Proxy Sites Experiment: Good or Dangerous?

An proxy or proxy server is a software which acts in the middle between client and server on the internet. Without proxy, a user will send a request to resources directly the server, and the server will serve direct to the client. Although this method is easy to comprehend and utilize, adding proxies offers advantages, such as more performance, privacy and security, among others. As an additional layer of passing through, proxies act as a safeguard to the internet between servers and users.




In general, the bundled system of server hardware along with the software for proxy installation is commonly called proxy servers. But, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are usually described in terms of software as well as those used in conjunction with web servers. This article will provide a brief overview of the two main types of proxies, the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each has its own usage, which can be confusing because of a similar language.




This article will give you an idea of the how proxies work and what their subtypes are, and their benefits in a range of configurations. Through the article you will understand what situations that a proxy can be advantageous, and decide on the best option for forward proxy or reverse proxy based on the situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also referred to by the name of the open proxy is a proxy for a user who is trying to connect online to an source server. In this case, the whole request sent by the client is instead controlled by the forward proxy. The forward proxy, in the place of the client will review the request. The first step is to check if the client been authorized to transmit requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then reject an request and forward it to the original server. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It is able to access only the information that the forward proxy permits it access to.




A common use case of forward proxies is to provide greater security or privacy on the internet. Forward proxy connects to internet in place of a client and in this process it utilizes an alternate IP address that is different from the client's initial IP address.




Based on the way it is set up in accordance with the method of configuration forward proxy can offer a variety of features dependent on the way it's set up, allowing you to:




Avoid ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Identify restrictions based on your location.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that rely on central security and permission based access, for instance at workplaces. If all internet traffic flows through an common forward proxy, the administrator can restrict access to a specific set of users to the internet by a common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer which can comprise a variety of computers with different environments and users you can have a firewall located at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.




It is essential to note to remember that forward proxy servers must be set up manually for use, whereas reverse proxies can remain unnoticed by clients. Depending on the type of IP address of the client, it is sent to the server that created it through the forward proxy's privacy and security is granted or kept hidden.




There are a myriad of alternatives to consider for forward proxies




Apache is a well-known open-source web server with forward proxy capability.


Nginx: Another well-known open source web server, which has forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: A free forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire web server application. We have instructions on how to set up Squid proxy to permit private connections with Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP and is better suitable for applications such as peer-to -peer traffic. You can also understand how to configure the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy is an agent for web servers that handle any requests made by clients on behalf of. The web server may consist of a single server, or several servers. Additionally, it could serve as an app server such as Gunicorn. In any case, the request comes from a user on the internet generally. The majority of the time requests will get transmitted directly to the server that has all the resources the client is in need of. In contrast, a reverse proxy works as an intermediary and isolates Web servers from direct contact with the open internet.




From a consumer's point of view, interacting with reverse proxy isn't any different from using an internet server direct. It's basically the same however the user cannot be able to discern the difference. The client requests it, then it is then granted without extra configuration that must be performed by the customer.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




A centralized layer of security that protects the server.


Controlling traffic that is inbound on rules that you create.


A new feature to cache has been added.




While central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxies, reverse proxies provide this to only the server layer, but not to the layer that clients use. instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers that can comprise multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of interacting with a firewall and interacting with requests from customers who aren't connected to web servers permits the firewall to concentrate on delivering the needs of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers operating within a reverse proxy, it manages controlling which requests go to which servers. Many web servers may be operating from the same host and serving different kinds of resources or a combination of both. These servers utilize the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. They can also be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can configure reverse proxy settings to direct the clients to specific servers based on the type of resource they're looking for, or to comply with certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies are also able to benefit from their positioning before web servers, by providing caching functions. Large static assets are able to be configured with caching rules to avoid having to call web servers every time you request. Some solutions offering an option to directly serve static files without having to contact the web server even once. In addition reverse proxy solutions can manage compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server can also function as a powerful reverse proxy service. Although it is true it's true Apache website server fitted with an reverse proxy, it is a different option to Apache however Nginx was designed originally for and is focused on reverse proxy functionality.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Examples



Because "forward" and "reverse" come with connotations of directionality as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. They could be confusing because both types of proxies handle requests and respond. An alternative approach to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy service is to consider the needs of the application you're creating.




A reverse proxy is a great option when you are developing a solution to offer web-based services on the internet. They function as servers for any interaction with the Internet.




Forward proxy software is beneficial when it is placed in front of the client for personal use as well as in an office context. They are your client's representative when you connect to the internet.




A case-based distinction instead of focusing on standard naming conventions will assist in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified what a proxy is with two types: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of the benefits were used to differentiate between reverse and forward proxies. If you're interested in learning more about the implementation of proxies we recommend you read our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy with Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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