Using IP Data Feeds and APIs for Proxy Detection and VPN Detection

The proxy detection and IP data feed age has given rise to a host of new challenges for companies, especially when it comes to web automation. For example, fraudsters and cyber criminals often use proxies to bypass anti-bot protections on websites. This means that they can avoid being blocked when performing automated tasks, such as data collection or automated data entry. This can make it hard for businesses to detect these crooks and criminals—which can pose serious risks to their users and customers.

To protect their users, companies need to incorporate proxy and VPN detection APIs on the front-end of their security platforms and technologies. This helps them identify which types of proxies and VPNs are being used and what characteristics they have. It can also provide them with the necessary context to decide when additional authentication is required, such as requesting further information from the user.

How to Test Proxy and VPN Usage by IP: A Complete Guide

A good example is a sports streaming service using this type of data to prevent piracy, identifying which proxies are being used and incorporating those in their geo-blocking methodology. This reduces the risk of false positives and shows consumers that companies are committed to preventing cybercrime.

Other examples include residential proxies (IP addresses assigned to a physical location that are used by multiple people with devices at the same place, such as cell phones and laptops) being used to bypass website restrictions. Spur’s IP context APIs and data feeds can help companies identify these proxies by examining their characteristics, such as speed patterns, to discover if they’re being used for malicious purposes.