Proxy Servers – Protection against hacking attacks

Proxy is a network computer that can serve as an intermediate for connection with other computers. They are usually used for the following purposes:

• As firewall, a proxy protects the local network from outside access.
• As IP-addresses multiplexer, a proxy allows to connect a number of computers to Internet when having only one IP-address
• Proxy servers can be used (to some extent) to anonymize web surfing.
• Specialized proxy servers can filter out unwanted content, such as ads or ‘unsuitable’ material.
• Proxy servers can afford some protection against hacking attacks.
  The program Wingate is often used as proxy. Quite a number of such proxies are open to easy access. Anonymous proxies hide the real IP address (and sometimes other information) from websites that the user visits. There are two sorts; ones can be used in the same way as the non-anonymous proxies above, and web-based anonymizers.
  Using a non-anonymous proxy:
  HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR = 62.64.175.55, 194.72.9.37. This shows the IP address (first number) and possibly the IP address of the proxy server used (second).
  Using an anonymous proxy:
  HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR = 66.51.107.3 This now only shows the IP address of the proxy.