What is a Proxy?

A proxy is a web page that provides Internet users with the ability to browse web sites that may be blocked by a content filter, such as WebSense or SmartFilter. By making use of the proxy as the portal to the blocked site, it is possible to circumvent the work of whatever content filter is in place. At the same time, the proxy site also helps to mask the visit to the site, so that there is less evidence that the content filter was not successful in preventing the visit.

How Does A Proxy Work?

Essentially, the proxy will provide the same ability to browse the Internet as any other web browser. A proxy site allows the user to key in a specific web address and be directed to that specific page in a window. This accomplishes two things. First, the window is coded as part of the proxy site address and not the actual web site the user is visiting. Second, any information cached on in the temporary Internet files will appear to be information related to the proxy site, and not the blocked web site.

Why Use A Proxy?

One of the legitimate uses of a proxy site is to get around blocked content that may contain one or two words that the filter has identified as inappropriate for viewing. Many companies make use of filters to limit the ability of employees to spend time looking at web pages that are not related to job functions in some manner. This is usually accomplished with the use of key words that programmed into the filter, which in turn blocks any page or site with those words present. While this does block access to a number of sites that have nothing to do with work, they can also inhibit access to pages and glossaries that are designed to be helpful in many job positions.

When this is the case, an employee may choose to use a proxy site to get around the block and be able to get to a page that he or she legitimately needs to view in order to accomplish a work related task. Since using a proxy site does not take much longer than using a browser window, it is much faster than calling technical support and trying to get authorization to remove a given site from the filter list.

Many totalitarian nations also use content filters to block their residents from finding information on the world wide web which may not be approved by the regime in power. Residents of those nations can use proxy sites to access news and information from the free world.

Another advantage of using the proxy site is that the IP address of the user is not logged. This helps to ensure the privacy and anonymity of Internet users