Freedom Down

The Two Faces of an Anonymous Proxy

If you want to maintain your anonymity when you are surfing the Internet, the best way to do it is by using an anonymous proxy. With today's ultra modern technology, your geographical location, personal IP address, the web browser that you are using and even your computer's operating system can be detected by a simple Javascript. Because proxies create a buffer of protection which prevents disclosure of your information whenever you are browsing websites, the danger of attacks by hackers and spammers is greatly minimized, if not , altogether eliminated. If you connect directly to a website that you want to browse without using an anonymous proxy, your computer sends a request for the files that you need and the website server replies about the information it requires from your computer in order to know which web pages it can be made available or opened for you. Your browser will normally send the website server the following information: the name and version of your browser; the name and a version of your operating system; your browser's configuration such as color depth, display resolution and javascript support; the IP address of your computer and other vital information. From your IP address alone, the web server will be able to determine the country where you are connecting from; your city; the name of your Internet provider and email address; and, your own physical address. Unscrupulous operators of websites gather these information which they need in order to send you unwanted spam, among others. An anonymous proxy is a proxy server that hides a client's IP address. The use of proxies is a method by which you connect to a particular website that you want to browse without doing it directly from the IP address assigned to your computer. Instead of directly connecting to that particular website, you merely have to connect to a web proxy which will then connect to your desired website without divulging your own IP address. From the very word itself, the proxy server will be acting on your behalf and forward your request to the particular website that you want to visit for the purpose of gaining access to sites that are blocked in certain locations such as schools or an Internet provider firewall. While the use of an anonymous proxy provides you a certain degree of protection, it is also prone to abuse by spammers themselves and other users who exploit their anonymity in the Internet for illegal and unorthodox purposes. This should be discouraged otherwise, Internet service providers will have a good reason to block all proxies altogether.

About the Author:

Peter Garant has written many articles about Internet Proxy servers for a recently launched website about Proxy Sites. Visit The Two Faces of an Anonymous Proxy.