Free Proxy Lists: A Risky Bet for Online Security?
One of the first things anyone who looks into the world of network proxies learns is that they should not trust free services. Is it just a trick that paid providers pull on the users to make sure that they buy their service? Not quite.
In this article, we will cover risks associated with using free proxies and its best alternative, finding a reliable and affordable provider. Also, we will investigate if there are cases when utilizing a free residential proxy list is less dangerous.
Why Would You Need a Proxy in The First Place?
Before delving into the risks associated with free proxies, let’s quickly go over why people use services at all. Also, learn about 5 Uses Cases for Residential Proxies with this guide.
When you are browsing the web, your device constantly makes requests to servers that host the sites you visit. The websites then know your IP address and might collect additional information about you, for example, by using third-party cookies before they go out of use.
The server places itself between you and the internet and when you browse your request first goes to the proxy, which hides your real IP address and replaces it with its own.
This simple functionality kicks off a host of use cases for proxies. For example, businesses often utilize them for web scraping to gather valuable e-commerce, competitive, or other data. For private users, however, proxies are about unblocking content and general internet privacy and security.
These latter use cases are precisely what might be compromised by using free proxy IP addresses. Let’s see why.
Where do Free Proxies Come From?
Users can get a proxy IP from a free residential list they come across somewhere online. These lists are filled with actual IPs that belong to devices associated with residential addresses. This raises the question,
How did these IPs end up on a list in the first place?
This is where the troubles with free proxies show up, when the IPs you get are just listed there and not associated with any provider there is no way to inquire into their origin. These IP addresses might belong to people who do not know their devices are used as proxies. They may have fallen victim to data theft or unethical business practices.
Potentially becoming an accessory to such shady practices is reason enough to avoid using free IP addresses altogether. However, free proxies pose major risks to the users as well.
No Proxy Network is Foolproof
Almost all proxies have words such as highly anonymous, undetectable, fast, and reliable but no proxy in the market is 100% foolproof.
The Main Risks of Using a Free Residential Proxy List
Aside from the ethical risks associated with becoming a part of shady activities, the main risks of utilizing free proxies can be grouped into three broad categories.
- Security risks. You do not know who is offering the free proxy IPs and how they are hosted. It might be hackers trying to steal your private information.
In this case, a hacker would set up a free proxy for you to connect to and store your online activity data. They could see your bank logins and other valuable information that can be used to hurt you financially and otherwise.
- Reliability risks. Lack of transparency and accountability to how proxies are managed means that you cannot rely on them fully. They might disconnect at any moment, halting your online activities or causing various issues with them.
Additionally, as you are probably not the only one using the proxy, the IP address might already be banned on various websites due to the illegitimate activities of other users.
- Suspicious traffic risks. Finally, using a free proxy means forgoing some control of your traffic. As you have probably noticed, things are never free for no reason and whoever offers the so-called “free” service is benefitting somehow. Most likely, they make money by allowing suspicious or even malicious ads to be shown to you as you browse the internet.
Naturally, there are more specific risks that might come to fruition in various cases of utilizing a free residential list. However, the threat groups named above are probably enough to think more than twice before trusting a free proxy found online.
Where Do Safe Residential Proxies Come From?
Reading above one might naturally ask, is it any different with paid providers? Are their proxies safe and ethically sourced?
Unfortunately, “yes” is not a universal answer that applies to all providers.
Some providers practice shady methods of sourcing IPs without the knowledge or full consent of the user. For example, the IP can be used as a proxy when the user installs some other software onto their device. And of course, like any industry, proxying also has its fair share of scams. A paid provider might take your money and just give you the same free residential list you could find elsewhere.
Thus, it is vital to choose only reputable brands and demand transparency about proxy sourcing from your provider.
Did You Know?
There are more proxy networks than you can ever know and the interesting thing is some of them offer higher quality than the top providers who have better marketing strategies and pocket to buy positive reviews.
Is Using a Free Proxy Ever a Safe Option?
Whenever you can afford it, paid services from respected providers are always the best option. However, you might have no budget to spare on proxies and just need them for a short while.
Is using a free residential proxy list a good idea then?
In this case, you should still proceed with caution, but some lists might be more secure than others and it depends on where you find them. Using a proxy you find on the website of a known provider is always better than on some suspicious-looking forum on the darknet. Reputable service providers certainly have more responsibility than anonymous internet users.
Finally, the safest way to try out a free proxy is to look for a free trial from a paid provider and you can have all the safety of premium services and also quit after the trial if you decide that it is not the solution for you.
At the end of the day, your online security is priceless and there are providers out there that offer great deals for private users. It will always be more advisable to look for them.
