Proxy Server Usage for Access Control in Corporate Networks
What do you see when you enter a private office building? You see a receptionist at the front desk, but there is one thing you need to learn about the receptionist. She functions as a proxy who controls access to the building.
She is making sure to verify visitors’ identities along with checking the appointment schedules. It is her job to grant authorized access to specific offices or floors, which is precisely how proxy servers work for access control in corporate organizations.
Technically speaking, a proxy server acts as a gateway between the user and the server. It comes with its IP address and enhances the network’s security level.
A proxy server for access control is handy when handling a corporate company. With it, you can save your data from breaches and hackers constantly waiting for your network’s vulnerability.
Understanding Access Control?
Access control determines who can access certain things, like data or resources. At the same time, it also means allowing authorized access to your data to certain people. With access control, you can protect sensitive information and keep everything secure and safe.
Have you ever wondered about the importance of an attendance register? It means so much for the school because the facility controls access to the classroom through the attendance register. Only the registered candidates are allowed inside, and a perfect example of access control exists.
Corporations use proxy servers for access control to protect sensitive information similarly.
Is there a need for Proxy Servers in corporate networks for access control?
There are so many perks of using proxy servers in corporate networks for access control that you cannot ignore.
Fulfill anonymous tasks conveniently
With the help of a proxy server, you can perform many sensitive tasks without the fear of being heard or seen by a third party.
If you’re managing a corporate network, this comes especially in handy as there are a lot of sensitive business tasks and important data available online. For instance, if there is a confidential file, you can set a PIN to ensure only authorized employees can access it.
Moreover, even if specific sites are restricted in your region, a proxy server of a different type can help you deal with it. With a location-specific address setting of your proxy server, you can access the data of other countries’ websites by making them believe you’re in their region.
Advanced security level
A proxy server that offers a hide my IP feature can act as a shield between the internet and your system for control access. With the help of it, you can securely hide your IP address to level up your security level.
Without a proxy server, malicious attackers or hackers can easily find their way into your network, which you don’t want as a corporation.
Keep your employees away from distractions
Many employees tend to get bored and slack off when working in an organization. Instead of focusing on their work, they use social sites for distraction. A proxy server can help you restrict access to such sites and help your employees focus entirely on work with enhanced productivity.
For instance, if you use a transparent proxy in your corporation, it can restrict certain websites for the employees so that they can focus entirely on their work. Using a proxy is also convenient for employers because they don’t have to monitor employees constantly.
Traffic Balancing
Traffic balancing is a famous concept in corporate organizations. Corporations usually distribute different proxy servers to optimize performance and enhance your experience.
For example, a proxy server in Europe can cater to European users’ needs.
You can create any access point with the help of a proxy server. This way, you’ll be able to balance the excessive requests from every server. You’ll no longer have to go through the frustration of information overload, and you can build a seamless customer experience.
Improved bandwidth
A proxy server for access control can help you increase your internet speed. You can have an improved Bandwidth, all thanks to this miracle. It helps in hunting down web pages from numerous places, which helps in freeing up a lot of space in your busy network.
Hence, you experience a faster internet connection. Having more bandwidth is extremely important in a corporate setting so you can effectively cater to your clients’ needs.
Avoid data breaches
Going by the statistics of the data breaches, we can safely say that cyber attacks are actual, and even the big tech enterprises aren’t safe.
From 2013 to 2016, Yahoo suffered from the data leakage of around 3 billion accounts. It happened when a Russian hacker gained unauthorized access to Yahoo’s database.
Facebook suffered a significant data leak incident in 2021 when the personal information of around 580 million people was made public. Likewise, in the same year, Microsoft got affected with a zero-day vulnerability attack where 30000 US businesses were affected because of a hinge in Microsoft’s email server.
Going by these incidents, deploying proxy servers for access control is a must.
Common challenges and mitigation strategies while using proxy servers in corporations
While there are so many benefits of using proxy servers in cooperation, there are also some challenges worth considering. Let’s talk about some common challenges and mitigation strategies related to using proxy servers in corporations.
Slow performance
Because proxy servers provide enhanced security, they can also introduce latency and slow network performance.
You can implement caching mechanisms to monitor and tune performance as a solution. At the same time, you can also optimize proxy server hardware so it functions generally without any latency.
Single point of failure a hassle
At times, if the proxy server fails, it can disrupt all the internet access for the entire network. But there is nothing to worry about if you set up redundant proxy servers in high availability mode to ensure you overcome this issue.
Privacy issues
Proxy servers are known for logging user activity, raising many privacy concerns. The viable solution to this issue is using a no-log VPN with a proxy server. At the same time, you can also configure the proxy settings to minimize logging and implement encryption.
Blocked legitimate content
Proxy servers can be overzealous regarding content filtering; the proxy may block legitimate resources. The mitigation that is available for this issue is the constant update and refinement of content filtering rules.
Authentication complexity
Implementing user authentication for the proxy server is quite a task, which can lead to frustration. As a solution, you can integrate the proxy with the existing authentication system for a hassle-free login experience.
Maintenance and updates
Proxy servers can be complex, and updating and maintaining the server after regular intervals can be time-consuming. The only viable solution is establishing a schedule for regular updates and maintenance. Also, perform testing in a controlled environment before you apply the updates to your corporation.
Types of Proxy Servers for Corporates
There are numerous types of Proxy Servers for corporations that you can opt for according to your needs and preferences. Here are some:
Datacenter proxy
When we talk about Datacenter proxies, these use IP addresses provided by third-party web hosting platforms. It’s important to remember that these proxies are not linked to your home, and they are pretty affordable.
A corporation can use a data center proxy for various purposes. These include web scraping, ad verification, SEO monitoring, and accessing regional content.
Because these are not related to residential internet connections, they offer more anonymity and security.
SSL/TLS Proxy
You should get an SSL/TLS proxy if you want advanced security features like intrusion detection, data loss prevention and content filtering.
This proxy decrypts and re-encrypts the SSL/TLS traffic and becomes an essential security gateway for organizations to protect their networks.
Transparent Proxy
A type of proxy server that does not require any configuration or interaction from the client. A transparent proxy intercepts the usual internet request and then forwards these requests to the destination server on their behalf.
This proxy is automatically applied to the server, and the client is unaware of it. It’s ideal to perform tasks like content filtering and security checks, and there is no need for any explicit client involvement.
Conclusion
To make your corporate company succeed, you must take care of your online network first. For this matter, a proxy server is the perfect solution for access control. Take control today and bask in success by choosing the correct proxy server.
Cover Image by Freepik
About the Author
Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.
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