Anonymizer (company)

This article is about an internet privacy company. For anonymous web proxy, see anonymizer.
Anonymizer
Company typePrivately Held
IndustryComputer and Network Security
PredecessorInfonex Internet
FounderLance Cottrell
Headquarters
San Diego, California
Key people
Lance Cottrell, founder, president
ProductsAnonymizer Universal
OwnerNtrepid
Websitewww.anonymizer.com

Anonymizer, Inc. is an Internet privacy company, founded in 1995 by Lance Cottrell, author of the Mixmaster anonymous remailer.[1][2][3] Anonymizer was originally named Infonex Internet.[4] The name was changed to Anonymizer in 1997 when the company acquired a web based privacy proxy of the same name developed by Justin Boyan at Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science. Boyan licensed the software to C2Net for public beta testing before selling it to Infonex. One of the first web privacy companies founded, Anonymizer creates a VPN link between its servers and its users computer, creating a random IP address, rather than the one actually being used.[5][6][7] This can be used to anonymously report a crime, avoid spam, avoid Internet censorship, keep the users identity safe and track competitors, among other uses.[8][9][10]

  1. ^ Sean Marciniak. "Web Privacy Services Complicate Work of Federal Investigators". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  2. ^ Linzie Janis. "Fighting for free speech on the Net". International CNN. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  3. ^ Max Hall. "Location, Location, Location ..." Computer World. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Infonex Internet, Inc". Wysk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  5. ^ Erez Zukerman. "Anonymizer Universal Shields You From Content-Targeting". PCWorld. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  6. ^ Lisa Guernsey (18 May 2000). "Secrecy for All, as Encryption Goes to Market". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. ^ Larry Greenemeier. "Identity-Crisis Prevention". Information Week. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  8. ^ Jeri Clausing. "Want More Online Privacy? Join the Crowd". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  9. ^ Anne Saita. "IP cloaking becoming a business necessity". Search Security. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  10. ^ Peter H. Lewis (8 April 1999). "State of the Art; Internet Hide And Seek". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2014.