Cybersecurity is getting more popular by the day. More and more people treat it seriously as they start realizing how important it is and what dangers the Internet can have. Users aim for anonymity. They wish to secure personal information. That’s when proxy servers come in. Let’s discuss what they are and how they work.
What is a proxy server?
A proxy is an intermediate between a user’s device and a website. This link between the two end-points also encrypts the data lest it was intercepted, tampered with, or stolen.
How does the proxy server work?
Let’s imagine a situation when you want to open any website. What do you do? Right. You turn on the device (a PC, laptop, tablet, etc.), give it a command by entering the website address, or using the searching engine, and you see the result. The latter is the information you desire. Here’s what happens in the background:
- The computer sends your request to the proxy server it’s connected to;
- The proxy reaches the site and retrieves the information;
- Encrypted data is sent to the user’s device from the proxy.
As you see, users do not have a direct connection to the website. It prevents any viruses or malware from getting to the device. Furthermore, the website doesn’t usually know a user visited the site because the site only sees the IP of a proxy. It may come in handy if you need to open a website in Germany which is restricted in your country.
Final thoughts
There are numerous types of proxies. They deliver different features and offer several levels of protection/ anonymity. To get the most from using such services, users should pay attention to the service provider. Choose wisely and pick reliable companies with zero-log policy and impeccable reputation.
