Which proxy type sits in front of backend servers to handle client requests and shield internal systems?

Which proxy type sits in front of backend servers to handle client requests and shield internal systems?

• A. Reverse proxy
• B. Load balancer
• C. Intrusion detection system
• D. Snort

Answer: (A)

A reverse proxy sits at the edge of the network and acts as the intermediary for client requests. It receives requests from clients, forwards them to the appropriate backend servers, and then returns the responses. This placement shields internal systems by keeping backend addresses hidden from clients and allows centralized security controls to be applied—such as TLS termination, caching, authentication, rate limiting, and a web application firewall. All client interactions appear to go through the reverse proxy, which helps protect and simplify the internal architecture. A load balancer, while often deployed in front of servers and handling distribution of requests, is primarily about distributing load to optimize performance and reliability. It can function in a similar edge position, but its main focus isn’t shielding internal systems in the way a reverse proxy does. An intrusion detection system (IDS) like Snort monitors traffic for suspicious activity and alerts or blocks based on policies. It doesn’t sit in front of backend servers to handle or forward client requests, so it doesn’t provide the proxying/shielding role described.

A reverse proxy sits at the edge of the network and acts as the intermediary for client requests. It receives requests from clients, forwards them to the appropriate backend servers, and then returns the responses. This placement shields internal systems by keeping backend addresses hidden from clients and allows centralized security controls to be applied—such as TLS termination, caching, authentication, rate limiting, and a web application firewall. All client interactions appear to go through the reverse proxy, which helps protect and simplify the internal architecture.

A load balancer, while often deployed in front of servers and handling distribution of requests, is primarily about distributing load to optimize performance and reliability. It can function in a similar edge position, but its main focus isn’t shielding internal systems in the way a reverse proxy does.

An intrusion detection system (IDS) like Snort monitors traffic for suspicious activity and alerts or blocks based on policies. It doesn’t sit in front of backend servers to handle or forward client requests, so it doesn’t provide the proxying/shielding role described.