No matter what type of business you might be running, the danger of cyberattacks is always present. According to the latest trends, cybercrime will cost companies over $10.5 trillion every year by 2025. That’s why you should do whatever you can to secure your company’s data and servers.
Most traditional methods such as antivirus and antimalware software often aren’t enough to prevent hackers from breaching your systems. That’s why you should think about investing in a proxy server, for example, a Japanese Proxy, and appear as a private user from another country. Stay with us, and we’ll explain everything in more detail.
Web Proxy? What is it?
But before we get to the benefits of using proxies, we first have to explain what they are. Proxy servers are privately owned servers found in locations all over the globe. Most proxy providers have a server in dozens of different countries and across all continents. These servers generate real IP addresses, and the more there are, the better.
Every time you want to connect to the internet using a proxy, you connect through a proxy instead of connecting directly from your device. That gives you an extra layer of protection and can send hackers on a wild goose chase. Apart from that, proxies offer other benefits, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
What Proxies Do
Proxies act as a middleman between your device and the internet. When you want to access a website or a server, you leave your IP address. It works as a virtual postal address, and it helps the server send the information to the right place.
That’s how the internet works. The problem is, once a website or server gets your IP address, they can easily find out your location, browsing preferences, and other personal information. Proxies simply switch your original IP with another located far from your original location, making it impossible to track you down. As a company, proxies can provide you with all kinds of benefits that will help you improve your operation and stay safe from cybercriminals.
Main Benefits of Proxies
Now we get to the good stuff – the benefits. As we already explained, proxy services hide your original location, making it much harder for anyone to track your online activity. However, they also provide some other benefits that will undoubtedly help your business in the long run. Here’s what you can expect.
Better Connection Speeds
Proxy servers remember the files and websites you frequently visit, speeding up your connection and loading time. So, instead of loading everything from scratch every time you go online, proxies will display the information you need much faster, freeing up the bandwidth and upping the loading time.
Bypass Geo-Restrictions
You can also use proxies to bypass geo-restrictions and internet censorship. Some areas of the world limit the data and type of files you can access. For example, you can’t access some of the content in Japan, while Japanese people can. But, if you get a Japanese proxy, you’ll be able to use all Japanese websites even if you’re not in Japan.
Employee Internet Usage Control
You can also use a proxy server to limit internet use within your company. For example, you can create a list of websites or areas in the world you want to block. The proxy will simply prevent your employees from loading those websites while at work.
Common Business Uses
Now, when it comes to business uses, proxies have a very wide application. They are mostly used for common practices such as competition monitoring, web scraping, gathering user reviews on your brand, and so on. Here are a few more applications:
Web Scraping
Finding the right information you need to improve your business is crucial for your success. However, most of your competitors and websites will try to prevent you from scraping their data. They can block you once they know your IP address, but if you mask it with a proxy, you’ll appear as a different user, so they won’t know who to block.
Better Security
Knowing what websites your employees visit and limiting their choice will go a long way in protecting your sensitive information. Not only that, since no one will be able to track your online activities, you will drastically reduce the chances of a cyberattack.
Conclusion
Proxy servers are definitely a must if you want to stay safe and hidden from cybercriminals. However, they can also help you conduct web scraping projects without interference, speed up your website, limit internet use within the company, and of course, help you bypass geo-limitations. Just like the example with a Japanese proxy. If you are interested in various proxy pools, visit Oxylabs website and learn more about proxies in multiple locations around the world.