Advanced

Proxy Authentication Methods — Username/Password vs IP Whitelisting

Compare proxy auth types, when to use each, and how to secure access for teams and automation.

PT

Technical Team

Author

January 22, 2026

Published

7 min read

Reading time

#auth#ip-whitelist#security#credentials

Overview

Proxy authentication impacts security and integration speed. This guide explains user/pass vs IP whitelisting and best practices for production.

curl -x http://USER:PASS@HOST:PORT https://api.ipify.org

No password required — proxy server allows only approved IPs.

Best for servers with static IP
Hard for laptops / dynamic home internet / mobile networks

If you get 407/401: wrong credentials or wrong format
If IP whitelist doesn't work: your server IP changed (cloud NAT, dynamic IP, etc.)
If leaks happen: rotate credentials and limit access scope per team/app

Pro Tip

For teams: create separate credentials per project. If one leaks, you revoke one key instead of rotating everything.