Transparent Proxy

A transparent proxy (also called an intercepting proxy or inline proxy) intercepts network traffic without the client's explicit knowledge or configuration. The proxy is inserted into the network path — usually by a corporate firewall, ISP, or mobile carrier — and all HTTP traffic passes through it automatically. Unlike a regular proxy, a transparent proxy passes through the client's real IP address in X-Forwarded-For headers. It provides no anonymity for the user but is used for content filtering, caching, monitoring, and traffic management. Corporate networks commonly use transparent proxies to inspect employee web traffic.