A proxy server is a server that acts in an intermediary role for clients who are seeking resources from other servers. Proxy servers are web proxies that allow users to access content on the internet while maintaining anonymity.
What is a proxy server and what are its benefits?
A proxy server acts as a middleman between your private network (or private network) and the public internet. It protects your internal IP addresses and makes your network more secure. These servers can also log network activity and improve network performance in certain cases.
Proxy Servers Allow You to Obscure IP Addresses
Your network is insecure if it is exposed to the public. This exposes your IP addresses. An attacker can access your computer’s services by using an IP address. Proxy server services are one way to protect your private IP address from hackers.
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The proxy server can be seen in the middle of the image. The proxy server is located in the middle of the image. It is a private network that has IP addresses and will not route to public internet. The internet is on the right.
The proxy server is installed by the IP addresses on the left. They then contact the proxy server to tell it which site they want to access. The request is then forwarded to the proxy server.
The proxy server downloads a website and forwards it to the requesting IP address (i.e. your computer or device). The private IP address is not exposed during this process. The proxy server displays a public-facing IP address to an internet server. In this example, it is 107.20.140.96.
A Proxy Server is a tool that blocks malicious traffic
Traffic flows freely from the private IP address range to public internet in our example. Malicious traffic can also be blocked by proxy servers. Traffic is not able to freely flow from one side to the other or from the public Internet to your internal network. This prevents malicious traffic from attacking your internal networks.
Proxy servers often have access controls that can be used to block malicious websites. It’s common for an internal network to be hacked because someone has opened a malicious website and downloaded malware or fell for phishing scams.
These problems can be eliminated by using a proxy server to block outgoing traffic from accessing malicious websites. The proxy server can inspect the site address or IP address to determine if it is a bad site.
Use a proxy server to monitor internet activity
A proxy server can log activity, which is another security advantage. Let’s suppose that a user is constantly trying to access a malicious website. Because malware could be installed on the user’s computer, they might not even realize that their computer is trying to access it. A proxy server can log and alert you when a particular IP continues to access malicious websites.
You can also review the most popular sites you visit and block or whitelist them to allow access. These logs can also be used as a forensic tool to examine internet activity following a network breach. Proxy servers should not be the only piece of your security infrastructure.
Proxy Caching
Proxy caching is a function of proxy servers where a retrieved webpage is stored on the proxy server’s hard disk. Clients behind the proxy server can access the cached content of the web page quickly the next time they request it. Proxy caching can improve network performance by reducing bandwidth requirements and reducing delays.
Do You Really Need a Proxy Server to Access Your Data?
Security and activity logging are not necessary for a small home office. An enterprise network can benefit from a proxy server’s additional resources, especially for its increased security.
Proxy servers are worth the investment for their ability to block malicious websites. It is not only.