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Once you’ve downloaded BlackWeb, configure Squid-Cache to use it for domain blocking.

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Basic Configuration

Edit your Squid configuration file: 
/etc/squid/squid.conf
Add the following lines to implement the BlackWeb blocking rule:
squid.conf
# INSERT YOUR OWN RULE(S) HERE TO ALLOW ACCESS FROM YOUR CLIENTS

# Block Rule for Blackweb
acl blackweb dstdomain "/path_to/blackweb.txt"
http_access deny blackweb
Replace /path_to/blackweb.txt with the actual path where you extracted the BlackWeb file. The default recommended path is /etc/acl/blackweb.txt.

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Configuration Steps

1

Locate Configuration File

Open /etc/squid/squid.conf in your preferred text editor with root privileges:
sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf
2

Add ACL Definition

Define the BlackWeb ACL by specifying the path to the blocklist file:
acl blackweb dstdomain "/etc/acl/blackweb.txt"
This creates an Access Control List named blackweb that matches destination domains from the file.
3

Add Deny Rule

Add the HTTP access deny rule immediately after the ACL definition:
http_access deny blackweb
4

Restart Squid

Apply the configuration changes by restarting Squid:
sudo systemctl restart squid
Or for older systems:
sudo service squid restart
5

Verify Configuration

Check that Squid started successfully:
sudo systemctl status squid
Look for any error messages in the logs:
sudo tail -f /var/log/squid/cache.log

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Understanding the Configuration

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ACL Syntax

acl <name> dstdomain "<file_path>"
  • acl: Defines an Access Control List
  • blackweb: The name of this ACL (can be customized)
  • dstdomain: Matches destination domain names
  • “/path_to/blackweb.txt”: Path to the domain list file

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HTTP Access Rule

http_access deny blackweb
  • http_access: Controls access to web resources
  • deny: Blocks matching requests
  • blackweb: References the ACL defined above

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Rule Placement

Important: The order of rules in squid.conf matters! Place your BlackWeb rules after any http_access allow rules for your clients, but before the final http_access deny all rule.
Correct order: 
# 1. Allow access from your clients
http_access allow localnet

# 2. Block BlackWeb domains
acl blackweb dstdomain "/etc/acl/blackweb.txt"
http_access deny blackweb

# 3. Deny everything else (default rule)
http_access deny all

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Testing the Configuration

After applying the configuration, test that blocked domains are properly denied: 
# Try accessing a domain that should be blocked
curl -x http://your-proxy:3128 http://example-blocked-domain.com
You should see an access denied error from Squid.

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Advanced Configuration

For more sophisticated filtering with allowlists, TLD blocking, and pattern matching, see the Advanced Rules guide.

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Troubleshooting

Check the following:
  • Verify the file path is correct and the file exists
  • Ensure the file has proper permissions (readable by the Squid user)
  • Check syntax with: squid -k parse
  • Review error logs: tail /var/log/squid/cache.log
Verify:
  • Rule placement (should be before http_access deny all)
  • The domain exists in blackweb.txt
  • Squid was restarted after configuration changes
  • Client is actually using the proxy
BlackWeb contains over 4.7 million domains, which may impact performance on systems with limited resources. Consider:
  • Increasing Squid’s memory allocation
  • Using SSD storage for Squid cache
  • Implementing advanced rules to reduce false positives

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