Comparing the Best Enterprise Proxy Servers of 2023

Published on: October 24, 2023

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14 min read

People rarely stop to think about the actual mechanics of how the internet functions. The issue with that is that the internet availability of cute dog photographs, round-the-clock news updates, and excellent offers brings with it the inherent risk of data security breaches and identity theft. What, however, actually occurs as you visit the web? It's possible that you use a proxy server at work, on a virtual private network (VPN), or that you're one of the more tech-savvy people who always use a proxy server of some sort. Your connection to the internet is made through a proxy server that acts as a middleman. An intermediary server stands between end users and the websites they visit. Proxy servers offer varying degrees of functionality, security, and privacy depending on your use case, requirements, or business policy. When you use a proxy server, it receives all internet traffic destined for the specified IP. The same proxy server then sends the request back to you (there are some exceptions to this rule). The data that the proxy server has obtained from the website is then sent to you.

In this article, we explain why you should use a proxy server and how you can select the best proxy server. We will give the best proxy server list available in the market today:

1. Smartproxy
2. Oxylabs
3. Bright Data
4. IPRoyal
5. NetNut
6. Hide My Ass
7. SOAX
8. Webshare
9. Asocks
10. Whoer

Why Should You Use a Proxy Server?

Why use a proxy server if that is all it does? Why not just go to the website and get back directly? In the name of data security and network performance, modern proxy servers undertake a lot more tasks than simply relaying web requests. Proxy servers enable shared network connections, operate as a firewall and web filter, and cache data to speed up frequent requests. Users and the internal network are kept safe from harmful content that exists on the open internet via a reliable proxy server. And last, great levels of secrecy is offered using proxy servers.

Organizations and individuals use proxy servers for a variety of purposes. The major purposes of using a proxy server are outlined below:

• Employees' and kids' internet usage should be limited: Businesses and parents set up proxy servers to regulate and keep an eye on their children's or workers' internet usage. Most businesses don't want you visiting certain websites while working for them; therefore, they can configure the proxy server to block access to such websites rather than redirecting you and politely requesting that you not visit those websites while using the company network. They have the ability to track and record all web requests, so even if they don't block the site, they can still see how much time you spend online.
• Speed improvements and reduced bandwidth usage: A good proxy server can help organizations enhance their network performance overall by saving bandwidth and increasing speed. Popular websites can be cached by proxy servers, which means that when you request www.varonis.com, the proxy server will first check to see whether it already has the most recent copy of the website before sending you the saved copy. This means that when many proxy servers are used to access www.varonis.com simultaneously, each proxy server only sends a single request to www.varonis.com. The business saves bandwidth, and network performance is enhanced.
• Benefits for privacy: Both individuals and businesses use proxy servers to browse the internet more discreetly. Some proxy servers will change the IP address and other identifying information in the web request. This helps keep your browsing history and personal information more private because the destination server doesn't know who made the original request.
• Enhanced security: In addition to enhancing privacy, proxy servers also offer security advantages. To prevent snoopers from seeing your transactions, you can set up your proxy server to encrypt your online queries. You can block any access through the proxy server to sites known to contain malware. Moreover, businesses can employ a virtual private network (VPN) in conjunction with their proxy server to ensure that remote users always access the internet through the business proxy. Companies give remote or external users a VPN, which is direct access to the corporate network. By employing a VPN, the business can monitor its users' access to resources (email, internal data), ensure that they have them, and provide the user with a secure connection to safeguard company data.

What is the Best Proxy Server to Use?

There are various types of proxy servers, each with special characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. The options are numerous and frequently overwhelming, ranging from the high-performance residential proxies of Bright Data to the reliable and enterprise-ready Oxylabs, from the user-friendly interface of Smartproxy to the adaptable and reasonably priced IPRoyal.

Whether you're a small business owner looking to scrape data for market research, a digital marketer hoping to manage multiple social media accounts, or a large corporation needing to get around geo-restrictions for international operations, selecting the best proxy service is a crucial decision that can have a significant impact on the effectiveness, security, and scalability of your online activities.

Below, we compare the top proxy services that will be accessible in 2023 in detail. Our aim is to assist you in comprehending the subtleties of each service and their applicability for various online activities, and eventually assist you in making an informed choice that best satisfies your individual requirements.

Read on to learn about the top proxy services, regardless of whether you're an experienced IT professional or a newbie exploring the world of internet privacy and data collection.

1. Smartproxy

Smartproxy offers one of the best proxy services for both domestic and commercial use. It works best for performing simple online scraping activities like data collection. You can take advantage of back-connect proxies, anonymous surfing, and global connectivity, to name a few advantages.

The setup procedure is simple. There are extensions available for both Google Chrome and Firefox. Both have very user-friendly dashboards. Each element is arranged thoughtfully. The best part is that you can always get support via chat.

This proxy service has a ton of features. It has 195 data centers worldwide, spread out over 8 different cities. You can make use of more than 40 million IPs thanks to this. Accessing services that are geoblocked is easy. The service accepts many proxy connections at once.

Residential proxies from Smartproxy are solid and trustworthy. Physical objects like computers and cell phones are given IPs. Internet service providers can then identify IP addresses as those of legitimate users. This reduces the possibility of being blocked. You can locate data center proxies that permit an infinite number of connections to run simultaneously. In contrast to the first, it is inexpensive and offers a large bandwidth allowance.

Figure 1. Smartproxy

This proxy service has a 30-minute time limit on IP sessions. A new address is given right away when the specified time has passed. It deters users from engaging in abusive behavior. Users are prevented from acting abusively thanks to it.

On the other side, some users of this service lament the poor internet speeds they experience. There is no SOCKS5 protocol; therefore, that is not surprising.

Standard memberships begin at $7.5 per month, which is more than fair. Additionally, the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan at $8.5/GB offers additional value. You have three days to request a refund if it doesn't live up to your expectations.

2. Oxylabs

Among the top proxy servers for corporations, Oxylabs is ranked highly. It provides 100 million+ IPs and coverage over the entire world. Its services are excellent for carrying out a range of proxy-driven tasks, such as marketing intelligence duties. It has a colorful, user-friendly dashboard to brag about. You can use it to view statistics. For billing and ordering new services, there are distinct pages as well.

Proxy management is not possible via the Oxylabs dashboard. Yet, the products from Oxylabs integrate seamlessly with software that uses proxies. Even better, Oxylabs provides a Google Chrome extension that enables users to explore the internet or test proxies. Proxy For diverse purposes, there are many server proxies to choose from. When employing proxies with unique programs or protocols, SOCKS5 Proxy is useful.

Residential proxy pools are in charge of bulk scrapping. They offer limitless concurrent connections for getting around online IP limitations. Geo-targeting is feasible down to the city level.

By deploying data center proxies, you may streamline your business operations. Data center proxies, for instance, assist businesses in locating marketplaces for fake goods. The detection of malicious assaults is another purpose for this kind of proxy service. Examples include locating data breaches reported online, identifying phishing links, and detecting viruses in files.

Figure 2. Oxylabs

A proxy rotator that automates IP switching can be found. It enables you to do scraping activities without worrying about proxy administration.

Oxylabs Scraper APIs can more successfully collect data from websites with sophisticated anti-bot defenses. Scraper APIs deliver pre-parsed data from specific websites.

The only drawback of Oxylabs is its hefty price. The least expensive options for plans start at $50 per month.

The good news is that the customer service is top-notch. 24/7 live chat and email support are available. Even a specialized account manager is included at its higher tiers.

3. Bright Data

One of the best online alternatives to free proxy services is Bright Data. It provides feature-rich tools for information collection. More than 10,000 experts worldwide currently have faith in this vendor.

You'll see a tidy dashboard when you arrive. It is a brief overview of the services that are offered. Each feature gets a preview snippet. You can control the services of the online proxy server from the panel. Because it provides pay-as-you-go options (PAYG). Here, it is simple to assign bandwidth, the size of the IP pool, and network ports.

It's a bed of roses in terms of its features.

Figure 3. Bright Data

Data unblockers unlock websites with enhanced anti-crawling technologies. In order to increase its effectiveness, you have access to more than 72 million real-user IPs. The business only charges you for approved requests.

There are several options available with the Bright Data proxy service. It has a search engine crawler to start with. By using scraping tools, it collects data in real time from sites like Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others.

Second, Bright Data includes mobile proxies that connect over 3G or 4G. These are attributed to real mobile service providers from different countries. Additionally, it includes more than 7 million home IPs.

Custom apps can be made using the application programming interface (API) provided by Bright Data. Shell, Java, Node.js, and C# are all compatible with it. On the other side, public proxy server providers don't provide such a capability. The management of proxies is highly flexible. For a start, there is a Google Chrome addon. An excellent substitute is to install a personalized web server script. You can use its cloud manager for an additional $150 per month.

The business offers help from a specialized account manager. Yet, they are only accessible during regular business hours.

On the plus side, it provides a 7-day risk-free trial. You can upgrade for as little as one dollar on PAYG if it impresses.

4. IPRoyal

One of the top proxy platforms with wide network coverage is IPRoyal. It includes prominent places like the US, UK, China, Germany, and more. The best part is that there are no minimum purchase amounts or reasonable costs.

The provider takes pride in providing a variety of services. In addition to the typical ones, it offers sneaker proxies for sports shoe fans. It gets around limitations on fashion websites that prevent buyers from making large purchases.

The 4G mobile proxy is another important point of IPRoyal. Real-user devices and home IP addresses from cellular networks power it. The system increases trust and lowers the likelihood of being banned. Thus, you may confidently carry out SEO chores such as competitor research and site scraping.

The IPRoyal company's pool contains more than two million IP addresses. The IPRoyal Pawns program adds hundreds of new proxy sites every day. Customers are able to share their bandwidth thanks to the peer-to-peer (P2P) method it employs. By making use of their internet connections, the merchant compensates them in exchange for their services as proxies.

Figure 4. IPRoyal

You can use randomize to automatically rotate your IP address on a regular basis. So if you only want to use one address, sticky is your best bet. It has a 24-hour time limit, after which it must be changed. That's not a promise, though; the system has the right to change it at any time.

By processing data via a variety of authentication techniques, SOCKS5 improves security. Similar to HTTPS, end-to-end encryption between your device and the internet is possible with HTTPS.

IPRoyal asserts that it uses caching to boost internet speeds and conserve bandwidth. We were able to test its proxy network with decreased data usage. Nevertheless, downloading files and loading webpages took a long time. To make matters worse, the vendor has no refund policy. The good news is that its proxy services start at just $1 per month. Payment methods accepted include credit cards and bitcoin.

5. NetNut

NetNut.io offers one of the best internet proxy server services available. The provider offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, unlimited simultaneous connections, and quick connectivity. It's perfect for obtaining data and carrying out difficult market research.

Starting is quite simple. You are given a simple interface and guidelines for setting up your proxies. You can incorporate third-party applications. Moreover, Google Chrome offers a browser extension for it.

NetNut probably offers the best anonymous proxy server infrastructure on the market. You obtain home IPs from top internet service providers (ISPs) via DiviNetworks, which collaborates with more than 100 carriers globally.

Due to the vendor's 100 Gbit/s bandwidth capability, customers receive top-notch speeds. Because NetNut's network is more reliable, it is preferable to many other services of a similar nature.

Almost 20 million household IPs are available for rotation in the NetNut.io pool. A further million can be used to host ongoing IP sessions. For managing mass jobs, you can additionally benefit from the 110,000+ US data center addresses.

Figure 5. NetNut

For any nation or city, this dedicated proxy provider provides global geo-targeting. There are no restrictions on how many websites you can scrape. NetNut supports unlimited connections for risk-free data collection.

Plans from NetNut, which are priced per request and per bandwidth, start at $300 per month for 20GB. As soon as you sign up, an account manager is assigned to you, and as you scale up, the cost per GB will decrease.

Moreover, NetNut provides smaller residential and data center plans, ranging in size from 1GB to even hundreds of TB.

Like other significant providers, the corporation mainly offers secure HTTP(S) connections. Mobile proxies, however, are not included in the product list. In addition, depending on your plan, you can receive help via email, Skype, Discord, and Telegram.

6. Hide My Ass

An easy-to-use, free proxy server with some basic capabilities for browsing is called HideMyAss (HMA). New users will undoubtedly value employing this method of anonymous web browsing.

HMA doesn't offer any browser add-ons, in contrast to other developers. It has a basic web-based proxy that can be used to access online sites. Simply input a web address and choose your favorite server to connect to.

The features of HMA solution are fantastic. The bandwidth is available for unlimited use. You have unrestricted access to explore, collect data from, and download files. There are absolutely no ads.

Six nations are available for use on the server side, including two regions in the US and one in the UK. But that's all there is. Missing are essential components like Kproxy's IP blocking. Moreover, choosing a network based on server location will not be an option.

Another consideration when choosing dedicated proxy services is security. HMA provides URL encryption, so you can obfuscate your IP address. You can prevent scripts like JavaScript from being used to track website visitors. Cookies can be turned off.

Figure 6. Hide My Ass

HMA falls short of the competition on a number of fronts, though. There is a lack of SOCKS5 to increase internet speeds. Using demanding services like gaming and streaming becomes challenging as a result. Because IP leak prevention only partially masks your address, your service provider can still be able to monitor your online behavior.

Overall, this free proxy service, HMA, allows you to access online sites that are prohibited.

7. SOAX

In the proxy market, SOAX is a very new company. Although it has only been operating since 2019, it already has a solid reputation for offering residential, mobile, and US-ISP proxies.

In terms of residential proxies, SOAX presently supports over 100 nations but is unable to offer extremely sizable pools like its main competitors. There are only US-based providers of ISP (data center) proxies.

Regarding proxy performance, the study reveals that SOAX's proxies during the previous two years have seen an overall speed gain of 300%. Moreover, SOAX has the ability to configure geo-targeting down to the city level without requiring additional fees (other providers charge twice as much for such features), which makes it one of the best proxies to employ for geo-targeted missions.

SOAX offers some of the best customer service we have ever encountered in the business. Given that the majority of its clients are corporations, it is not particularly surprising. The prices start at a rather high threshold at the same time. The average cost is higher than that of comparable products from Oxylabs or Bright Data.

Figure 7. SOAX

Main Features of SOAX are as follows:

• Performance improvement on all residential proxy servers from a new supplier
• An effective rotational mechanism
• Excellent prices for geo-specific proxies in a few areas
• Dashboards for monitoring and controlling proxies that are easy to use
• Effortless technical assistance for all business users

ISP (data center) SOAX proxies cost $99 for 6 GB, while residential proxies cost about $12 per GB. $33 per gigabyte for mobile proxies. 3-day trial at $1.99 per proxy is available.

8. Webshare

When it comes to offering proxy solutions to the market, Webshare is all about pricing. Like SOAX, it is a newcomer to the market, but until it introduced a new line-up of residential proxies last year, which significantly improved upon prior performance metrics, it had not been a legitimate competitor to the leaders in the market.

With little over 30 nations among its supported locations, Webshare ranks in the middle of the list in terms of pools and network capabilities. And from the standpoint of usability, self-service, and ease of use are key. You can alter your order, choose how many IPs you wish to use, and change other proxy-related settings (like locations and required bandwidth). The swapping process is automatic, so you can replace your falling proxies while in use without getting in touch with assistance.

Overall, Webshare service can be considered the best cheap proxy supplier for those just getting started in the field of proxies because its plans start below the typical market prices for proxies.

Figure 8. Webshare

Main features of Webshare are as follows:

• The best proxy service for brand-new customers in the sector
• Pricing for home and data center proxies that is reasonable
• Self-service interface that is simple to use and has adjustable features

ISP (Data center) Webshare proxies cost $1 per IP while residential proxies cost roughly $7 per Gigabyte. Offering shared proxies for nothing (10 IPs)

9. Asocks

Because of its capacity to get over geo-restrictions, protect customers' networks from threats, and hide their identities online, Asocks is a top proxy service. Surfing is now enjoyable and secure.

Using Asocks Proxy has additional benefits, such as the following:

• Support for Proxy Protocols: Asocks Proxy supports HTTP and SOCKS protocols and is therefore compatible with a wide range of online services and applications.
• Large Proxy Server Network: Asocks Proxy has 150+ servers located worldwide and is constantly adding more, allowing you to access websites and services that aren't available in your location. They are enabling a quick and dependable server network for users.
• Security and privacy: One of the best benefits of Asocks Proxy is the ability to browse the web without being watched or tracked. Internet communication is encrypted, safeguarding anonymity and ensuring security from snoopers.
• User-Friendly Setup and Management: Asocks Proxy is one of the most straightforward and reliable proxy providers out of all the proxy services on the market. Users only need to tap and click to view daily logs and data on proxy usage.
• Performance and Reliability: When compared to other services on the market, Asocks Proxy has a good response time and a connection success rate of 99%. The Asocks team makes a concerted effort to enhance its offerings and deliver the best experience possible.
• Flexible Price Options: The premium 1 GB all-in-one proxy service from Asocks costs just $3, which is incredibly inexpensive for the service you receive. You have the option of simply paying for the real traffic that you use, which adds flexibility to their pricing.

Figure 9. Asocks

Asocks is a wonderful option if you're looking for a cheap proxy service that enables you to browse the internet securely. It is inexpensive, simple to use, and has various uses.

10. Whoer

Whoer is the top proxy server application for users on many devices. For Windows, Mac, Linux, web browsers, and cellphones, it offers an app. It's perfect for households with up to five people or for social groups.

You can find a specific application or extension for your preferred device while utilizing Whoer. It only needs one click to launch after installation. You can only utilize one server location under the free plan. Those who upgrade have access to 17 regions.

WebRTC is a feature of browser extensions that will shield you from IP leaks. There is a kill switch as well. Your address will be hidden from view if internet access is lost.

End-to-end SSL encryption is a wonderful bonus as well. This method uses 256 bit file encoding to secure the connection between your server and device. There is no record of your internet activity on Whoer's servers.

Figure 10. Whoer

Internet speeds are lightning-fast for power users. You may share torrent files, watch Netflix, and play online games. In contrast, the free version caps connection speeds at 1 mb/s. Although you won't be able to perform demanding tasks, browsing is still possible. But. Whoer provides fewer US and UK server locations. The free plan's bandwidth restriction is also a turnoff. Moreover, choosing an IP proxy is not feasible.

Nonetheless, the free version has all the essential features. You can upgrade to Pro for $9.90 per month if you enjoy it. Whoer offers a 30-day, 100% money-back guarantee.

How do I Choose the Best Proxy?

More than ever, the proxy market is flourishing. From corporate officials to everyday consumers, proxy services are advantageous in many fields of knowledge. By scraping useful data, you can access geo-restricted material, purchase limited-edition footwear, or carry out sentiment analysis. These are but a few instances of their use. Yet, things become challenging when it comes to choosing a reliable proxy provider. There are so many businesses, and they all have pricing and quality variations. Others "excel" in using unethical methods to obtain IP addresses or building their marketing strategy around deceptive claims, such as the quantity of IP addresses they possess. However, don't worry; we are here to assist. We will offer you some advice below on how to pick a proxy service.

• Choose the Appropriate Kind of Proxy Server for Your Requirements: Several types of proxy servers are needed for various use cases. The first item on your to-do list should be to locate the provider that supplies the type of proxy that you require. Proxy servers come in a variety of varieties with different features and costs:

  • Datacenter proxies: The easiest to spot and fastest proxies are datacenter ones. They work best when accessing unsecured websites, speed-sensitive applications, or geo-restricted material.
  • Residential IPs: Residential IPs are difficult to block and are available in sizable rotating proxy pools. They do, however, cost more. The most common use cases include tracking search engine activity, extensive site scraping, and purchasing limited-edition footwear.
  • ISP proxies: ISP proxies, which are known as static residential proxies, are in the center of the previous two (quick and difficult to discover), but they are more expensive. These IPs are excellent for jobs requiring a consistent identity, such as accessing secured websites or performing traffic-intensive tasks.
  • Mobile proxies: The best IP reputations are held by mobile proxies. These are the most difficult to block and can handle mobile-based websites, but they are the priciest. The most complex websites, such as social media networks and mobile app testing, use mobile proxies.

  You might choose a proxy-based API in place of proxies completely for specific use cases. These solutions provide proxy servers with web scraping and occasionally data parsing facilities, which facilitate data collection from challenging websites like Google or Amazon.

• Verify the IP Pool's Size: How many IP addresses a provider controls is indicated by the size of a proxy pool. It's among the most crucial considerations when picking a proxy service. For instance, datacenter proxies frequently originate from the same subnet, which has a block size of 256 IP addresses. The subnet diversity will be limited if the proxy provider has a tiny proxy pool, which means you'll be given IPs from fewer blocks. Websites can easily ban the entire datacenter subnet of IPs, so you'll need to purchase extra addresses to cover the ones that are prohibited.

  When discussing residential proxies, the IP pool size is considerably more crucial. It depends on real people's IP addresses because it is a peer-to-peer service. Because proxy peers can connect and disconnect their devices from the network at any time, the reported number of proxies in these pools is only an estimate. Daily changes in available addresses result from this. Hence, even though it could seem like overkill, it's a good idea to hunt for the largest proxy pool that fits your budget

• Learn About the Features You'll Require: Decide what features your project will need. These can range from choices for location filtering and authentication to settings for IP rotation. The degree to which a proxy service can accommodate your demands will depend on these features.

  When web scraping, for instance, you might want to change your IP address with each connection request. Despite having IP rotation, some providers are unable to provide this capability. As a result, you might have to put some effort into configuring the service to your preferences or modify your setup in light of the constraint.

  Similar to that, you might want a provider that offers ASN, city, or country targeting. You won't be able to rely on the keyword, pricing, or other information provided for certain locations if the service provides a wide range of locations but no way to filter them.

• Performance Test for Services: Performance tests the proxy infrastructure's sturdiness. A lot of companies provide free trials or a money-back guarantee. There are various ways to evaluate a proxy service's performance if that is not an option.

  You can check out consumer reviews, read reviews from market experts, or try proxies for yourself. But you shouldn't just blindly follow them because there are different use cases and because sometimes success depends on things other than the proxy network. Imagine you wanted to scrape a secure website. No matter how effective the proxies are, if you have a web scraper that isn't configured properly, your IP will be blacklisted. You see, the proxy service wouldn't be at fault in this situation.

• Notice the level of customer service: Proxy services include intricate procedures that require ongoing observation. Despite the fact that providers supply paperwork, they are never able to address all problems or urgent situations. When things go wrong, customer assistance will be there to assist you.

  24/7 customer assistance is essential if you depend on a proxy service's ongoing availability. But why would you require a service that is available 24/7? The obvious: You might experience problems both during the day and at night. Even if that's not the case, it happens that people who live in very different time zones occasionally struggle to seek support.

  In addition to providing prompt responses, excellent customer service offers immediate connection via live chat, Skype, and other instant messaging platforms.

  A dedicated account manager is available with some proxy services. They will be your exclusive point of contact while the service is in operation. Account managers can assist you with specific issues or just offer their experience to help you achieve your business objectives.

• Think About the Price: Good proxies are typically pricey. Yet, it doesn't follow that you can't locate a trustworthy provider that fits your spending limit. You can eliminate applicants by making a list of the qualities you value most.

  You might not require, for instance, some sophisticated functionality like ASN targeting. Giving it up will cut the cost of Bright Data in half and open the door to a number of excellent providers, like Smartproxy. Paying extra doesn't guarantee that the provider will have a better connection or quicker speeds if your main priority is performance. The size of the proxy pool is one element that typically has a cost, though.

  The positioning of the company has a significant impact on pricing. Smaller clienteles are the focus of providers with reduced per-gigabyte costs. Although premium services are more expensive, the cost difference can become negligible if you want terabytes of data.

• Check Out the Tools for Proxy Management: Proxy services come with tools like a dashboard, API, and browser extensions that make working with proxies simpler. A dashboard assesses if the provider provides enough usage statistics and how simple it is to set up the proxy server. You wouldn't want to get in touch with customer service every time you wanted to purchase more proxies or get an invoice. Consumers prefer simplicity, while those looking for customization can find a more sophisticated interface intriguing.

  API access enables programmatic proxy management for developers. While third parties can provide you with tools like browser extensions, only the API provider can provide you with one.

• Avoid Unreliable Services: Look for a provider that provides reputable proxy services if you don't want to jeopardize the reputation of your company. If not, you risk harming your company's reputation and perhaps getting into legal trouble.

  Particularly when it comes to peer-to-peer proxy networks like residential proxies, the acquisition and use of proxies have always been problematic issues. A service that doesn't vet users and watch over usage runs the danger of affecting not only the websites but also the people whose devices are being used as proxies.

  If you're planning to purchase residential IP addresses, look online to determine if the service provider transparently discloses its proxy acquisition and authorized usage policies. While this can seem like a burden, service providers that don't disclose these details frequently end up masquerading as harmful botnets.