What is a proxy server in Security+?
D3 · Architecture · CompTIA Security+ SY0-701A proxy server acts as an intermediary between clients and the internet — clients send requests to the proxy, which forwards them on behalf of the client, providing anonymity, content filtering, and security controls.
Types:
🔵 Forward proxy — sits in front of clients (used by organizations to filter outbound web traffic)
🟢 Reverse proxy — sits in front of servers (protects web servers, load balancing, WAF)
🔒 Transparent proxy — intercepts traffic without client configuration
🕵️ Anonymous proxy — hides client's IP address
Types:
🔵 Forward proxy — sits in front of clients (used by organizations to filter outbound web traffic)
🟢 Reverse proxy — sits in front of servers (protects web servers, load balancing, WAF)
🔒 Transparent proxy — intercepts traffic without client configuration
🕵️ Anonymous proxy — hides client's IP address
Forward proxy = protects/monitors clients (content filtering, URL blocking). Reverse proxy = protects servers (WAF, load balancer). SSL inspection proxies (SSL bump) decrypt and re-encrypt HTTPS traffic to inspect content — requires deploying a trusted CA cert to clients.