Top 5 Cloud Proxy Solutions

Providing organizations with secure web access has become a top priority with cloud web gateways, cloud web filtering solutions, and cloud proxy solutions. Hackers can use malicious phishing websites, malware, and viruses to gain access to your private data, so it is essential for employees to keep their personal information secure online.

To begin with, you should always use cloud-based web filtering services as your first line of defence. By using one of these security solutions, businesses can take precautions against the spread of online viruses and dangerous websites. The user can also receive reports about the behaviour they are engaging in online. Various configurations of web filtering platforms are available to suit different types of uses and other types of environments. It may be to the benefit of small and medium-sized businesses or educational institutions to use some, while large enterprises may be more interested in manipulating others.

You can learn more about the best cloud web gateways for businesses by looking at this article. It is essential to ensure they provide features, security, and reporting. Among other subjects, we will discuss the effectiveness of their threat protection, the quality of their reporting, the features they provide, and the safeguarding of their data. The list below will assist you in finding the best Cloud Web Filtering Solutions available.

Why is it Necessary to Use a Cloud Proxy?

The cloud proxy is a technique similar to reverse proxies in that client requests pass through the proxy before reaching a website, and responses (e.g., permission to access a website) give back to the client through the proxy. However, it is essential to note that the cloud proxy does not possess the same hardware restrictions as a traditional appliance-based proxy since it is hosted in the cloud rather than relying on a colocation data center. 

How Does Cloud Proxy Work?

Cloud proxy services integrate with authentication services (such as single sign-on), enabling them to operate inline without agents. The cloud proxy automatically redirects incoming traffic to managed cloud apps, providing a straightforward user experience.

By acting as middlemen or representatives for the servers where sensitive data resides, cloud proxy servers protect sensitive data (e.g., PCI). Client requests are routed first through the cloud proxy, then through a firewall port specified by that firewall, then to the content server, and then back to the cloud proxy. There is no direct communication between the client and the server; instead, the client interprets the responses as if they were. Following are the basic steps:

   • Cloud proxy intercepts a request sent by the client and passes it on to the server

   • It may be necessary for the cloud proxy to forward incoming requests to a firewall if necessary

   • It is up to the firewall whether to block or forward the request to the server, depending on the situation that arises

   • A firewall is placed between the server and the proxy server, which sends the response of the server over the internet

   • When the cloud proxy receives a response, it sends it immediately to the client

Due to the elasticity of the cloud, all of the above is performed in near-real time, no matter how much traffic is coming in.

5 Best Cloud Proxy Solutions

Oxylabs

Oxylabs’ cloud proxy solution is considered one of the best on the market. Using its services, you can efficiently perform proxy-driven tasks like marketing intelligence. Over 110 million IP addresses are available, and the service has global coverage. 

With a colorful dashboard and an easy-to-navigate design, this software is easy to use. Statistical data about your usage can be accessed through this tool. Additionally, the website has sections dedicated to billing and ordering new services. It is not possible to manage proxies from the dashboard. Alternatively, Oxylabs’ products can easily be integrated with software that supports proxy usage. In addition to testing proxy servers, Oxylabs also offers a Google Chrome extension that enables users to browse the web while testing proxies.

ProxyCrawl Smart Proxy

ProxyCrawl protects against malware, browser exploits, and more. Providing proxies from the cloud to residential and mobile devices, ProxyCrawl has been among the best proxy providers of cloud-based proxies for many years. Real-time threat protection from a proxy ensures that it effectively detects and blocks web-based threats. 

By using the admin controls provided by ProxyCrawl, you can customize the service according to your specific needs. Administrators can restrict bandwidth usage and filter particular URLs. An option in the program called ‘Continue Anyway’ can be used by advanced users. In addition to improving usability for end users and reducing IT support tickets, this approach allows people who know of a safe URL to access the site even if the platform deems it unsafe.

The service has been hailed for its ease of use and high customer performance. Using ProxyCrawl, you can block inbound email threats and integrate with various services and applications.

Bright Data

Bright Data can also be a free alternative to cloud proxy solutions. Several thousands of professionals worldwide currently trust this vendor for their security needs as we speak. It is a tool that provides a wide range of options that can be used to gather a wide range of information as it is a highly feature-rich tool. There will be a neat dashboard on the left side of the screen that you can use to keep track of your progress as you go along. A quick walkthrough guide gives an overview of all the services you can access on the website. The preview button allows you to see a snippet of each feature. 

The console allows you to maintain your online proxy services from the same place as your other accounts. It has a pay-per-use service (PAYG) for its customers, which allows them to pay for their services. You can efficiently allocate bandwidth by allocating bandwidth, IP pools, and network ports based on IP pool size. 

ScraperAPI

ScraperAPI is also highly recommended as one of the best cloud proxy solutions. Aside from CAPTCHAs, this program can detect bots in the form of JavaScript and other forms of bot detection. An easy-to-use scraper tool is included with the service, which has over 40 million IP addresses from different countries. Whenever they are started, IPs rotate automatically in the background. The raw HTML of any site can be retrieved by entering its URL. You can use a static IP address if you want a more permanent session.

The desktop and mobile user agents are also available, as are custom headers, automatic retries, and custom headers. If you want to make your traffic appear from a computer or phone, you may be able to do so. However, it is less sophisticated than others, so you’ll have to parse the data manually since it is not as complex. It is the ideal solution for developers with their scraping solutions due to its simplicity and API access.

Smartproxy

Smartproxy is one of the best cloud proxy solutions for consumers and businesses. This tool works best for basic scraping tasks on the internet, including data collection and extraction. With BackConnect Proxies, you get back-connect proxies, anonymous browsing, and global connectivity, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

Setup is a straightforward process that needs to be followed to ensure a smooth experience. You can choose either the Firefox or Google Chrome extension when you install the extension since it is possible to select both browsers. Both dashboards feature a simple user interface. This website has an excellent organization of all its features. Last but not least, there is 24/7 chat support available through this service. 

With this proxy service, you can access a wide range of features. Data centres owned by the company can be found in eight different cities worldwide. Consequently, you can access 40 million IP addresses. Proxy connections can be made simultaneously with the service. These methods allow you to access geo-blocked resources easily. 

Final Thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read this article; I hope you found it useful. Using a proxy enhances the control and visibility over the threats coming from all the different areas of a company’s operations, enables the enforcement of all established policies to avoid incidents from occurring, and improves the security of the company itself. 

Andrej Fedek

Andrej Fedek is a digital marketer. He recently started his own blog about digital marketing called InterCool Studio. His passion is to help startups grow and thrive in a competitive environment.