My Understanding - A proxy server is like a middleman sitting between a client device (like a laptop or phone) and the internet (server). It receives requests from the client, checks them against rules or policies*, and either* forwards them to the destination server if allowed, or blocks/restricts them if they don’t comply with network policies.
Definition:
A proxy server is an intermediary server that handles communication between a client and a destination server, enforcing security, filtering, logging, or caching policies as it forwards or denies requests.
There are different Type of proxy
Type | What It Does | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
Transparent Proxy | Relays requests without modifying them; users often don’t know it’s there. | Schools, businesses, libraries for filtering/caching. |
Forward Proxy | Intermediary between clients & internet; forwards requests on behalf of internal users. | Central control & security for internal networks. |
Anonymous Proxy | Hides client’s IP from destination; allows bypassing IP bans or geo-restrictions. | Privacy, accessing restricted sites. |
High Anonymity Proxy | Conceals both client’s IP and the fact that a proxy is used; provides highest anonymity. | Users requiring complete anonymity (e.g., journalists). |
Distorting Proxy | Sends fake IP address to destination, masking both client and proxy’s identity. | Location spoofing, investigations, penetration testing. |
Reverse Proxy | Intercepts incoming requests from internet to servers; decides whether to serve or forward to backend servers. | Load balancing, security, caching for web servers. |
In short:
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Forward proxies → protect/control clients’ access to the internet.
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Reverse proxies → protect/control servers’ responses to the internet.
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Transparent/anonymous/high-anonymity/distorting proxies → ways to hide or control identity and content.i