There is so much disinformation regarding proxies on the internet, it's not surprising nobody knows which is the best proxy to use. In fact one of the really worrying aspects of this, that proxies have in some way become synonymous with being secure.

The simple fact is that proxies can make you secure, but they can also achieve the exact opposite. So I thought I'd try and briefly explain the role of the proxy and what they do.

Remember that the proxy is an intermediary, it's a server that sits between you and the web sites you visit. This is great if you want to surf anonymously or bypass some restriction but you are sending (and trusting) all your data to the owner of the proxy server.

Let's illustrate if I can, if you are using a proxy server either a web based one, or surfing from owrk or school - every request for a web page goes to the proxy first. The proxy server examines the header and the packet content and checks with it's own internal rules.

An anonymous proxy server would reconstruct the data packet with a different IP address for instance. The proxy server than sends the request to the target web server and receives the reply. The reply is then forwarded back to the initial client.

There are many reasons people use proxies but the fact that all your data is directed through them should not be forgotten. In work or school, a proxy server is usually enforced to ensure that nobody breaks the internet usage policy and to stop people accessing inappropriate content.

Some people will set up caching proxy servers which are just there for speed to save frequently accessed web sites, a transparent proxy will not modify any of the requests and therefore doesn't hide your IP address. A hostile proxy is there to steal your information and passwords.

These are just a few, but the uses are varied. But remember whatever proxy you use whether it's that one page web proxy on the internet surrounded by ads, or a sophisticated caching proxy at work - the administrator of that proxy has complete control of your data so take care. In short the best proxy is one run securely by someone you can trust, who secures and deletes your data.