Multi-hop SOCKS5 proxy

A computer-implemented method for requesting a proxy service, by a user's device to a target service, using a proxy service infrastructure comprising a first proxy configured to receive service requests from the user's device, wherein the first proxy is a socket secure version 5 (SOCKS5) ingress proxy server, and

• further comprising one or more SOCKS5 outbound proxy servers, the method comprising:
• a. receiving from the user's device, by the first proxy, a user's request for the proxy service, the user's request comprising a user's identifier required for user authentication by SOCKS5 protocol;
• b. authorizing the user's request by the user's identifier, to provide the proxy service to a user;
• upon successful authorization of the user's request:
• c. receiving from the user's device, by the first proxy, a CONNECT-command from the user's device to the target service;
• d. selecting, by the first proxy, an outbound proxy;
• e. initiating a first transmission control protocol (TCP)/user datagram protocol (UDP) connection from the first proxy to the selected outbound proxy;
• f. initiating a second TCP/UDP connection from the selected outbound proxy to the target service according to the received CONNECT-command;
• g. when the first and second TCP/UDP connections are initiated successfully, returning a CONNECT response from the outbound proxy to the first proxy;
• h. forwarding the CONNECT response from the first proxy to the user's device;
• and
• i. providing for data communication between the user's device and the target service via the first and second TCP/UDP connections.