Proxies

What is the proxy?

• is when a device or service sits in the middle of a connection and acts as a mediator.

• The mediator is the critical piece of information because it means the device in the middle must be able to inspect the contents of the traffic.

• Without the ability to be a mediator, the device is technically a gateway, not a proxy.

• proxies almost operate at Layer 7 of the OSI Model.

The key types Of proxy services:

1. Dedicated Proxy / Forward Proxy: when a client makes a request to a computer, and that computer carries out the request.

2. Reverse Proxy: the reverse of a Forward Proxy, used to listen on an address and forward it to a closed-off network.

3. Transparent Proxy: client doesn't know about its existence, intercepts the client's communication requests to the Internet, and acts as a substitute instance.