Proxies Serve to Supplement Security

August 1997 / Reviews / All the Web's a Stage / Proxies Serve to Supplement Security

TrustedWeb is able to maintain compatibility with most Web servers by implementing what is known as a proxy server. This is a piece of server software that acts as an intermediary between a browser and a Web server. All requests for access to protected Web, FTP, and other content are filtered through the proxy server. In addition, the proxy server can allow or deny access based on rules configured by administrators. In TrustedWeb's case, its rules are based on user roles (as described in the main article).
A proxy server receives access requests from Web browsers (and other Internet tools, such as FTP clients) through a special TCP port. It analyzes each request, checking to see whether the system making the request is on the list of systems permitted access. In intranets, proxy servers are configured to deny access to IP addresses outside the company's assigned ranges. Individual users might have their access to certain (or all) external sites logged or restricted. And proxy servers offer the ability to use a low-cost (i.e., single IP address) Internet link to bring Internet services to a number of systems. Microsoft's Proxy Server product, for in-stance, automatically dials your Internet provider on demand.
Proxy servers and firewalls usually operate together; they can even be combined into a single product. Working together, a firewall and a proxy server provide an excellent defense against unauthorized external access.

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Matthew Wilson
My approach to software engineering is far more pragmatic than it is theoretical--and no language better exemplifies this than C++.

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