How does Spur detect VPNs, residential proxies, and ISP proxies?
Spur uses a combination of network intelligence, infrastructure analysis, behavioral signals, routing characteristics, historical observations, and proprietary research to identify and classify IP addresses. Multiple signals are evaluated together to determine the likelihood that an IP belongs to a VPN, residential proxy network, ISP proxy service, hosting provider, or other category.
Spur uses a combination of network intelligence, infrastructure analysis, behavioral signals, routing characteristics, historical observations, and proprietary research to identify and classify IP addresses. Multiple signals are evaluated together to determine the likelihood that an IP belongs to a VPN, residential proxy network, ISP proxy service, hosting provider, or other category.
Unlike traditional network ownership based enrichment solutions, Spur's products were built for the modern dynamic internet and its complex cloud, sublet, and routing relationships.
Similar questions
What is the difference between a VPN, residential proxy, and ISP proxy?
Residential proxies route traffic through consumer devices and physical locations like homes and offices, while VPNs and ISP proxies are typically hosted in data centers. All three can present different network profiles.
Are proxy SDKs primarily found in unofficial or malicious applications?
No. Proxy and bandwidth-sharing SDKs have been observed in both official app stores and less-official distribution channels. Their presence is not limited to free applications and may not always be clearly disclosed to users.
What should I do when I detect a VPN or proxy?
Detection alone should not automatically trigger a block. VPNs and proxies are used by both legitimate users and attackers. Most organizations incorporate VPN and proxy signals into broader risk-scoring or adaptive decisioning workflows that consider account history, geography, transaction context, and behavioral indicators.
How quickly can Spur identify and classify newly discovered VPN or proxy infrastructure?
Spur continuously researches emerging infrastructure and updates classifications as new intelligence becomes available. New infrastructure is often identified and incorporated rapidly, allowing customers to benefit from current intelligence through the API and data products.
Why are residential proxies more difficult to detect than traditional VPNs?
Residential proxies route traffic through real consumer internet connections, causing activity to appear as if it originates from legitimate users. Because the IP addresses belong to trusted ISPs rather than known hosting providers, traditional reputation and geolocation controls are often less effective.