Comparison of socks5 and socks4 Features and Security

SOCKS5 and SOCKS4 are two commonly used proxy protocols that have some key differences in terms of functionality and security.

First, SOCKS5 is a newer and more powerful protocol that supports not only the TCP protocol, but also the UDP protocol, which allows SOCKS5 proxies to be used in a wider range of network application scenarios, including those that require the UDP protocol, such as online gaming, voice calls, and so on. In contrast, SOCKS4 only supports the TCP protocol, which means it cannot handle UDP-based network traffic.

In terms of authentication, SOCKS5 provides richer authentication options, including no authentication, username/password authentication, and more advanced authentication mechanisms (such as GSS-API, etc.). This flexible authentication mechanism enhances the security of the proxy service and allows users to configure it according to their actual needs . SOCKS4, on the other hand, only supports simple username/password authentication when establishing a connection, and this authentication is usually not mandatory.

In addition, SOCKS5 supports server-side domain name resolution, i.e., the proxy server can handle domain name resolution requests and convert the domain name to an IP address, which reduces the burden on the client and improves the efficiency and security of the connection. On the contrary, SOCKS4 does not support domain name resolution and can only handle IP addresses, which means that when using a SOCKS4 proxy, if the target address is a domain name, you need to perform domain name resolution on the client first, and then send the resolved IP address to the proxy server.

In terms of security, the SOCKS5 proxy is relatively secure due to its multiple authentication mechanisms, support for server-side domain name resolution, and higher connection stability. On the other hand, SOCKS4 is less secure due to its limitations in authentication and domain name resolution.

Overall, SOCKS5 proxy is better than SOCKS4 proxy in terms of function, performance, security and scalability. Therefore, in practical applications, users should choose the appropriate proxy protocol according to their needs to protect their privacy and security, and improve the efficiency and stability of network applications.