Is scanning for proxies illegal?

I know there are some sites out there with free lists, but all those proxies are horrible. Is there a legal program I can use to find SOCKS4, 5 proxies? I know there are programs out there that are illegal... but are they all? Thanks.

And for what kind of legitimate reason would you need this?

No, it's not.

The only reason I've ever needed a huge list of proxies is to bruteforce porn sites. I hope you aren't scanning by IP range and obtaining them through better means such as forums or proxy leeching software.

So why exactly would this be illegal?

Originally Posted by Onyx

So why exactly would this be illegal?

Because it's not allowed. That often makes things illegal.

Originally Posted by Eleo

The only reason I've ever needed a huge list of proxies is to bruteforce porn sites. I hope you aren't scanning by IP range and obtaining them through better means such as forums or proxy leeching software.

I havent scanned anything... I was asking if there was a legal program available, programs for scanning are all over the net, seems strange that they're all illegal.

Originally Posted by Onyx

So why exactly would this be illegal?

It's considered a type of port scanning, and port scanning is illegal in nearly every country in the world. The reason there are so many programs out there to do this is because with basic knowledge, it is not easy to get caught if you are simply scanning for open ports and not doing anything with them.

What's wrong with the free proxy lists? They work fine for me when I need to use them, just don't expect to get stellar download speeds on them. You'll probably have to pay to get any decent bandwidth.

Well... non-stellar speeds are what's wrong with them... lol

Originally Posted by eli2k

What's wrong with the free proxy lists? They work fine for me when I need to use them, just don't expect to get stellar download speeds on them. You'll probably have to pay to get any decent bandwidth.

Because most ports are accessible without any security system; scanning for proxies lets people use proxies they're not meant to.

There's a reason why people sell proxies and change their address often, you know. That's why proxy lists die within 3 days. It takes you probably longer to find a working proxy that'll be stable for a few days than what it's worth. You're not likely to be caught but it's still a lose lose situation as most proxies are temporary.