Proxy and VPN detection API can help businesses understand how their visitors connect to their websites. This is important because fraudsters use proxies and other means to hide their connection details, which can cause advanced fraud such as chargebacks, fake account registrations, and bonus abuse.
The API allows businesses to detect a visitor’s connection type with a few simple lines of code. The API uses a combination of static and dynamic checks to determine if an IP address is a proxy or VPN. Dynamic checks run in real time and utilize large & frequently updated data sets. They use concepts from Probability Theory and Machine Learning Boosting to generate an overall result.
Proxy and VPN Detection API: How to Safeguard Your Website Against Anonymity Services
Static checks include a number of tests, the most effective being the latency test. The latency test measures the amount of time it takes for a request to reach a server and is very difficult for a user to spoof. The API also checks for TCP/IP fingerprints (tcpip_fp) and a time zone mismatch, which are indicators of VPN or proxy connections.
Other tests, such as a hostname test, are less effective in detecting a user’s connection type, as they can be bypassed by using a different domain. The API can also retrieve a list of known IP addresses used by proxy and VPN providers, which can be useful for determining the provider and type of connection. The API can be integrated into a website or web app by adding a small JavaScript to the page.
