Tor is often promoted as a way to browse the web anonymously. It provides more privacy than regular online use but needs to be more foolproof. This article will explain what Tor is & how it works. We will also compare it to VPN services & discuss how you can ensure your safety while using it. By the end of this article, you will be better informed & can use Tor with confidence, knowing that no rookie mistakes are compromising your anonymity.
What is the purpose of Tor?
Using the Tor Browser is just like using any other web browser. To start it up, a connection to the Tor network must be configured first, which is different from Chrome or Firefox. Browsing the web with Tor conceals your real IP address & data from websites & services you visit, as well as hiding what you are doing from your Internet Service Provider. The main uses of Tor are:
· Avoiding censorship & monitoring.
· Browsing websites anonymously.
· Accessing websites that can only be found on the Tor network.
Who invented Tor?
The US government developed Tor in the 1990s to protect intelligence communications on the Internet. The original code for Tor was made available for free & open-source use by the US Naval Research Laboratory. Since 2006, the nonprofit The Tor Project has maintained Tor & its browser version. They receive financial support from corporations like Google, Human Rights Watch, & other organizations.
How does Tor function?
Tor is a system for anonymizing Internet use. It sends traffic through multiple randomly chosen relay servers before it reaches its destination, so neither the contents of the request nor the entire circuit can be seen. There are over 7,000 relays in this network & most belong to volunteers. The connection exits at an exit node, which makes it appear as if you were browsing directly from the exit node from a website’s perspective. Tor also has hidden services accessed differently than regular websites, using .onion domain names & not accessible by standard web browsers. To use Tor properly, you need to run the Tor browser- a modified version of Mozilla Firefox that connects via Tor’s network & comes with useful privacy extensions such as NoScript to prevent malicious JavaScript files from running. Using Tor will help improve your online privacy & security up to a certain point.
When you use the Tor browser, your data is routed through different nodes in the Tor network.
· The entry node is the first node Tor connects you to. Your IP address is visible here, but the entry node cannot see what websites or services you are accessing.
· This node forwards the traffic it receives.
· A Tor exit node sends your connection to the website you’re trying to access. Your IP address won’t be visible, but the website you’re visiting will be.
Using the Tor browser, it is hard to identify internet users as their online traffic is heavily encrypted when passing through the first node & then slowly decrypted at subsequent nodes. When someone attempts to identify a user, they can only see the last server that a user’s data went through (the “Tor exit node”). Therefore, using Tor for anonymous web browsing is much better than using a regular web browser.
How secure, anonymous, & safe is the Tor Browser?
Using Tor can help protect your privacy, but it’s essential to be careful when browsing to avoid making mistakes that could nullify your efforts.
Here are some things to be aware of:
· The last section of the message is not encrypted.
Tor encrypts data between the user’s computer & the Tor network and within it. However, the last part of the connection between the exit node & the destination server is not encrypted, meaning governments or ISPs can potentially monitor its traffic. Moreover, since Tor’s list of exit nodes is publicly available, unencrypted traffic leaving these nodes will likely be watched closely.
. Your online activity can be identified by analyzing the timing of your internet usage.
A security risk occurs when an entry relay & exit relay are both on the same Internet autonomous system (AS). This means that the same network operator owns both IP addresses. They can determine which computer sent out a particular network request using timing-based statistical techniques. This technique is difficult & expensive, so it is usually only used by governments against high-value targets.
· Tor won’t keep you safe from advanced techniques used to identify you.
Attackers can identify a person browsing with Tor if they visit a compromised website & have JavaScript enabled or if the website uses compromised third-party JavaScript. This is done by tracking mouse movements, as most people move their mouse uniquely, which can be linked to non-Tor browsing sessions.
· Tor may have vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
A security bug can compromise Your web browser, even when using the secure Tor Browser. Browsers have good defenses against known bugs, but people who target Tor users may have access to unknown (zero-day) exploits that can still cause problems.
It’s a good idea to follow some safety guidelines when using Tor, even if you’re not paranoid. Protecting your security is important because anyone who uses Tor is automatically at risk of being surveilled.
How to Stay Safe When Using Tor
· Do not sign in to your regular accounts, especially on Facebook or Google.
· Try not to do anything online that could make it easy to identify you.
· To maximize security in the Tor Browser, JavaScript will be disabled on all sites, certain fonts & images will not be displayed, & audio & video content must be clicked to play. This helps protect you from bugs & tracking by decreasing how much browser code runs when viewing a webpage.
· The HTTPS Everywhere extension will help protect your data by ensuring you only browse websites that use HTTPS. This will keep your information secure as it travels between you & the destination server.
· It is not recommended to use BitTorrent when connected to Tor. This is because it can be challenging to hide your actual IP address while using BitTorrent, & also because Tor is too slow for efficient use of BitTorrent.
· It is essential to always keep Tor Browser & any extensions up to date, as this reduces your risk of being attacked.
What are Tor’s services that are hidden?
Tor hidden services, also known as “onion services” or “Tor websites,” are sites that can only be accessed through the Tor network. Their domain names end in “.onion,” & they consist of a long string of seemingly random characters. Together, these websites form the “dark web” & cannot be found through search engines like Google. However, several user-created directories help users locate the sites they seek.
The Negative Effects of Using Tor
Using the Dark Web or Deep Web can be both dangerous & legal. While there are legitimate uses such as Facebook, DuckDuckGo, & The New York Times having versions of their sites accessible through Tor hidden services for journalists & activists living in oppressive regimes, criminals exploit the anonymity of the networks to sell illegal services. Those who use Tor for illegal activities can be caught by government agencies with advanced technologies to track their movements. It is essential to exercise caution when browsing these anonymous networks so one does not end up on a sketchy .onion site. To stay safe while using the Dark or Deep web, ensure you’re always aware of what you’re doing.
What is the difference between Tor & VPN services?
VPN services are commonly marketed as a way to increase privacy & anonymity, but they can be unreliable. Most VPN providers claim that they do not log how their services are used. However, confirming this with an independent audit or investigation is possible. The main advantages of VPNs over Tor include faster download speeds, the ability to choose the server/country for data routing, & ease of systemwide use. It is essential to be careful when using Tor or a VPN service to avoid accidentally revealing your IP address.
Pros & Cons of Using Onion Tor
Using Tor can provide more privacy & anonymity when accessing websites than connecting directly. However, there are also some difficulties associated with using it.
Pros
· If you use Tor correctly, the websites you visit will not be able to identify your actual IP address.
· You can browse websites without your internet service provider knowing what you are looking at.
· You can find ways to get around censorship.
Cons
· Tor is much slower than using a VPN or browsing the web normally, so downloading large files is usually impossible.
· You can be identified while browsing online if you make a mistake.
· Some governments & internet service providers can stop Tor from working.
· Using Tor is not illegal, but it may make your activities look suspicious.
· Some websites may not work when using Tor, usually to stop anonymous people from sending out spam or misusing the website.
Overview
Using Tor & the Tor Browser is one way to protect your privacy & anonymity while browsing online. It helps to avoid surveillance from internet service providers & government agencies and access to hidden services used by journalists & human rights activists worldwide. However, it’s essential to understand potential security issues associated with Tor to use it correctly & effectively. VPN services may provide higher speeds, but their protection from surveillance depends on the provider you choose. To ensure your browsing remains secure, ensure you are educated on using Tor correctly.
