If you’ve ever been part of a school, company, or any similar organization, you've probably used a web proxy server. But what exactly does "proxy" mean? In this article, we define proxy servers, explain how they work, and most importantly, what you can and cannot expect from proxies in terms of online privacy and security.
What is a proxy server?
A proxy server acts as a bridge between you and the rest of the internet. Normally, when you use your browser to surf the internet, you connect directly to the website you’re visiting. Proxies communicate with websites on your behalf.
When you use an online proxy, your browser first connects to the proxy, and the proxy forwards your traffic to the website you’re visiting. That’s why proxy servers are also known as “forward proxies.” The proxy server also receives the website’s response and sends it back to you.
In everyday use, the word “proxy” refers to someone who is authorized to take an action on your behalf — such as voting in a meeting that you can’t attend. A proxy server fills the same role, but online. Instead of you communicating directly with the websites you visit, a proxy steps in to handle that relationship for you.
Web proxies and HTTP proxies
While some proxies are hosted within your internal network, a web proxy is publicly available over the internet. Anyone can visit a web proxy and use it to browse other websites through the proxy connection.
An HTTP proxy focuses on the connection between a web server using HTTP and a client (your device). These proxies are frequently used as safety mechanisms, checking and filtering potentially harmful HTTP content from unsecured websites before the content reaches your computer or smartphone. HTTP proxies also protect web servers from some types of client-side cyberattacks, including DDoS attacks that exploit buffer overflows.
What does a proxy server do, exactly?
As your intermediary on the web, proxy servers have many useful roles. Here are a few primary uses for a proxy server:
Firewalls: A firewall is a type of network security system that acts as a barrier between a network and the wider internet. Security professionals configure firewalls to block unwanted access to the networks they are trying to protect, often as an anti-malware or anti-hacking countermeasure. A proxy server between a trusted network and the internet is the perfect place to host a firewall designed to intercept and either approve or block incoming traffic before it reaches the network.
Content filters: Just as online proxies can regulate incoming connection requests with a firewall, they can also act as content filters by blocking undesired outgoing traffic. Companies may configure proxy servers as content filters to prevent employees from accessing blocked websites while at work.
Bypassing content filters: You can use another proxy to bypass a web proxy. If your company’s proxy has blocked your favorite website, but it hasn’t blocked access to your personal proxy server or favorite web proxy, you can use it to reach the websites you want.
Caching: Caching refers to the temporary storage of frequently accessed data, which makes it easier and faster to access it again in the future. Internet proxies can cache websites so that they load faster than if you were to send your traffic all the way through the internet to the website’s server. This reduces latency — the time it takes for data to travel through the internet.
Security: In addition to hosting firewalls, proxy servers can also enhance security by serving as the singular public face of the network. From an outside point of view, all the network’s users are anonymous, hidden behind the internet proxy’s IP address. If a hacker wants to access a specific device on a network, it’ll be a lot harder for them to find it.
Stay protected online with Maxproxy Vishing is just one trick in an online criminal’s toolbox for getting access to your private information or infecting your device with malware. That’s why you need to be protected on all of your devices. Maxproxy helps you stay safe online, whether on your desktop or mobile device. On top of an advanced antivirus, Maxproxy comes with a VPN for safe and private browsing wherever you are, a password manager and other tools for protecting your identity online.