Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

SOCKS
     
         A security package that allows a {host} behind a
        {firewall} to use {finger}, {FTP}, {telnet}, {Gopher}, and
        {Mosaic} to access resources outside the firewall while
        maintaining the security requirements.
     
        [The Security FAQ, {Usenet} newsgroups
        {news:comp.security.misc}, {news:comp.security.unix},
        {news:alt.security}].
     
        (1995-01-31)