What is SOCKS5 proxy?
A SOCKS5 proxy is a low-level proxy that forwards any TCP or UDP traffic between a client and destination, without interpreting the application protocol. It is popular for routing apps, torrents, and tooling through another IP. SOCKS5 proxies running on public ports can be detected by their handshake.
Unlike an HTTP proxy, SOCKS5 is protocol-agnostic — it just relays bytes — which makes it flexible for non-web traffic. It supports authentication and both TCP and UDP.
A SOCKS5 endpoint responds with a recognizable greeting on its port, so an active probe can confirm a proxy where a feed only suspected one.
How IPLogs handles it
IPLogs probes reported proxy ports for the SOCKS5 handshake banner to confirm a live proxy rather than relying on feed listings alone.