What does a proxy server do in the context of web security?

A proxy server primarily acts as an intermediary between a user's device and the internet. In terms of web security, one of its key functions is to cache web pages. When a user requests a website, the proxy server can store (or cache) a copy of the webpage for future requests. This not only improves load times for repeat visitors but also reduces bandwidth consumption since the server can provide the cached version instead of retrieving the data from the internet every time.

Additionally, caching can enhance security. By serving cached pages, the proxy can help protect against certain types of attacks, like DDoS attacks, since it absorbs some of the traffic. However, its primary role in this context is about improving performance and availability rather than directly providing security measures like blocking malware or encrypting data transmissions.