How Do Websites Detect Anonymizing Proxy Connections?

 

When you receive the “Anonymous Proxy Detected” error message, it means a website has detected that your connection is going through a proxy. Using a high-quality residential proxy service and correctly configuring your browser settings can help reduce the chances of encountering this error.

Websites often detect anonymizing proxies API through an analysis of HTTP header fields. For example, a proxy will often retain the Via or X-Forwarded-For headers that directly expose the original IP address of the connection. Other header fields may also contain information that can identify the type of proxy used, such as the Proxy-NAME or Server-Name field.

Other methods for detecting proxy use include analyzing user behavior. For example, if the user’s mouse movement trajectories or click patterns are statistically different from those of a typical web user, the website may detect proxy use. A website may also flag proxy use if it detects that the user is using a static IP or that their requests are coming from multiple proxies in rapid succession.

API for Detecting Anonymous IP Addresses: Improve Compliance and Security

Another way to detect proxies is through real-time IP reputation scoring. Security companies and online services have databases that are continuously updated to identify a variety of public proxies, VPNs, TOR exit nodes, and data center connections with a high probability of being associated with malicious activity. The best proxy detection solutions leverage this data set and can identify a wide range of proxies, VPNs, TOR, and other shared connections that are associated with cybercriminals and abusers online.