TLS Proxy
A TLS proxy is a network intermediary that terminates and re-establishes TLS (Transport Layer Security) connections between clients and servers, providing security, inspection, and management capabilities. It acts as a man-in-the-middle for encrypted traffic, decrypting incoming TLS connections, processing the data, and re-encrypting it for onward transmission. This enables functions like traffic monitoring, content filtering, load balancing, and security enforcement without requiring changes to end applications.
Developers should use a TLS proxy when they need to inspect, secure, or manage encrypted network traffic in environments like corporate networks, cloud deployments, or microservices architectures. It's essential for implementing security policies, debugging HTTPS issues, performing SSL/TLS offloading to reduce server load, and enabling features like caching or compression on encrypted data. Common use cases include web application firewalls, API gateways, and compliance monitoring in regulated industries.