When you connect to a proxy, you trust your internet traffic to an intermediary. But can you trust the intermediary itself?
Short answer: Yes, your data can be stolen.
Long answer: It depends on which website you are opening and which proxy you are using.
This guide will break down the mechanics of data theft, explain the difference between "transparent" and "secure" traffic, and teach you how to recognize traps.
📦 1. The Courier Analogy (How does it work?)
Imagine you want to send a letter to your friend (a website, for example, https://www.google.com/search?q=google.com).
Instead of carrying the letter personally, you give it to a Courier (Proxy server). The Courier takes the letter and carries it to your friend. The friend writes a reply, gives it to the Courier, and the Courier returns it to you.
Two main risks arise here:
The Courier can read the letter if it is not in a sealed envelope.
The Courier can tamper with the letter by writing something of their own.
On the internet, the role of the "envelope" is played by HTTPS encryption.
🔓 2. HTTP vs HTTPS: The Main Line of Defense
Before we break down the scenarios, let's clear up a confusion that scares 90% of beginners.
⚠️ Important Note: Do not confuse "HTTP Proxies" and "HTTP Websites" In ourCyberYozh App catalog, you can buy HTTP proxies or SOCKS5 proxies. Many people think that an HTTP proxy is unsafe. This is a fairly common misconception.
Proxy type (HTTP or SOCKS5) — is simply the "transport," a way of delivering data.
Website type (http:// or https://) — is the "packaging" of data (encryption).
Remember the formula: If you use a regular HTTP proxy but open a secure website (HTTPS with a padlock), your data is completely safe. Encryption happens in the browser before the data reaches the proxy.
Now let's look at what happens when you open different websites:
Scenario A: You visit a site with the HTTP protocol (No padlock 🔓)
This is a "postcard" without an envelope.
If you use a proxy and visit an old website (http://example.com), the proxy owner sees EVERYTHING:
Your logins and passwords.
The text of messages you write.
Images you upload.
Verdict: The proxy owner can easily steal your accounts.
Scenario B: You visit a site with the HTTPS protocol (With a padlock 🔒)
This is a "sealed armored envelope."
Most modern websites (Facebook, Google, banks, Instagram) use HTTPS. In this case, the proxy only sees the "Address on the envelope."
What the proxy sees: It knows that you visited facebook.com at 14:00 and downloaded 5 megabytes of data.
What the proxy DOES NOT see: It doesn't see exactly which page you opened, your login, password, or correspondence. All of this turns into a meaningless set of characters (cipher).
Verdict: Your passwords are safe... unless the proxy uses a clever trick (more on that in part 4).
☠️ 3. Free Proxies are a Mousetrap
Why are there so many lists of "Free Proxies" on the internet? Who pays for the server rent and electricity?
Answer: You do. With your data.
Hackers specifically create free proxy servers ("Honeypots") to lure victims.
How free proxies steal data:
Ad Injection: The proxy inserts its own banners over the sites you are viewing.
Content Modification: The proxy can replace a "Download" link with a link to a virus.
Metadata Collection: They collect your browsing history and sell it to advertising agencies.
Cookie Theft: Even if the password is encrypted, a hacker may try to intercept the "session" (cookie file) to log into your account without a password.
The Golden Rule: If you aren't paying for the product, then you ARE the product. Never enter bank card details through free proxies.
🕵️ 4. Advanced Threat: MITM Attack and Certificate Spoofing
There is a way an attacker can read even encrypted HTTPS traffic. This is called Man-in-the-Middle (MITM).
How it works:
The proxy server tells your browser: "Hi, I am https://www.google.com, here is my passport (security certificate)." If your computer believes this fake passport, the proxy will be able to decrypt the traffic, read it, re-encrypt it, and send it to the real Google.
How to protect yourself:
Fortunately, modern browsers are very smart. If a proxy tries to slip in a fake certificate, the browser will display a huge red warning: "Your connection is not secure" or "Certificate error."
Never ignore this warning when working through a proxy!
Exception: On corporate computers (at work), system administrators may specifically install "root certificates" to legally read employee traffic. Но this is a matter of corporate policy, not hackers.
🛡️ 5. What exactly do proxy owners see? (Checklist)
For clarity, here is what a proxy server administrator sees:
Data Type | Via HTTP (Dangerous) | Via HTTPS (Safe) |
Which site you visited | ✅ Sees (example.com/login) | ✅ Sees (domain example.com only) |
Your Login/Password | ✅ SEES! | ❌ Cannot see (cipher) |
Your correspondence | ✅ SEES! | ❌ Cannot see (cipher) |
Card numbers | ✅ SEES! | ❌ Cannot see (cipher) |
Cookies | ✅ Sees | ❌ Cannot see (usually Secure Flag) |
Your real IP | ✅ Sees | ✅ Sees |
💡 6. How to protect yourself? (5 steps)
Use paid private proxies.
Services that sell proxies for money profit from their reputation. It is not in their interest to steal your passwords, as one scandal would destroy their business.Look for the "Padlock".
Ensure that the browser address bar has a padlock icon (HTTPS). If it's not there, do not enter anything personal on that site.Do not install unknown certificates.
If a proxy asks you to download and install a .crt file or a "root certificate" onto your Windows/Android system — run away. This gives the proxy owner full access to your encrypted traffic.Enable 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication).
Even if (hypothetically) a proxy steals your password, a hacker will not be able to log into your account without a code from an SMS or an Authenticator app.Use different proxies for different tasks.
Do not access online banking through the same proxy you use for web scraping or gaming.
Conclusion
A proxy is a powerful tool, not a source of threat. The risk of data theft is real only when using questionable free services or visiting unprotected (HTTP) sites.
Use trusted paid providers such as CyberYozh App, keep an eye on HTTPS, and your data will remain yours alone.
👉 Looking for proxies you can trust? We do not keep logs of your actions and guarantee complete anonymity. Try our secure Datacenter, Residential, and Mobile proxies.