St. Bernard White Paper Sample

"Anonymization," in general, is as simple as users covering their tracks as they browse the Internet. One of the more prolific and easy-to-use masking tools are collectively known as "Web-based proxy servers" or "Web-based proxies." These Web servers, also known as anonymizers, forward client requests to other servers, but they remove identifying information from the Web access request.

Anonymizers have legitimate as well as suspicious uses. They protect IP address and related identifiers from Web sites or hackers that seek to eavesdrop or surreptitiously extract information from unsuspecting Web site visitors. Anonymizer sites funded by non-profits enable citizens of countries with repressive governments to communicate on the Internet without fear of reprisal. Using an anonymizer is not illegal, but using one to conduct illegal activity without being traced is.