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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteMicrosoft Proxy Server 2.0 was a gateway product for Windows NT Server, announced on October 8, 1997. It combined Internet gateway security with web caching for network clients. It is a historical product, not a current proxy recommendation: Microsoft later documented vulnerabilities affecting it, and those old bulletins are not modern deployment guidance.
What was Microsoft Proxy Server 2.0?
Microsoft described the product as a gateway for client computers accessing the Internet. It could cache content for internal users, which Microsoft said could improve performance and reduce outgoing bandwidth. Its Winsock Proxy service also allowed Internet applications to communicate through the server without requiring a separate gateway for each protocol. Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-012, published April 9, 2003, gives this description.
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Microsoft announced version 2.0 at NetWorld+Interop in Atlanta on October 8, 1997, for Windows NT Server. The company presented it as a combination of firewall security and web caching for networks of different sizes. Microsoft’s launch announcement is the source for the product’s original positioning and advertised capabilities.
What features did Microsoft advertise?
The 1997 announcement listed the following capabilities. These are launch-era vendor claims, not independent test results:
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- Scalable array-based and hierarchical caching: caching options intended for networks of different sizes and arrangements.
- Dynamic packet filtering: a firewall-related capability for handling network traffic.
- Real-time alerting: alerts about events as they occurred.
- Reverse proxy: a capability Microsoft included in the product announcement.
- SOCKS support: support for applications using the SOCKS protocol.
Microsoft also described Proxy Server 2.0 as a platform for add-ons, naming Trend Micro InterScan Web Protect for virus scanning, Cyber Patrol Proxy for content filtering, and Market Wave Hit List and TELEMATE.Net for reporting. Those are examples cited in the 1997 release; the announcement does not establish their present availability or compatibility.
What did it cost at launch?
Microsoft’s October 1997 announcement gave an estimated retail price of $995 and said a free 30-day evaluation copy was available. Both details describe historical launch terms, not a current price or offer. Microsoft also claimed performance improved by “up to 40 percent” over Proxy Server 1.0; that was the company’s launch claim, not an independently verified benchmark.
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What security issues did Microsoft document?
Microsoft published security bulletins identifying issues and patches for Proxy Server 2.0. These records are a reason to treat the software as legacy technology, not a basis for deploying it today.
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Winsock Proxy denial-of-service issue
In April 2003, Microsoft’s MS03-012 bulletin documented a denial-of-service vulnerability involving the Winsock Proxy service. The bulletin said the service was enabled by default in Proxy Server 2.0 and that a specially formed request could cause the server to stop responding to requests. Microsoft’s prescribed update required a reboot.
Content-spoofing issue in Service Pack 1
In November 2004, Microsoft’s MS04-039 bulletin documented a content-spoofing vulnerability affecting Proxy Server 2.0 Service Pack 1 and provided security-update information, including prerequisites and restart requirements.
Another Service Pack 1 patch
Microsoft’s MS02-027 bulletin, published in June 2002, also recorded a patch applicable to Proxy Server 2.0 Service Pack 1 and said a reboot was needed.
These dated bulletins establish that the product had vulnerabilities and received patches. They do not establish a product-specific current lifecycle date, and they should not be treated as current security instructions.
Is Proxy Server 2.0 suitable for use today?
No. The available Microsoft material describes a 1997 Windows NT Server product and documents security issues in later bulletins. It does not establish current support status or provide current deployment guidance. Do not treat an old patch notice as evidence that an installation is safe today. The product is relevant as part of Microsoft’s software history, not as a recommendation for a modern network gateway.
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