Final answer:
A VPN and a proxy are both intermediaries between a user's device and the internet. The main differences are that a VPN hides only web traffic, anonymizes traffic, and encrypts traffic, while a proxy hides all traffic, does not anonymize traffic, and does not encrypt traffic.
Step-by-step explanation:
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) and a proxy both serve as intermediaries between a user's device and the internet. However, there are several key differences between the two.
VPNs hide only web traffic, whereas proxies hide all traffic: A VPN routes all web traffic through an encrypted tunnel, protecting it from prying eyes. On the other hand, a proxy server only masks the IP address of a user, making it appear as if they are browsing from a different location, but it does not encrypt the traffic.
VPNs anonymize traffic, proxies do not: When using a VPN, your real IP address is hidden, and your online activities are associated with the VPN server's IP. This provides a higher level of anonymity compared to proxies, which typically retain the original IP address.
VPNs encrypt traffic, proxies do not: VPNs use encryption protocols to secure data transmission. This means that even if someone were to intercept the traffic, they would only see encrypted data. Proxies, however, do not encrypt traffic, which leaves it vulnerable to interception.