A proxy is always a network node that acts as an intermediary in the process of request forwarding. However, the Internet is a network of networks that can utilize various protocols and technologies for its operation. The only important standards that make it possible to connect nodes with each other are the TCP (transport protocol) and IP (address space, network layer) stacks.
The rest operates on top of this: HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, L2TP, P2P, DNS, IMAP, SMTP, SSH etc.
Proxies are not an exception. However, proxies do not have their own protocol or any specific technology, so it makes sense to use the existing ones for data forwarding. For proxy purposes, protocols like HTTP (HTTPS) and SOCKS (4 or 5 versions) work better than others. We will discuss them, their differences and their technical features below.
The most in-demand application-level protocol (this is the 7th layer in the OSI model) is HTTP or HTTPS.
HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol - a protocol used to transmit hypertext over a network, which includes information about the structure and markup of web pages, HTML documents. Nowadays, HTTP is used to transmit various data types: images, videos, text etc.
HTML and the DNS system are responsible for the functioning of websites and web services. They make it possible to exchange messages, store photos and documents in the cloud, edit them online, search for any information, watch videos (TV, streaming services).
Since data in the HTTP protocol is transmitted in plain text, the need for an "upgrade" became apparent over time. This is where the secure HTTPS protocol came into play.
In HTTPS, data between a client and a server is encrypted based on SSL/TLS certificates (asymmetric encryption keys). As a result, the data cannot be read even if intercepted in the middle. Only the browser that sent the request to the server or, conversely, the server interacting with a specific browser sample can decrypt the information.
Only HTTP headers are transmitted in plain text.
Both HTTP and HTTPS protocols require the installation of the so-called connection session for data exchange. To avoid opening a new session every time, a client can save its parameters in cookies.
TCP is always used as the transport protocol for HTTP/HTTPS.
What is the Connection Between the HTTP Protocol and Proxy?
HTTP and HTTPS proxies use the same header system and data transmission method as any other participants of the HTTP exchange process: servers and clients (browsers, mobile applications, desktop programs).
The only difference is that alternative ports are primarily used instead of the default one (this is port 80 for HTTP, and port 443 for HTTPS). Port exchange is needed to facilitate the intermediation:
This change of ports and proxy intermediation enables the creation of an alternative route, which is often used to bypass restrictions.
Everything works as before for application software (this is especially crucial for browsers). The only significant nuance is the addition of extra data to the request body. Due to this "nuance," HTTP proxies can implement data caching, filtering and some other actions.
SOCKS, abbreviated from "SOCKet Secure," is a session-level protocol (the 5th layer in the OSI model) that serves as a kind of tunnel to bypass network firewalls.
Unlike the HTTP protocol, SOCKS can independently handle both TCP and UDP connections. Thus, it does not depend on higher-level protocols at layers 6 and 7 of the OSI model. SOCKS is an originally specialized solution for proxying, which makes the connection between SOCKS and proxy evident.
Because a SOCKS session (tunnel) is established at a low level, data exchange for applications, including browsers, happens seamlessly; no additional headers are added to the body of HTTP(HTTPS) requests.
The main data packet can be encrypted and the process is somewhat similar to how it occurs in VPN networks. This is why firewalls cannot filter or block specific data or connections.
Currently, two versions of the protocol are in use:
Let's discuss each of them in detail.
The SOCKS proxy protocol was originally developed to simplify the administration of remote firewalls, letting it bypass network firewalls to transmit data inside a secure perimeter.
The passage through the firewall was achieved through a combination of server and client programs (similar to HTTP connections), with data between them being encrypted.
SOCKS4, developed by engineer Ying-Da Lee at NEC (the initial version of SOCKS was created by David Koblas of MIPS, who made the protocol publicly available in 1992) became the most popular and widely-used version of the SOCKS protocol for common use.
SOCKS5 was introduced in 1996 developed by a team of 6 specialists. SOCKS5 is formalized as an RFC 1928 standard.
What is the Difference Between SOCKS4 и SOCKS5?
Let’s talk about SOCKS4 first:
Let’s proceed to SOCKS5 proxy now:
Please note: SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 are not compatible with each other. This means that a client using the SOCKS4 protocol cannot connect to a server using the SOCKS5 protocol, and vice versa.
Let's compare the technical features of each proxy type below:
Security, Performance and Capabilities of HTTP (HTTPS) Proxies:
Security, Performance and Capabilities of SOCKS4 Proxies:
Security, Performance and Capabilities of SOCKS5 Proxies:
Each technology has its own area of application. To decide on the most suitable solution, you won’t go without HTTP vs SOCKS proxy comparison.
To start with, SOCKS proxies are most useful for working with various application protocols and tasks, including:
SOCKS proxies can offer maximum security and transparency. Moreover, the access to UDP (for SOCKS5 proxies) can enhance performance and efficiency if the network channel quality allows working without error correction.
However, SOCKS proxies require the installation and configuration of special software at the user's end. Another solution is that compatibility should be implemented within specific applications. This is what many torrent clients do.
Built-in support for SOCKS proxies in web scraping applications is quite rare.
HTTP proxies are more widely used for two major reasons: simplicity and accessibility. While they may not be as fast as SOCKS proxies, modern connection speeds effectively mitigate performance issues.
HTTP proxies have lower security yet they can modify HTTP headers, cache and filter content. For instance, header spoofing can be effective if you need to hide your actual location, simulate a specific user-agent type and browser version etc.
For these reasons, HTTP proxies work better for web scraping and competitive website analysis tasks. They can help address many SMM and SEO tasks, conduct testing, bypass restrictions etc. Hopefully, this SOCKS proxy vs HTTP proxy review will help you make the final decision.
SOCKS and HTTP proxies are not created as competitors but rather as solutions for different tasks. Thus, it does not make sense to compare them directly, at least within the context of a specific application area.
SOCKS proxies are primarily needed to create secure tunnels, similar to VPNs. HTTP proxies work best for working with websites and web resources for web scraping, for example, as well as for various other business tasks (multi-accounts, boosting behavioral factors, analytics, testing).
Regardless of the proxy type, the major technical parameters (connection speed, ping, stability, location), as well as the level of security and anonymity will largely depend on the service provider.
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