5 Reasons Your Company Should Use Proxy Servers
The average person probably has only a vague understanding of the purpose of a proxy server.
If you’re like most people, you probably associate proxy servers with unblocking Netflix content from other countries or staying a bit more secure on an open WiFi network. The reality, however, is that proxy servers do much more — and are especially vital for businesses.
Proxy servers are a fairly simple intermediary mechanism between a computer with a private IP address and another server on the internet.
A proxy server has its own IP address, which is made public instead. While a rather seemingly insignificant change, the proxy IP address can be used for a number of vital business functions related to everything from security to customer experience.
There are five vital corporate reasons to use proxies that every business leader needs to know about, even if you aren’t involved in the tech side of things.
1. Improve Corporate and Institutional Security
Every company today is worried about hackers. A data breach is costly, both in terms of monetary loss and public image.
A proxy server reduces the chance of a breach. Proxy servers add an additional layer of security between your servers and outside traffic. Because proxy servers can face the internet and relay requests from computers outside the network, they act as a buffer.
While hackers may have access to your proxy, they’ll have trouble reaching the server actually running the web software where your data is stored. You may not be able to fully keep top hackers out with just a proxy IP alone, but you’ll be much less vulnerable.
2. Carry Out Sensitive Tasks Anonymously
Proxies are probably best known for their ability to anonymize web traffic. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize just how important this function is for businesses.
Reporters, whistleblowers and security officers count on the added identity protection offered by proxy servers to protect themselves, sources, their companies, clients and partners.
You can also better protect any current research and development and other company activities.
Any potential spy trying to track web traffic to figure out what your business is developing won’t be able to track your employees as easily if your company always uses a proxy. Any sensitive tasks completed over the internet are more secure when first anonymized through a proxy.
3. Balance Traffic So Your Server Doesn’t Crash
Nothing annoys a customer faster than a company’s website going down when they need it. Proxy servers, cloud data storage and peering improve customer experience by ensuring this doesn’t happen.
Essentially, your website’s data and content is stored across many servers around the world in the cloud, and peering helps your network handle greater traffic. Of course, you can’t ask a customer to try a bunch of ISPs to reach that content.
A proxy server instead is used to create a single web address to serve as the access point. The proxy will also balance the requests to each server so none overloads. All of this works in the background to ensure a seamless customer experience on your website.
4. Control Employee Internet Usage
No company wants employees accessing unsecure or inappropriate websites on company networks. That’s why many internal networks are run on a proxy server.
When the network is accessed through a proxy, network administrators control which devices have access to the network and which sites those devices can visit. You can block undesirable content, as well as any sites you don’t want employees using on company time.
Network administrators can even record what content is being accessed and when for internal purposes. Many security officers use this to monitor for potential illegal activity or security breaches.
5. Faster Speeds and Bandwidth Savings
Due to all the extra work accomplished in the background by proxy servers, most people assume they slow down internet speeds. This isn’t always true.
Proxy servers can easily be used to increase speeds and save bandwidth on a network by compressing traffic, caching files and web pages accessed by multiple users, and stripping ads from websites. This frees up precious bandwidth on busy networks, so your team can access the internet quickly and easily.
Title image by Matthew Wiebe
RJ Prego has focused his career on global data center management, global and regional colocation and network managed services and has a deep understanding of the latest developments in data center, telco, IT services, cloud and CDN.
Proxy Services Are Not Safe. Try These Alternatives | WIRED
Millions of people across the world use free proxy services to bypass censorship filters, improve online security, and access websites that aren’t available in their country. But an analysis has found those free services come at an unexpected cost for users: their privacy and security. Christian Haschek, an Austria-based security researcher, wrote a script that analyzed 443 open proxies, which route web traffic through an alternate, often pseudo-anonymous, computer network. The script tested the proxies to see if they modified site content or allowed users to browse sites while using encryption. According to Haschek’s research, just 21 percent of the tested proxies weren’t “shady. “Haschek found that the other 79 percent of surveyed proxy services forbid secure, HTTPS is commonly used to encrypt Web traffic, allowing users to enter credit cards, passwords, and other sensitive information in a manner that makes it difficult for hackers and intermediaries to intercept. By preventing customers from using the Web securely, Haschek warns these open proxies “can analyze your traffic and steal your logins. “Free proxies are also manipulating websites directly. Haschek reports that 16. 6 percent of proxies change HTML and 8. 5 percent modified websites’ JavaScript. In most cases, this was done merely to inject advertising into websites. However, Haschek speculates that these services are “probably also cookie stealing. “Popularity SurgeProxy usage has been growing over the years along with the rise of content streaming services and growing fears of government surveillance of internet activity. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which encrypts all your traffic and routes it through another server to mask your location, are commonly used by people looking to bypass geolocation restrictions on services such as Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. And by masking user’s locations, software and media pirates have also flocked to VPNs to make it more difficult for content owners to sue them in services are also popular in countries with strict Internet laws. They have been used in China, particularly by foreigners looking to access Western websites blocked by the Great Firewall, until the Chinese government moved to block VPN access earlier this year. In April, many Australians started using VPNs after the government passed a mandatory data retention law. As a result, CNET reported that one VPN provider’s Australian business increased 500 percent between early March and the same time, in the past few months free VPN services have been tied to deceptive business practices. Hola, an Israeli VPN service that boasts over 48 million users, was widely criticized last month for selling its free-tier users’ idle bandwidth. This meant Hola’s millions of free users were unknowingly turned into a botnet that was utilized for criminal activities, including repeated denial-of-service attacks against the message board 8chan. Haschek’s analysis didn’t uncover anything quite so sinister, but noted some of the reviewed services were “definitely bad adware. ” A previous report from the security researcher noted that many of these free proxies exist because establishing the service serves as “an easy way to infect thousands of users and collect their data. “According to that report, Haschek observed that controlling a VPN services makes it is easy to manipulate websites to steal login information, banking and credit card accounts, turn users into a distributed denial-of-service attack botnet, and monitor all their Web nding Safe AlternativesTo help combat the security vulnerabilities users expose themselves to when using free proxies, Haschek released a tool called Proxy Checker, which performs a cursory evaluation on any proxy service in use to ensure it isn’t manipulating content or forcing users to forgo Haschek recommends avoiding free proxies altogether. Fortunately, secure alternatives a paid VPN or proxy service is a good place to start. Because these paid services rely on monthly subscription revenue to support their operation, they don’t have to resort to breaking encryption to serve ads or selling there users’ traffic off, as was the case with Hola. For Jonathan Roudier, president of the widely recommended VPN service Private Internet Access, privacy is the focus. “We wanted to offer the best privacy and security available, ” Roudier told WIRED. “That comes at a cost. “Roudier noted that paid VPN services have other benefits over free offerings that go beyond security, including providing customer support, not placing bandwidth restrictions on users, and allowing users to choose which encryption method to ever, not all paid VPNs services equally prioritize their users’ security. When shopping for a VPN service, it is recommended to find a service that does not log its customers’ traffic and prevents an anonymity-unmasking issue known as IPv6 leakage. Both Private Internet Access and another popular service, Mullvad, carry that level of security. Another provider, TorGuard, does not log user activity and allows users to prevent IPv6 leakage through an advanced setting in its VPN can also use Tor, which is both free and regarded as one of the most secure anonymous browsing services available. However, Tor relies on volunteer-run servers to relay traffic and bounces that traffic across the globe, which means you can kiss smoothly streaming of HD video goodbye. Ultimately, there is no silver bullet to ensure complete security and privacy online. But when entrusting your Internet traffic to third party, its best to use a service that isn’t basing its business on serving ads—and weakening your security.
Proxy vs VPN: what are the main differences? – NordVPN
ContentsWhat is a proxy server? What is a Virtual Private Network? The main differences between VPN and proxy servicesIs VPN better than a proxy? Do you need a proxy if you have a VPN? Can I use VPN and proxy together? Should I use a free proxy or a free VPN? ConclusionWhat is a proxy server? Proxy servers act as relays between the website you’re visiting and your device. Your traffic goes through a middle-man, a remote machine used to connect you to the host server. The proxy server hides your original IP address so that the website sees the IP of the proxy (in some cases, the computers of other proxy users are used for this). However, proxies only work on the application level, meaning it only reroutes the traffic coming from a single app you set your proxy up with. They also don’t encrypt your are three main types of proxy servers:HTTP Proxies – These only cater to web pages. If you set up your browser with an HTTP proxy, all your browser traffic will be rerouted through it. They are useful for web browsing and accessing geo-restricted Proxies – These proxies are not limited to web traffic but still only work on the application level. For example, you can set it up on a game, video streaming app, or a P2P platform. Although they can handle all kinds of traffic, they are usually slower than HTTP proxies because they are more popular and often have a higher ansparent proxies – These are a different kind of proxy because their users are usually unaware of their existence. These proxies can be set up by employers or parents who want to monitor users’ online activity and block access to specific websites. Hotels and cafes use them to authenticate users on public Wi-Fi and companies or home users might also set them up to save bandwidth. What is a Virtual Private Network? Like a proxy, a VPN also reroutes your internet traffic through a remote server and hides your IP address so websites can’t see your original IP or location. However, it works on the operating system level, meaning that it redirects all your traffic, whether it’s coming from your browser or a background app. A VPN also encrypts your traffic between the internet and your device. That means the Internet Service Provider (ISP) monitoring your internet activity and collecting data about you can no longer see what you’re doing online – just that you’re connected to a VPN server. The encryption also protects you from government surveillance, website tracking, and any snoopers or hackers who might try to intercept your device. A VPN provides you ultimate online privacy and ’s important to note that both VPN and proxy providers can log user data such as user IP addresses, DNS requests, and other details. You should avoid such providers because they can give this information to law enforcement agencies, advertisers, or hackers if their servers get breached. To keep your activity online truly private, look for a provider that has a strict no-logs main differences between VPN and proxy servicesHere is a quick comparison between the two:VPNs encrypt your traffic while proxy servers don’t. A VPN service protects you from ISP tracking, government surveillance, and hackers. Proxies don’t, so they should never be used to handle sensitive information;VPNs work on the operating system level and reroute all your traffic while proxies work on the application level and only reroute the traffic of a specific app or browser;VPNs can be slower than proxies as they need to encrypt your data; however, there are ways you can improve your connection and browsing speeds; VPNs are usually paid (you shouldn’t trust free VPN services as they have limitations and tend to mine your data) while many proxy servers are free;A VPN connection is more reliable while proxy server connections drop more VPN better than a proxy? Yes, a VPN is better as it provides privacy and security by routing your traffic through secure servers and encrypts your traffic. A proxy simply passes your traffic through a mediating server but doesn’t necessarily offer any extra protection. Moreover, unlike proxies, VPNs work on the operating system level to secure all your you need a proxy if you have a VPN? No. Premium VPN services do the same things as proxies and much more. You could use a proxy for a quick IP change, but keep in mind that not all proxies are safe, and some of them may collect your I use VPN and proxy together? VPNs and proxies can be used together but this can take some work to configure. We also advise against it as the proxy would simply add another middle-man that slows down your connection without significant benefits. It’s better to switch to one or the other when using I use a free proxy or a free VPN? Free proxy and VPN services might come at a cost of your security and privacy. Since developers have to make money somehow, they can snoop on your data in the background, bomb you with adware, or limit the amount of data you can emium VPNs invest heavily in their infrastructure and provide you with top-notch encryption. They offer you a rich server base, 24/7 customer support, and continuous improvement of their services. We recommend avoiding free proxies and free VPNs, as a couple of saved bucks might cost you much more in the long nclusionA VPN and a proxy are similar because they both reroute your traffic through a remote server and hide your original IP. However, a VPN is superior to a proxy server in many respects. If you care about your privacy and security, you should, without a doubt, choose a otect yourself online with NordVPN. Try it now with a risk-free 30 days money-back guarantee!
Emily Green
Verified author
Emily Green is a content writer who loves to investigate the latest internet privacy and security news. She thrives on looking for solutions to problems and sharing her knowledge with NordVPN readers and customers.
Frequently Asked Questions about should i use a proxy
Should proxy be on or off?
Answer: A: Unless you are using an HTTP Proxy (Doubtful), HTTP Proxy should be set to Off.Apr 24, 2021
Is it safe to use a proxy?
Millions of people across the world use free proxy services to bypass censorship filters, improve online security, and access websites that aren’t available in their country. … But an analysis has found those free services come at an unexpected cost for users: their privacy and security.Jul 6, 2015
Is a proxy as good as a VPN?
Is VPN better than a proxy? Yes, a VPN is better as it provides privacy and security by routing your traffic through secure VPN servers and encrypts your traffic. A proxy simply passes your traffic through a mediating server but doesn’t necessarily offer any extra protection.Oct 26, 2021