SOCKS
Sign in to saveAlso known as SOCKetS
SOCKS is an Internet protocol that exchanges network packets between a client and server through a proxy server. SOCKS5 optionally provides authentication, so only authorized users may access a server. Practically, a SOCKS server proxies TCP connections to an arbitrary IP address and provides a means for UDP packets to be forwarded. The SOCKS protocol operates between the application layer and the transport layer. A SOCKS server accepts incoming client connection on TCP port 1080.
~15 min read
Article
19 sectionsContents
- History
- Acronym
- Usage
- Protocol
- SOCKS4
- SOCKS4a
- SOCKS5
- Software
- Servers
- SOCKS proxy server implementations
- Other programs providing SOCKS server interface
- Clients
- Browser
- Socksifiers
- Translating proxies
- Security
- Performance and limitations
- References
- External links
SOCKS is an Internet protocol that exchanges network packets between a client and server through a proxy server. SOCKS5 optionally provides authentication, so only authorized users may access a server. Practically, a SOCKS server proxies TCP connections to an arbitrary IP address and provides a means for UDP packets to be forwarded. The SOCKS protocol operates between the application layer and the transport layer. A SOCKS server accepts incoming client connection on TCP port 1080.
==History== The protocol was originally designed and developed by David Koblas, a system administrator of MIPS Computer Systems. After MIPS was taken over by Silicon Graphics in 1992, Koblas presented a paper on SOCKS at that year's Usenix Security Symposium, making SOCKS publicly available. The protocol was extended to version 4 by Ying-Da Lee of NEC.