The Differences Among Proxy, SSH And VPN

Although there are over one hundred of anti-censorship tools, most of which are Proxy, SSH and VPN.

So, what are the differences among Proxy, SSH and VPN? Which one is the most safe?

Let's take information transmission as a package, and comparing them with the following 3 metaphors:

1. Proxy

Proxy (or Proxy Server) can be taken as a carrier who helps delivery your package to another person.

2. SSH

As an encrypted tunnel, SSH（Secure Shell) can't bypass the internet censorship (such as GFW in China) itself, but only when integrating with Proxy servers.

So, SSH here will be like to put the package into a locked box before passing it to the carrier, and only you have to key.

3. VPN

 

Image Credit： http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network

While both Proxy and SSH can be taken as carriers, who help delivery your package to another person, VPN (Virtual Private Network) will be like theperson's office staff, who also helps you delivery your package to that person.

Supposed that your colleague is more reliable than the carrier, and all of them are built in a same server, VPN is safer than SSH, and SSH is safer than Proxy.

While Proxy and SSH only work for the application you assign to, and basically the browsers only, VPN will work for your entire device, whether browsers, email clients, app stores or any other applications connected to the internet.

And you need to set the browser HTTP proxy addresses to use a Proxy or SSH service, but you don't need to do that with VPN services.