessing certain porn sites are intentional? Looks like crap too!
http://db1.twotrees.com/errorpages/freeze.html – DO NOT GO TO unless you want your system “frozen” – “freezes” your web browser by repeatedly making JavaScript dialog windows.
http://db1.twotrees.com/errorpages/mailform2.html – Automatically pops up a mailto with the subject “Feedback for webdevelopersnotes.com” and body “The Tips and Tricks section is great”. Seriously, how dumb can they be?
TwoTrees’ Website
Don’t forget to check out TwoTrees’ website! It’s almost as bad as their products.
Here’s one example of a major mistake from the site:
“Typically an institution will install a security device and then move on. Not realizing that the security within that device becomes outdated daily. If the device is not continually updated and monitored, then it will become ineffective.”
Of course, they also brag about their logging system and their supposed ability to contact the school regarding abuse. In my school’s (as well as many other schools’) case it is very ineffective because the Shelterbelt system only logs the IP and does not log any information about the user of the system. And if you look at the “error” pages at the URL above, you could easily doubt many of the claims that TwoTrees makes on their website.
Conclusion
It seems like I’ve been able to show you how crappily the Shelterbelt system is designed. I don’t think a whole lot of schools/organizations use the Shelterbelt system, and it appears (according to their website) that the schools that do use it are mostly located in the Midwest. However if your school is looking at using Shelterbelt, show them this article and make sure that they don’t make a decision that they’ll regret!
YEAH!!!!
Comment by someone who hates shelterbelt — April 6, 2007 @ 10:18 am
Well, you informed me about alot of stuff I found on my own (mostly the circumvention section).
But what I really want to know is how in the hell am I suppposed to get past shelterbelt? I hate it! I doubt I’ll find this site again, so could you do me the favor and respond to this comment by PMing my on my site http://www.planetbunnytracks.com
Thanks much,
Chris
Comment by -sx- | Cali Chris — May 10, 2007 @ 9:21 am
Shelterbelt, I agree, has to be one of the WORST ever created filter system used to block out “certain” websites from young children, but not only does it block out poronographic sites, and popups, but it blocks websites that were created for children alone. Like Chris, if anyone could help me bypass shlterbelt, I would be really grateful.
Comment by Elementess — December 21, 2007 @ 6:14 am
I too go to a TwoTrees-Protected school. I have not as of yet gotten past the proxy with the exception of a couple PHProxy sites that remain open for only a few days and are grossly ineffective. However, at my previous school, where they also had TwoTrees, there was an IP address, a static IP (one that doesn’t change) that allowed access to blocked sites with no fear of being caught (unless you leave that IP set). Most TwoTrees-protected schools will have several of these. Your best bet would be the Comp Tech teacher if you have one. Find his IP and you may very well be past the proxy in no time with little to no risk, don’t get caught, and it stays open almost forever.
Comment by Steven — April 11, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/woddfellow2/anti-competitive.png
It blocks Websense’s Web site, as you said.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/woddfellow2/wlair-blocked-new.png
It blocks WordPress.com, including my old blog.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/woddfellow2/gnublocked.png
It blocks http://gnu.org/ for some reason.
It also blocks Homestar Runner, Homestar Runner Wiki, and other Web sites that I visit regularly. Fortunately, it does not block Wikipedia. Blocking Wikipedia, especially in a school, would be stupid.
Comment by woddfellow2 — April 20, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
I have blogged about this:
TwoTrees Shelterbelt — Worst Content Filter Ever — Winslow’s Lair
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/woddfellow2/freeze.png
That is very unprofessional! It does appear as if it was made by a 10-year-old.
Comment by woddfellow2 — April 21, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
Oops, I called my blog Winslow’s Lair in my previous comment. I meant Wlair Blog.
Comment by woddfellow2 — April 21, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
I am sorry for triple-commenting, but Shelterbelt also blocks this very blog right here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/woddfellow2/
Comment by woddfellow2 — April 21, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
Put Firefox or Safari on a flash drive and use the .exe file in it. Worked for me.
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Comment by charter sexy lesbian — September 3, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
Brilliant! I learned a lot about shelterbelt from reading this article, and I agree, it’s ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. Really, it runs a Java code to crash the browser? Now how could that be stopped?
Great article. Oh hey, did you know that your site is too blocked by Shelterbelt? They truely are afraid of any conpetition they might get.
Comment by Emmy — September 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Thank you. What you need))
Comment by Porphyria — November 5, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
Guys, just download this: http://www.internetfreedom.org/files/5tools.zip
And use Freegate from that package
Comment by anonymous — November 19, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
(Easiest on pc)
press windows key-r, type ping
it wil say something like this:
Pinging blocked website [209.85.171.100] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 209.85.171.100: bytes=32 time=80ms TTL=237
Reply from 209.85.171.100: bytes=32 time=77ms TTL=237
type the numbers in brackets [] aka ip address instead of say http://www.google.com
you can go to google image search on this by going to 209.85.171.100/image (also no www. or .com, etc)
note: some sites wont work (vivalagames.com)
Comment by lol, found a way past — December 2, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
woops i messed up in previous post type cmd, then ping{space}www.blockedwebsite.com
Comment by lol, found a way past — December 2, 2008 @ 4:34 pm
If you type cmd it will say disabled by administrator. This twotrees sucks. I am going to try to download something to a flashdrive and maybe it will work
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Comment by adamoerikom — September 19, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
ATTENTION: I don’t know how many of you are forced to login with Novell at startup like me, but I have figured out how to receive admin privileges.
1. Shut down and reboot PC. (REQUIRED)
2. Log in as normal.
3. Click log out. When the log out window appears, repeatedly tap the Enter key on your numpad (with Num Lock on) until fully logged out and the Log In reappears.
4. Log in again and you should now be logged in as an admin.
Troubleshooting: If this does not work, try repeating steps 2-4. If this still does not work then the exploit has been fixed where you are. HOPE I COULD HELP! SHELTERBELT MUST FALL!!
Comment by Deovera — October 28, 2009 @ 1:54 pm
note: My school has already has it fixed so the IPs are blocked for websites too…
Comment by Deovera — October 28, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
Is there any way to get around shelterbelt on a mac? I tried messing w/ the proxy settings and all of the system preference icons are restricted! Ik how to get around it on the few dells and lenovos we have tho.
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Comment by Shon Ruffin — November 5, 2010 @ 10:07 pm
will you please give me step by step instructions on how to bypass shelterbelt.twotrees
Comment by joemomma — January 24, 2011 @ 8:35 pm
If any site is blocked on the admins account try going into the task manager and end the shelterbelt task.
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Comment by Brandon Skinner — February 17, 2011 @ 11:50 am
I also have shelterbelt at my school, but I found a way around it, its simple, download google chrome, and the filter doesn’t
apply!!!!! YAY!
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i hate it but if a site is new enough it will not be blocked i remember going on a new site during class which should have been blocked ;D
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