A proxy is a software that intercepts traffic and forward it to the destination on behave of the client. This extra layer provide several advantages such as caching, load balancing, content filtering and much more. Some implementations of proxy can be used by governments to spy on its citizens. We made a video about proxy vs reverse proxy check it out if you want to learn more about the difference. In this video we will explain the different types of HTTP proxies and the benefits and use cases of using each coming up.

Transparent proxy (gateway)

HTTP insecure proxy

Service Mesh Proxy

Transparent proxy

It is mostly used by the ISPs, clients don’t know they are connected to transparent proxy. The way it works is it looks at TCP/IP layer 4/3 and forward it to the destination, it might do some content filtering based on the IP address or the port so it blocks certain sites. But thats pretty much it. transparent proxy cannot know which pages are you viewing or your what youtube videos are you watching. It can block you from watching youtube all together but it cannot block you from watching lets say a specific youtube channel that is critical of the government ISP is located at.

Transparent proxy doesn’t change the content.

HTTP Proxy (insecure)

This kind of proxy is used alot, especially in service meshes like linkerd. This kind of proxy have to be configured in the client to use it. Each request will always be targeted to the proxy IP address / port. So when want to make a GET request to husseinnasser.com, and you have a proxy configured, when you look at the TCP packet for that request the destination IP and port is those of the proxy. The proxy looks at the GET request and specifically the HOST header and establishes another TCP connection to the actual destination on husseinnasser.com. So this kind of proxy maintains two tcp connections. Client to proxy and proxy to destination. The proxy have access to the content, it can block the website. It can know what exact page you are viewing. It knows everything because HTTP is insecure. Assuming youtube uses just HTTP, if you have a proxy setup it can block a specific channel or even video from being viewed.

1:05 proxy vs reverse proxy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozhe__GdWC8

2:50 TLS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlE5X1NlHgg

Kazakhstan government is now intercepting all HTTPS traffic

https://www.zdnet.com/article/kazakhstan-government-is-now-intercepting-all-https-traffic/

Episode 103 - What is an HTTP Proxy? (Transparent, HTTP and Service Mesh Proxy examples)

The Backend Engineering Show with Hussein Nasser