WPAD is a mechanism that allows client workstations to automatically detect the configuration of a proxy on a network, without manual intervention from the user.
WPAD is a mechanism that allows client workstations to automatically detect the configuration of a proxy on a network, without manual intervention from the user.
It works by searching for a configuration file called PAC (Proxy Auto-Config), usually via DNS or DHCP, which tells the browser which proxy to use depending on the requests.
Example :
When a computer is connected to a corporate network, it can automatically find the proxy and use it to access the Internet, without the user needing to configure it.
To remember:
- Allows automatic proxy configuration.
- Use a file CAP to define the routing rules.
- Can rely on DNS or DHCP to locate the proxy.
- May present security risks if it is misconfigured (WPAD attack)