Many companies experience cyberattacks every year, almost everyday. Data security is becoming the need of the hour as technology progresses.
There are many security protocols in place that protect individual users and businesses from online theft, such as the famed GDPR. Many businesses still fall prey as fraudsters keep using new and undetectable means to breach their defenses.
One such element of cyber security is the use of proxies to block fraudsters from reaching your data and protecting it in the long term. In this article, we’ll take a look at the role proxies play in protecting your organization from data breaches and how to make the most of them.
Understanding the Role of Proxies in Data Security Breaches
Put simply, a proxy server is a gateway between a user and the internet. It acts as a middleman or intermediary between a user’s computer and the websites they visit on them. It provides a plethora of functions to users, such as:
- Anonymous browsing
- Filtering
- Caching
- Monitoring
They contribute to the comprehensive protection of your organization’s data and operations. Your IP address is protected when you surf the Internet, making it difficult for fraudulent parties to gain information on you.
When they try to follow or attack you, they never enter your private network as they’re stopped by the proxy server. You may set a proxy server on your company devices in the form of filters or firewalls.
The bigger the organization, the larger the network of proxies you will need to protect it from different kinds of cyber attacks. Let’s take a deeper look at how proxies can enhance your existing security protocols by bringing a new dimension to them.
1. Ensures security on all devices
A proxy server can be set up on all kinds of devices that are used by an organization. Most companies make use of:
- Computers,
- Tablets, and
- Mobile phones
This means whatever device your employees use to work on company operations, you can secure each and every device by setting up a proxy network.
Buy mobile proxy to ensure employees working on the go are always protected. Invest in a robust ground proxy network to ensure comprehensive protection for in-office employees. Enabling security on all devices is an excellent way to thwart data breach attempts.
This is because the goal of laying a proxy network is to create all-around protection that will prevent scammers from getting into your system and laying their hands on your confidential data.
Moreover, it creates a safe passageway for employees as they work on their day-to-day tasks. They will not have to worry about entering dubious websites or inviting the attention of scammers and can focus on the task at hand.
2. Brings different dimensions to data security
Proxies can be used in various ways to protect the data of an organization and allow for safe browsing on the internet. We mentioned a few functions of proxy servers above, let’s elaborate on that:
a. Anonymous browsing<
When you use a proxy, your IP address is hidden while you use the internet. This means that the destination website cannot see it, making it challenging for scammers to locate you or hunt your data.
Anonymous browsing allowed by proxies makes it safer for employees to venture to different kinds of websites in their research and work with a wider pool of resources.
b. Filtering
Filtering, on the other hand, is referred to making use of proxies to configure and block websites or particular content on them that may be inappropriate or hazardous to come in contact with.
Use filtering to block out websites that:
- may distract your employees,
- could be inappropriate in a work setting,
- or are simply dangerous as they pose the risk of being home to scammers.
This allows for safe browsing by the employees. Your data will be protected as employees will only venture to sites that are safe for them, preventing contact with hackers.
c. Caching
Caching refers to the use of proxies to store data of the websites that are commonly or frequently accessed by a computer. Doing so helps load that particular quickly whenever it’s accessed again, vastly reducing the load on the system.
Caching reduces the load on your organization’s network by reducing the amount of data it needs to download again and again. This in turn increases its speed and offers a smooth experience to your employees.
By limiting the data that is downloaded by your company’s network, you limit your interaction with third-party sites. This practice will help you protect against data breaches by limiting the traffic that goes to and fro from your company’s network.
d. Monitoring
Lastly, proxies can also be used to monitor the internet activity of your employees. If they enter websites that are risky, inappropriate, or irrelevant, you will be alerted and you can act then and there to curb the potential threat.
This practice not only prevents imminent attacks in time but also allows you to monitor employee activities. You can control what websites they access and help them stay on track with their work.
3. Balances your Internet traffic
The quality of traffic you receive on your organization’s network helps determine its legitimacy, especially if you interact with clients and associates on it. If it’s riddled with malicious interactions and presences, it’s going to reflect poorly on the quality of your network.
Proxy servers help balance the traffic of your website by storing site data on multiple servers instead of a single one. This vastly reduces the load on the network and provides a better user experience to your employees, clients, and associates.
This better protects your network from hackers as well as avoids crashes. This collectively results in enhanced goodwill for your company’s network. Moreover, if you receive increased traffic or requests, you can balance them with ease as well.
4. Different servers for different security measures
When looking to understand the role of proxies in preventing data security breaches, it’s important to understand the different kinds of proxies available to you. It will help you choose better and pick the ones that go with your organization’s framework.
Some of the most common proxies are:
a. Anonymous Proxy
One of the common proxies, it focuses on accessing the Internet without leaving any traces of your identity, such as the IP addresses. Use this to browse safely and avoid scammers getting their hands on any of your data.
b. Forward Proxy
It’s used on networks that have a single point of entry. It sits on the entry point and whenever a request is sent to it, it examines the request and decides whether it should proceed with the action or not. A Forward Proxy server serves as a barrier between hackers and your system.
c. Transparent Proxy
A transparent proxy is one that does not make its presence known to the user, i.e., the experience a user receives with the use of a transparent proxy is one that is identical to not using a proxy at all.
The goal is to deploy a proxy on a device without letting the user know that they are being protected and monitored.
d. Distorting Proxy
This server hides its identity by providing an incorrect IP address to the websites it visits. Hackers may store your data but it will be useless to them.
e. Residential Proxy
Give out a single IP address for all activities that belong to a device of your choice. This is done when organizations wish to run ads on their websites but block out scammers hunting for data.
5. Security of online transactions
To make use of the privacy proxy servers offer, set them up to encrypt online searches as well as transactions. It will monitor your network traffic while monetary transactions are being made by or to your business, helping prevent the intrusion of hackers.
The configuration set by you to your proxy server will immediately recognize a malicious website entering the network and block it then and there, preventing data breaches before happening.
Additionally, you may deploy a VPN to provide remote access to users securely for online transactions. This allows you to entertain a of a proxy as well as a VPN.
Make the Most of Proxies to Monitor Internet Activities and Avoid Data Breaches
Data breaches are some of the most common cyber threats that not only harm an organization’s operation, but also its goodwill and the safety of its employees, clients, and associates.
As scammers come up with nefarious ways to breach into your organization’s system, make use of proxy servers to monitor internet activity and protect your systems at all times. Proxy servers help you mask your identity for safe browsing under the nose of scammers.
Moreover, they help you identify malicious intrusions in your system to block them then and there. It allows you to secure your online transactions and limit interaction with malicious sites.
Let us know in the comments how you think proxies aid network security for an enhanced user experience.