Anonymous proxies

[dirk_dog]

Is there anyone on here that knows anything about this?

Nothing illegal going on here. I know how to set up the basics in my browser but have a few questions.

If you dont want to discuss it here in the open, then PM me if I can ask you questions.

Thanks.

 

[Swguy]

check out this place


http://www.openproxies.com/


SWG

 

[dirk_dog]

tnx.

heres what in general im wondering about.

-can i get in any kind of trouble with the owner of the proxy im using?

- can i get in any kind of trouble with my own ip provider?

-do i open up my own computer to any kind of security threat?

again, im not trying to do anything illegal. just curious about how this works.
im fooling around with the proxy settings under lan connections under internet options. i havent installed any software.

 

[Avery]

Anonymous proxies (at least the free ones) are a pain in the ass for sites like this. They are usually very slow, and most of the graphics are lost. Also, the free proxies usually won't let you post on discussion boards, only read them.

In addition, some board owners have them set so that it's not possible to even log on with an anonymous proxy. I believe it's to prevent members from using multiple handles from the same computer.

 

[dirk_dog]

Im not talking about using a website thru which to browse sites. I know the are slow and most dont allow posting only browsing.

Im talking about setting my browser settings to use a proxy server. You can go to a site link the one Swguy posted and get the ip address for the proxy server and enter it into the settings for your browser. Some are anonymous some arent. Im not worried about that.
I would like to know however what the ramificaitons of using an open proxy server are.

 

[stan42]

If I understand your question, proxie servers are used to increase the speed of internet access for a group of users. For example, instead of everyone linking to specified site, a server holds a copy, or proxie, of the page which it can serve up and increase performance. Is this what you are trying to do?

 

[dirk_dog]

No. Im looking to surf the web thru a proxie server.

 

[[Server Error]]

There are some potential problems with anonymous proxies.
- You don't know who is running them. Yes, the operators could be someone advocating web privacy, but they could be just as likely hackers waiting to intercept your information or government agencies snooping around.

Your ISP probably doesn't care whether or not you use an anonymous proxy. As for general security, any data you receive or send now pass through one or more machines (the proxy servers). It's up to the users whether or not to trust them. Users need to be aware that some proxy servers support HTTPS while others only plain HTTP.

A quick classification of proxy servers:
- transparent proxy / corporate proxy (usually not anonymous, used for caching, monitoring, filtering, etc.)
- anonymous proxy (users' IP addresses are hidden, but the proxy identifies itself as a proxy)
- highly anonymous proxy (the proxy hides the fact that it is a proxy)

As a rule of thumb, using anonymous proxy servers offers some level of privacy (e.g., prevent web site tracking), but does not render their users truly anonymous. Any TLA can easily find out who these "anonymous" users are and what they are doing.