What is a proxy network?
A proxy network acts as an intermediary between an endpoint device, for example, a computer, and a server from which a user requests a specific service. It is also known as a proxy server and can be in the form of a dedicated computer system or proxy network software.
The basic purpose of proxy networks is to protect the direct connection between users and internet resources. In that sense, a proxy server can be viewed as a bridge between the user and the internet. They act as intermediary servers that retrieve data from a source on behalf of the user. Since proxy servers change the public IP addresses, users can change their perceived location using them. This is useful to access internet resources that are blocked for certain IP addresses or geographical locations.
Along with improving cybersecurity, organizations can use web proxy servers for performance reasons, such as caching content for lesser bandwidth usage and higher transfer speeds. Corporations can also use proxy servers to block unwanted content. Since a proxy server typically sits between a trusted network and the internet, it’s the ideal place to host a firewall, which is a form of network security system used to block unauthorized access to internal network resources.
Benefits of using proxy networks
There are several benefits of using proxy networks, with enhancing security being one. However, users should know that these benefits depend on the proxy’s configuration and type. The following are some of the key advantages of using proxy servers:
- Caching: Caching is the process of temporarily storing frequently accessed data as a way to improve the performance of an application or website. Internet proxies can cache websites so that they will load faster for users.
- Content filtering: Similar to how web proxies can regulate incoming traffic with a firewall, they can block undesirable outgoing traffic and act as content filters. This feature can help companies prevent employees from accessing certain websites at work. At the same time, web proxies can be used to bypass content filters.
- Security: For an outsider or a malicious actor, the network users are anonymous and basically hidden behind the proxy network’s IP address. This also means that hackers will have a hard time gaining access to specific devices on the network.
- Privacy: Both organizations and individuals can use internet proxy servers to browse the internet more privately. Since most proxy servers will change the IP address and other identifying information of the user, the targeted server wouldn’t know who exactly made the web request, helping users keep their browsing habits more private.
Types of proxy networks
There are numerous types of proxy servers available for different use cases. The degree of privacy provided is the key differentiating factor among them. The following are some of the common types of proxy servers:
- Forward proxy: It’s the most common type of proxy server generally used to pass requests from users in an internal or private network to the internet via a firewall.
- Reverse proxy: It’s essentially a forward proxy in reverse. It is commonly used to pass requests from the internet to the users in an internal or private network via a firewall.
- Transparent proxy: It’s a server that intercepts the connection between the user and the internet. This type of proxy doesn’t conceal any identifying information about the user and sends requests to servers that show as directly coming from the user without modifying them. This also means that the user’s IP address is passed along to the target website.
- Anonymous proxy: This type of proxy helps users maintain anonymity while browsing the internet. Although an anonymous proxy can be identified by the targeted website admin, it will not pass along the original IP address of the user.
- Distorting proxy: It takes the anonymous proxy to a different level by sending a false IP address to the targeted website. Doing this will give the impression that the user is from a different location, thereby hiding the user's geolocation from the website admin.
- Highly anonymous proxy: This type of proxy offers users the highest level of privacy. These proxy servers conceal the user’s IP address from website administrators, offer encryption, and periodically change the outgoing IP address.
Proxy network vs. VPN
On a surface level, both proxy servers and virtual private networks (VPNs) may seem similar as both are used to route requests and responses through an external server. Both can also be used to access internet resources that are otherwise unavailable in certain geographic locations.
However, a VPN offers a higher amount of security and encrypts all of the user’s web activity, regardless of the website or application. In contrast, proxy servers work only with a single application or service. Unlike proxy servers, VPNs also simulate a private network over a public network and encrypt the traffic. Since VPNs encrypt sensitive data, they are usually slower than proxies.
Amal Joby
Amal is a Research Analyst at G2 researching the cybersecurity, blockchain, and machine learning space. He's fascinated by the human mind and hopes to decipher it in its entirety one day. In his free time, you can find him reading books, obsessing over sci-fi movies, or fighting the urge to have a slice of pizza.
