To read more about Proxies - visit my blog on Anonymous Surfing or find out about how proxy avoidance can keep you secure.
There is so much disinformation regarding proxies on the internet, it's not surprising nobody knows which is the best proxy to use. In fact one of the really worrying aspects of this, that proxies have in some way become synonymous with being secure.
The simple fact is that proxies can make you secure, but they can also achieve the exact opposite. So I thought I'd try and briefly explain the role of the proxy and what they do.
Remember that the proxy is an intermediary, it's a server that sits between you and the web sites you visit. This is great if you want to surf anonymously or bypass some restriction but you are sending (and trusting) all your data to the owner of the proxy server.
Let's illustrate if I can, if you are using a proxy server either a web based one, or surfing from owrk or school - every request for a web page goes to the proxy first. The proxy server examines the header and the packet content and checks with it's own internal rules.
An anonymous proxy server would reconstruct the data packet with a different IP address for instance. The proxy server than sends the request to the target web server and receives the reply. The reply is then forwarded back to the initial client.
There are many reasons people use proxies but the fact that all your data is directed through them should not be forgotten. In work or school, a proxy server is usually enforced to ensure that nobody breaks the internet usage policy and to stop people accessing inappropriate content.
Some people will set up caching proxy servers which are just there for speed to save frequently accessed web sites, a transparent proxy will not modify any of the requests and therefore doesn't hide your IP address. A hostile proxy is there to steal your information and passwords.
These are just a few, but the uses are varied. But remember whatever proxy you use whether it's that one page web proxy on the internet surrounded by ads, or a sophisticated caching proxy at work - the administrator of that proxy has complete control of your data so take care. In short the best proxy is one run securely by someone you can trust, who secures and deletes your data.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- What's the best free anonymous proxy to use?
- Open Source Proxy Server - Picking the Best Open Source Proxy
- Anonymous Internet Proxy - The Best Anonymous Internet Proxy
- The Best Anonymous HTTP Proxy
- Proxy Severs - The Best Kind of Proxy Servers
- Which free anonymous proxy should I use?
- Proxy Profits :: Your Definitve Guide on How to Make Money Online With Proxies
- Private Proxy Server - Why Use A Private Proxy Server?
Windows Updates: A Basic Introduction
By: Hannah Miller | 26/11/2009Ever seen the yellow windows security shield notify you that it’s downloading or installing updates? What are these updates? Should you allow them to install? How can you control Windows updates? Here is an explanation to some of these questions.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
How To Effectively Protect Your Computer Privacy
By: Gus | 26/11/2009When you delete a file, email, or piece of internet history on your computer, where do you think it goes? Unfortunately it doesn't just disappear like many of us would think and hope it does. Every time you use your computer, you're leaving little footsteps that can be traced back to everything you do.
Watching RTE from Outside Ireland
By: Jim Rjindael | 24/11/2009 | TelevisionEver wanted to watch RTE from outside Ireland? Found out that you couldn't, well read this article for more information.
Government Internet Surveillance in the USA
By: Jim Rjindael | 20/11/2009 | SecuritySurely, this doesn't happen, I mean people monitoring ordinary peoples web browsing in the USA. Well if you don't believe me I'd like to tell you briefly about a room, and not just an ordinary room - this room has sparked a scandal.
How to keep your Internet Surfing Privacy
By: Jim Rjindael | 12/10/2009 | SecurityEveryones getting more concerned with internet privacy and with good reason. A large part of our lives is conducted online, we shop, bank, socialise even date on line in some cases.
Do we Need to think about Anonymous Surfing ?
By: Jim Rjindael | 10/10/2009 | SecurityShould we be worried about the lack of privacy on the internet? Does it bother you that what you can do or see online is increasingly controlled by outside parties? These are increasingly important issues and in some ways will decide the future of what we know as the world wide web.
Blocking Youtube, MySpace and Much more in Turkey
By: Jim Rjindael | 09/10/2009 | InternetIt was when Farmville that got blocked that it got silly. The Turkish ISPs directed by the newly formed Telecommunications Communication Presidency (TIB), blocked all access to this application from within Turkey. Read more here.
Different Proxy technologies - what's the Best proxy ?
By: Jim Rjindael | 08/10/2009 | SecurityThere is a lot of incorrect information about proxies on the internet. Much of it written by twelve year olds with a proxy web site. Be careful before you use a proxy, learn what they do.
Your Custom Internet - Geotargeting
By: Jim Rjindael | 28/09/2009 | Internet MarketingHave you ever heard the phrase geotargeting? Ever wondered what it was and if it really affects you? Well read on for an explanation.
Online Game crime - Does it Happen?
By: Jim Rjindael | 23/09/2009 | SecurityI'm afraid that online game crime does happen and is much more common than you would imagine. You can read more here.