2024 Global Cyber Confidence Index

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Network Protocols Glossary

What is a network protocol? Protocols are the rules of the road for how data exists and moves on the network. They allow many different systems and computers to communicate.

Secure Sockets (SOCKS) Protocol

What is Secure Sockets (SOCKS) Protocol?

Secure Sockets Protocol facilitates communication between a client and a server through an intermediary. It essentially creates a tunnel between the two endpoints, allowing data to flow securely and potentially anonymously. By routing traffic through a SOCKS server, it can be more difficult to trace the origin of network traffic.


What is the purpose of SOCKS Protocol

A client initiates a connection to a SOCKS server on a specific port, typically 1080. Depending on the SOCKS version (4 or 5), authentication might be required. SOCKS5 offers more flexible authentication methods. The client sends a request to the SOCKS server specifying the destination address and port. The SOCKS server establishes a connection to the requested destination. Data is transmitted between the client and the server through the SOCKS server, which acts as a relay. When communication is complete, the SOCKS server closes the connections to both the client and the destination server.