Are you concerned about the security and privacy of your data while searching for something on the internet? If so, you can consider using an internet proxy.
Internet proxies are the intermediary gateways that connect users to the servers. Similar to Virtual Private Network (VPN), proxies are primarily used for creating and using a personal network for privacy and security from attackers over the internet.
In this article, we will discuss the various benefits of proxies and the serious concerns with using proxies, with a brief comparison with VPNs. Also, learn about What Is Mobile Proxy & How Do They Work by reading this article.
Although proxy is mainly used for the security of the user’s data, it has several other benefits too. The following are the other advantages of using an internet proxy.
The most common reason for using a proxy is security. It creates a gateway and a firewall between a user and the server that safeguards the data from breaching.
In the virtual network, a proxy uses a different IP address on behalf of the user. It restricts malware, and viruses, and prevents the tracking of your real-time location from hackers. You can also take advantage of proxies to change your location.
A proxy can also be used to block certain websites and types of content over the internet by intervening in the connection.
This functionality of proxy is used by
Using a proxy not only blocks access to certain content but can also provide access to the blocked sites. You can access the blocked content by changing your IP address in a virtual network.
With a British proxy, an internet user can access the content and services of a blocked website while being in a different country.
Due to the cruelty of dictatorship and isolation from the world, the citizens of North Korea need proxies the most.
The privacy of the internet user is sustained through a duplicate IP address created by the proxy.
It creates anonymity for the user by changing the IP address and making sure your personal information doesn’t get leaked, like the location of the user.
Proxy also reduces the loading time of frequently accessed websites and pages by caching the data. It improves the speed and performance of the landing pages.
This functionality of proxies can be used for often-visited sites and pages such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and many more.
Bandwidth is the amount of data transferred through internet connections in a given time period.
Undoubtedly, if the proxy is caching the data of frequently visited websites and pages, it will save bandwidth, improving the functionality of the connection.
Up to now, we have discussed the advantages of proxies, but that’s not all that comes with it. Now, let’s discuss the disadvantages of using proxies.
Although proxies protect you from malware, viruses, and IP address tracking, they don’t safeguard you from Internet Service Provider tracking, government surveillance, or hackers.
Most hackers use public web proxies for criminal activities so, using those proxies can draw you into the targets of hackers. Moreover, if a proxy server is not configured perfectly, it can lead to data breaches, identity theft, and many more.
Considering all the security functionality, the legality of proxy has always been a concern.
Not all the proxies are compatible with the local servers. To solve this issue, users need to seek out unique network setups or choose a proxy compatible with their network setup.
Furthermore, the proxy doesn’t encrypt the data while sharing and transferring. It can lead to data theft and breaches. To encrypt data, you can use Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Proxy Identity Based Encryption (proxy IBE).
Even though proxies are known for their privacy, they are not completely private.
The Investigatory Powers Act allows the government to access a massive amount of personal data. This law enables internet service providers to keep the search history and data of the last 12 months with themselves.
Using proxies can be very useful if your primary purpose is just to make general searches over the internet. These not only safeguard your data and privacy but also improve the performance and experience of the user by improving the speed and allowing access to blocked sites. Additionally, proxies can help you maintain anonymity while browsing, making it harder for third parties to track your online activities. This can be particularly beneficial when accessing restricted content, ensuring that users from different regions can bypass geo-restrictions. For those concerned with security, proxies can also be paired with dark web monitoring tools to detect and prevent any potential threats lurking in the dark web.
Also Read: Proxy Servers – An Essential Component of Modern Cybersecurity
Countries that are under huge censorship and surveillance have banned the usage of any web proxies and virtual private networks (VPNs). The following are some countries where using proxy, and VPN is illegal.
Different types of proxies are:-
Follow these steps to use a proxy in Google Chrome:-
Step 1:- Click the three dots in the top right corner of Google Chrome.
Step 2:- Go to the ‘setting’ and navigate to ‘system’.
Step 3:- Under the system, click ‘Open your computer’s proxy settings’.
Step 4:- Now click on ‘set up proxy’ and enter the proxy server address and port number.
Using a free proxy server is not ideal for security purposes. Most of the hackers use free proxies for unethical activities. Using a free proxy can put the data and privacy at risk.
Residential proxies are the best as they provide a real IP duplicate, making them nearly impossible to track. Just do not make changes to it on your own.
