Best 20 Usages of Proxies For Engineering

In engineering and science, progress is now often driven by the ability to gather, process, and analyze vast amounts of data. Proxies, and by extension open proxies, serve as indispensable tools in this data-centric activity, primarily by enabling automated data collection and global-scale testing. Scientists and engineers frequently need to collect large public datasets from web sources for research, such as gathering climate data from government websites, compiling linguistic corpuses from online forums, or aggregating market data to train economic models. A single IP address making thousands of requests would be quickly blocked, but by routing traffic through a pool of proxies, these automated scripts can run uninterrupted.

The utility of proxies extends beyond data gathering into the critical phases of testing and verification. For software engineers developing applications for a global audience, proxies are essential for simulating user experiences from different geographical locations. By using a proxy located in Japan, a developer in Germany can test website localization, verify ad placements, and measure application performance as if they were a local user. Similarly, network engineers can use external proxies to test the robustness of their own firewall configurations.

This specific article is a complementary reading to the OSINT article:

What Is A Proxy ?

An internet proxy, often referred to as a proxy server, acts as an intermediary gateway between a user and the internet. When a user connects to the internet through a proxy, their web requests are first sent to the proxy server. The proxy server then forwards this request to the website or online resource on the user’s behalf, using its own IP address. This process effectively masks the user’s original IP address, providing a layer of anonymity and making it appear as though the proxy server is the one making the request. The website sends the requested information back to the proxy, which then forwards it to the user. This fundamental process of routing traffic through a third-party server is the core of how internet proxies function.

The use of internet proxies offers several key benefits related to security, privacy, and performance. By hiding a user’s true IP address, proxies enhance online privacy and can help bypass geographic content restrictions. In a corporate or organizational setting, proxies are often used as firewalls and web filters to control internet usage and block access to malicious or inappropriate websites. They can also improve network performance by caching (storing) frequently accessed web pages, which allows for quicker access on subsequent requests. Overall, by acting as a middleman, a proxy server provides users and organizations with greater control over their internet traffic, bolstering security and privacy in the process.

Open Proxies “Quality” Levels

Open proxies are categorized into different “quality” levels based on the degree of anonymity they provide to the user. These levels are determined by how the proxy server handles the client’s IP address and other identifying information when forwarding requests to a web server. The three primary levels of open proxies, distinguished by their anonymity, are Elite Proxies, Anonymous Proxies, and Transparent Proxies.

Note that what is described below are the usual defined features and behaviors (when no error, nor special trick, nor malicious features …).

1. Elite Proxies Level 1 – High Anonymity Often referred to as High Anonymity proxies, Elite proxies offer the highest level of privacy. When using an elite proxy, the target server cannot detect that a proxy is being used. These proxies should not forward any information that could identify the user, such as the original IP address. They achieve this by stripping out all identifying headers from the user’s request. Hides your IP address: the destination server should not receive your real IP address. Hides the fact you are using a proxy: the server cannot tell that the request is coming from a proxy. No identifying headers: headers like `X-Forwarded-For` and `Via` are not sent to the destination server.

2. Anonymous Proxies Level 2 – Medium Anonymity Anonymous proxies, also known as distorting proxies, provide a moderate level of anonymity. They successfully hide your real IP address from the target server, but they do reveal that the request is being made through a proxy. This is typically done by adding a `Via` header to the request or by sending the proxy’s IP address in the `X-Forwarded-For` header.* Hides your IP address: the destination server sees the proxy’s IP address, not yours. Identifies itself as a proxy: the server is aware that a proxy is being used. May be blocked: some websites may restrict access from known anonymous proxies.

3. Transparent Proxies Level 3 – No Anonymity Transparent proxies, also called “intercepting proxies“, do not provide any anonymity to the user. They pass along the user’s real IP address in the `X-Forwarded-For` header and also identify themselves as a proxy server. These proxies are often used for caching data to speed up access to frequently visited websites or by organizations to filter content. Reveals your real IP address: the destination server can see your actual IP address. Identifies itself as a proxy: the server knows that a proxy is in use. Primarily used for caching and filtering: their main purpose is not to provide privacy.