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HTTP proxy

(also HTTP filter)

HTTP proxy definition

A Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) proxy intermediates clients and web servers. It filters content and can protect endpoints and networks from various attacks. The HTTP proxy also caches frequently accessed pages, can mask the IP address of the client, and provide load balancing and additional security. In addition, it enables users to deny cookies, adjusts HTTP request length, blocks specified URLs, and customizes the deny message other people see when connecting to a web page blocked by the HTTP proxy.

HTTP proxy benefits

  • Security. An HTTP proxy detects and filters malicious activity, blocks access to malicious websites, and protects users’ web servers from almost any attack.
  • Privacy. An HTTP proxy can hide users’ IP addresses for a higher level of anonymity on the web.
  • Content restrictions. An HTTP proxy can restrict specific types of content from entering a network, block domain and file names, or the extensions that appear in the URL.
  • Better performance. An HTTP proxy can distribute incoming traffic across multiple web servers, also known as load balancing, to improve the performance and availability of web services.