1. Enhanced Security: A proxy server acts as a firewall between the internal network and the internet, hiding internal IP addresses from external threats.
2. Privacy and Anonymity: It masks the user's real IP address, allowing for anonymous web surfing and protecting identity.
3. Improved Performance (Caching): Proxies cache frequently accessed web pages. When a user requests a cached page, it loads faster and saves bandwidth.
4. Content Control/Filtering: Organizations can use proxy servers to block access to specific websites (e.g., social media sites at work) to ensure productivity and policy compliance.