Archive:Anonymous proxy: Difference between revisions

{{about|computer software|the company|Anonymizer (company)}}

An '''anonymizer''' or an '''anonymous proxy''' is a tool that attempts to make activity on the [[Internet]] untraceable. It is a [[proxy server]] computer that acts as an intermediary and [[privacy]] shield between a client computer and the rest of the [[Internet]]. It accesses the Internet on the user's behalf, protecting personal information of the user by hiding the client computer's [[Personal identifying information|identifying information]] such as IP addresses.<ref name="how">{{cite web |url=http://www.livinginternet.com/i/is_anon_work.htm |title=How Anonymizers Work |access-date=2007-08-03 |work=The Living Internet}}</ref><ref>{{cite IETF |rfc=4949 |title=Internet Security Glossary, Version 2 |first=R. |last=Shirey |date=August 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rajagukguk |first1=Serina |title=Web Proxy Servers |url=https://www.router-reset.com/10-best-free-web-proxy-servers-2019/ |access-date=16 February 2019}}</ref> Anonymous proxy is the opposite of [[Proxy server#Transparent proxy|transparent proxy]], which sends user information in the connection [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol#Request message|request]] [[List of HTTP header fields|header]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Keenan |first1=James |title=What is an Anonymous Proxy? |url=https://smartproxy.com/blog/what-is-an-anonymous-proxy |website=Smartproxy.com |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref> Commercial anonymous proxies are usually sold as [[VPN service|VPN services]].

There are many reasons for using anonymizers, such as minimizing risk, prevention of [[identity theft]], or protecting search histories from public disclosure.