What is a proxy site?

1st September 2025

Keeping your device separate from the internet, could a proxy site improve your cyber security, or do they pose a risk?

Sometimes, having a buffer between you and danger is a great way of keeping safe. Barriers in dangerous areas like cliffs prevent us from falling; similarly, barriers in art galleries keep the priceless works safe from us!

Proxy sites work like a barrier: you can use them, enter a URL, get content from that URL via the proxy server and then you can view it, but your IP address is masked. It will appear as if the request came from the proxy site, not your device, so you keep your anonymity.

Positives: as stated, hiding your IP address protects your privacy, as it masks your identity and location – it might be particularly useful for journalists or researchers in high-risk environments.

Additionally, you can use proxy sites to access blocked websites (maybe if your workplace has them blocked, or if they’re blocked regionally) and some proxies block malicious content and ads, giving you more protection.

Negatives: there are, however, security risks that may outweigh the positives. Untrusted proxy sites can log your activity or steal your details by intercepting your data. Proxy sites give a false sense of security: your traffic isn’t encrypted, so your data can still be intercepted.

Furthermore, some proxy sites inject ads or malware when you use them, posing a cyber security threat to you. Also, attackers can use proxy sites to hide their identity, making them more of a threat than a protective tool.

While in theory proxy sites could help improve cyber security, because there are so few trusted proxy services it isn’t worth the risk. If you are going to use them, don’t enter any sensitive data, and use EDR and firewall protection in case of an attack, but we recommend avoiding them altogether and using a VPN or Tor instead.

If you have any more questions about proxy sites, please contact Interfuture Security.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/62e7TmLqaoQ