The headers that give a proxy away#
| Header | What it leaks | Level that sends it |
|---|---|---|
| X-Forwarded-For | The client's real IP address | Transparent |
| Via | That a proxy is in the path, sometimes its software | Transparent, anonymous |
| X-Proxy-ID, Forwarded | Proxy identity or the original client | Transparent, anonymous |
| none | Nothing | Elite |
How to check#
Request a header-echo service through the proxy and inspect the response. Any header naming a proxy or an address that is not the exit means the level is not elite. Do it for HTTP as well as HTTPS: with HTTPS the proxy cannot add headers inside the encrypted request, so plain HTTP is where leaks show.
The three levels compared#
| Level | Real IP revealed | Proxy revealed | Typical source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparent | Yes (X-Forwarded-For) | Yes | Corporate and caching proxies |
| Anonymous | No | Yes (Via, Forwarded) | Many free and older proxies |
| Elite (high anonymity) | No | No | Commercial residential, ISP, datacenter and mobile proxies |
curl -s -x http://USER:PASS@res.hodlproxy.com:9000 http://httpbin.org/headersLook for Via, X-Forwarded-For, Forwarded or X-Proxy-ID in the echoed headers. Test plain HTTP as well as HTTPS: through a CONNECT tunnel a proxy cannot add headers, so only an HTTP request shows its real behaviour.
Anonymity is not invisibility#
- IP type: an elite proxy on a hosting range is still recognised as hosting; trust depends on the kind of address.
- Leaks outside the proxy: WebRTC and DNS can reveal the real address in a browser if they bypass the proxy.
- Identity carried with you: cookies, logins and browser fingerprints follow you from one IP to the next.
How it works at HodlProxy#
HodlProxy gateways and dedicated addresses are elite: they strip incoming proxy headers, add none of their own and never terminate TLS.
Questions people ask#
What is an elite proxy?
A proxy that adds no headers revealing either your address or its own presence, so the request looks as if it came directly from the exit IP. It is the standard for commercial proxies.
Are residential proxies elite?
Reputable residential proxies are elite. HodlProxy gateways and dedicated addresses strip incoming proxy headers, add none and never terminate TLS.
Can a website still detect an elite proxy?
Not from headers. It can score the IP (hosting, ISP or carrier, and its history) and the browser; that is why the type of exit matters more than the anonymity label.