Web Proxy

When you visit a website, a web proxy is an intermediary between you and the server. All web communication between your computer and the webserver is routed through the proxy. Web proxies servers are third-party servers that allow you to route your request through their servers while using their IP address.

In other words, a website proxy serves as a middleman between you and the website you're visiting. When you use a web proxy, your IP address and personal information are hidden from the website you're on.

The Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of all computers on the internet are unique. IP addresses are for computers what our house addresses are for us.

Web servers are computers on the internet with their IP addresses that your computer recognizes. Proxy servers act as a bridge between users and the web server by requesting data on behalf of users.

Using a web proxy to route your web requests allows it to change the data you provide and still get you the information you want to access. Because a web proxy can mask your IP address, the webserver has no idea where you are physically located. It can encrypt your data not to be deciphered while it is in transit.

A forward proxy is used to safeguard clients from the web servers and access websites with a restricted firewall. For example, a user can use a forward proxy to access a website not available in his region. A forward web proxy will enable users to access the website even with the firewall.

A forward proxy works by routing traffic between user and server and hiding the user's IP address. It can enforce security protocols, block traffic, and regulate traffic according to preset policies.

Unlike a regular proxy server, a reverse web proxy is used to safeguard servers rather than clients. "Reverse proxy" servers are servers that accept requests. Rather than processing the request themselves, the servers send them to other servers to process them. In this case, the client only communicates with the reverse proxy server without knowing another server processed their request.

Servers using a reverse proxy can also restrict access of the users to the backend servers. They can set up the web proxy to only accept traffic from backend servers. The information of the backend servers is only available to the internal network. This way, servers can protect their information from any vulnerabilities.

A reverse proxy will have a network of FTP servers behind it. The network of FTP will control server load to avoid bottlenecks and delays.

No, VPN and proxy are not the same. A VPN and a proxy have similarities because they are both used to reroute traffic and hide IP addresses. However, both are separate programs and differ in many ways.

Virtual private network (VPN) reroutes all of your traffic. Whereas a proxy only reroutes specific browsers. Moreover, due to the encryption required, VPNs are slower than proxies.

Now that you know the main function of a web proxies, it will help you know that there are several types of web proxies. They operate in different ways. You can select whichever works the best for you.

Transparent Proxy

A transparent proxy is where a user is unaware that the request he is sending to a web server is going to a proxy rather than the server itself. On the other hand, the webserver is aware that the request coming is from the proxy instead of the user. In other words, the webserver is 'transparent' to the fact that the IP address is not of the user; rather, it is of a third party.

Anonymous Proxy

An anonymous web proxy is a gateway between the user and the webserver. It makes the date of the user untraceable. This means it prevents sending the user's IP address to the website. Anonymous proxies conceal your information from the web server, for example, browsing habits and location.

Distorting Proxy

Distorting web proxies works almost the same way as Anonymous proxy, i.e., they conceal the user's identity. However, instead of not passing the user's IP address to the server, it sends a false IP address. This means you can access the webserver with a different location to pass the firewall.

High Anonymity Proxy

High anonymous web proxy is completely anonymous and provides unprecedented protection and privacy. They also hide your IP address and portray themselves as the user.

Privacy: Web proxy adds an extra layer of privacy to the user. It conceals users' real IP address. This way, users can secure personal information and browsing history.

More Safety: Proxy servers that efficiently encrypt your web requests to keep them safe from unwanted access and secure your transactions. Proxy servers also work to keep known malware sites from infiltrating your system.

Access Blocked Resources: Moreover, web proxies allow users to access restricted websites, such as; certain websites that are region-specific. For example, a business website restricts its users from accessing their websites based on geographical location. Web proxies hide or alter IP addresses to let users access such websites.

Restrict And Monitor Content: Web servers help users restrict and monitor content. For example, companies can monitor their employees and monitor their access to certain websites. Parents can also use it to restrict websites their children can access.

Improves Speed and Efficiency: Organizations can save money and speed up loading times using web proxies. Website proxy stores images and web data to always have the most up-to-date version of a site. Proxy servers also use caches to get the most recent version of popular websites. This saves bandwidth and makes it easier for people to get around the web.

Identity Theft: When you use a proxy server to access a Web page, all your data must pass through a third party. These third parties are not always trustworthy, and the information passed by your device is not always encrypted. Hence, the web proxy can record data received from your devices. This can be crucial information, such as passwords and credit card information. There are a lot of shady proxies who could use your identity to participate in illegal Internet activity.

Virus: If you use a web proxy website, you are likely to come across several spam advertisements and banners. This can infect your webpage with viruses and spam. You might also end up downloading some viruses on your computer.

To safely use a web proxy, it is preferred to use a paid proxy. The paid web provides a better level of severity and anonymity. If you cannot opt for a paid proxy, do extensive research before selecting a free web proxy.