Distorting Proxy

What is Distorting Proxy?

A Distorting Proxy is a type of anonymous proxy server that hides the user’s real IP address but sends a false IP address to the destination server. It intentionally provides misleading identity information.

Why is Distorting Proxy useful?

  • Helps conceal the user’s real IP address.

  • Provides an extra layer of privacy by misrepresenting the origin of the request.

  • Useful in bypassing geo-restrictions or censorship by faking location data.

  • Can be used in cybersecurity research or to test geolocation features.

How it works?

  • The user sends a request to the distorting proxy.

  • The proxy forwards the request to the destination server while: * Hiding the real IP address. * Inserting a fake IP address in the X-Forwarded-For or similar HTTP headers.

  • The destination server believes the request is coming from the fake IP.

Where is Distorting Proxy used?

  • In privacy-focused web browsing tools.

  • For bypassing IP-based filters or restrictions.

  • By testers and researchers simulating user traffic from different locations.

  • Occasionally used in corporate environments for anonymizing internal traffic.

Which OSI layer does this protocol belong to?

  • Distorting proxies operate at the Application Layer (Layer 7) of the OSI model.

  • They work by modifying HTTP headers and interacting with web applications.

IS Distorting Proxy windows specific?

  • No, Distorting Proxy is not Windows-specific.

  • It can be configured on any platform that supports proxy server software (e.g., Squid, Nginx, Apache).

IS Distorting Proxy Linux Specific?

  • No, it is not Linux-specific.

  • Though commonly deployed on Linux-based servers, it is platform-independent and runs on Windows, macOS, and BSD as well.

Which Transport Protocol is used by Distorting Proxy?

  • Typically uses TCP.

  • Most often operates with HTTP or HTTPS, which are built on top of TCP.

Which Port is used by Distorting Proxy?

  • Commonly used ports: * Port 80 for HTTP. * Port 443 for HTTPS.

  • Some custom proxy setups may use port 3128, 8080, or others depending on configuration.

Is Distorting Proxy using Client server model?

  • Yes, it follows the client-server model.

  • The client (user) sends requests to the proxy server, which then relays the request to the destination while modifying identifying information.

Topics in this section,

  • In this section, you are going to learn

  • Terminology

  • Version Info

  • rfc details

  • setup

  • setup

  • packet details

  • usecases

  • features

  • Reference links