“Is Tor Safe?” And All Other Such Tor-related Questions Answered In This Guide

We’ve all heard the phrase, “The Internet is a vast place.” But few of us know really how vast and immense it really is. Imagine this, all the websites you can think of browsing via your favourite internet browsers, all the search results on Google and other search engines like Bing, are all the proverbial “tip” of the iceberg. Most users might consider these websites enough to satisfy their needs off the Internet, but the Internet’s actual extent is profoundly larger than most users realize. Naturally, you might now be wondering if there’s a way for you to explore this vast undiscovered part of the Internet. The answer is yes. However, you’ll need a special tool to do so, i.e., The Onion Router (Tor) browser. Read on below to learn more about everything you need to know about the Tor browser, such as is Tor safe? Is it free? Is it legal, and most importantly, how to get started with using it? You’ll find the answers to all these questions plus a lot more below.

What is Tor Browser? 

Users can access the Tor network, a network of virtual tunnels intended to provide online security and anonymity, using the Tor Browser. 

Because internet traffic is routed over a free, global volunteer overlay network of thousands of relays, private communication is made possible by this free and open-source software. 

Combining a customized version of Mozilla Firefox ESR with TorButton, TorLauncher, NoScript, and the Tor proxy, the Tor Browser allows users to access the Tor network. Linux, Android, macOS, and Microsoft Windows are among the operating systems with which it is compatible. 

Internet security is enhanced by blocking the Tor Browser’s plugin. Because internet activity is sent through “onion routers” and encryption layers, some people find it challenging to trace down. The Tor Browser is a priceless tool for safeguarding online security and privacy. 

How Does it Work?  

Sending a data packet via an entrance node, a randomized relay node, and a randomized exit node is how the Tor Browser operates. 

Until the exit node finally contacts the website you wish to visit, each node decrypts enough of the data packet to know where to send it next, completing the request without identifying the source.

Every time a user opens the Tor Browser, it provides a unique browsing IP; nevertheless, entry nodes retain this IP for a session. Malicious relays arise when malicious actors register as nodes to steal user data. 

Tor’s nodes are network members; anybody can volunteer to be a node.

Benefits of Using a Tor Browser 

Some internet users may find it beneficial to utilize the Tor browser since it has several benefits. Not every one of them, though, will be pertinent to typical internet users. The following are some significant justifications for why some users decide to utilize a Tor Onion browser:

• Benefit from increased network security due to the Tor browser running on safe, encrypted networks.
• The web browser is an open-source, free software.
• Browsing histories and IP addresses are hidden.
• It is a simple way to get pages that need to be indexed, especially using search engines.

Here’s How To Start Using Tor

Despite being one of the most secure tools on the Internet, it’s surprisingly easy to download and then use Tor. You don’t need any specific technical expertise, no prior experience in cybersecurity, not even any special equipment. In fact, it’s not any different than downloading Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. It’s the same principle. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to download, install, and start using Tor.

Head over to Tor’s official website.

From here, download the service for the device you plan on using it on.

Once you’ve downloaded it, you’ll see a folder titled “Tor Browser” at your download destination.

Open this folder, and click on “Start Tor Browser.”

At this point, you’ll see a new window with the option to “Connect” or “Configure.”

Click on “Connect,” and you’ll then have a browser window open.

By default, you’ll be redirected to the search engine “DuckDuckGo.” Think of this website as the Google of the Deep web.

 At this point, you can now navigate to several other search engines you want. Find the links to some below:

•       Candle (http://gjobqjj7wyczbqie.onion/)
•       not Evil (http://hss3uro2hsxfogfq.onion/)
•       Welcome to Dark Web Links (http://bznjtqphs2lp4xdd.onion/)  

In case you want to access some of the more popular websites from regions where they’re banned, find their onion URLs below:

•       Facebook (https://www.facebookcorewwwi.onion/)
•       Mail2Tor (http://mail2tor2zyjdctd.onion/)
•       ProPublica (https://www.propub3r6espa33w.onion/)
•       SoylentNews (http://7rmath4ro2of2a42.onion/)
•       The Hidden Wiki (http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page)
•       The CIA (http://ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion/)

Reasons To Start Using Tor

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are multiple reasons why you might want to start using Tor. While most users opt for Tor because of the absolute privacy it offers, there are many more compelling reasons to do so as well. Some of these include:

Tor Is Run By Volunteers: It may come as a surprise to many, but Tor is a completely community-run venture. A few volunteers play a pivotal role in ensuring the system remains up and running. However, all of these volunteers are experts in their respective domains, such as relays, documentation translators, community advocacy, and so much more.

Tor Is a Distributed Network: In simple terms, a distributed network is the network system that allows software and its data to be spread across more than one computer to communicate complex messages through their nodes. The distributed network on Tor is managed separately by each node, making Tor user tracking extremely difficult, if not impossible. This is mainly down to the fact that Tor’s operations do not rely on any single node. For instance, if one node or server went down, the system would seamlessly transition to another available node.

Access Everything: Ask any journalist from one of the troubled regions of the world, and they’ll tell you just how vital Tor is to their profession. Governments around the world ban sites and restrict access to the entire Internet in some extreme cases. In such cases, Tor is the only viable option people have in terms of accessing the Internet, reading banned publications, accessing banned sites, and evading any government restrictions.

Reasons To Avoid Tor

Tor is an extraordinary tool, and you’ll be a lot safer with it than you’d be without it. However, there are some downsides to using the Tor browser that you should know beforehand. While most of these are operational in nature, it helps to know what you’re getting yourself into when you start using Tor.

Several countries around the world have banned and outlawed the Tor browser. Thanks to mirror links, you can still download Tor in these countries but beware, you’ll be engaging in illegal activity that usually carries a hefty fine or even a jail sentence.

Secondly, even if your country hasn’t outright banned Tor, several web services block Tor users. While it’s completely rare, you might find yourself banned by your Internet service provider for using Tor as well.

Lastly, the most important thing to consider is the loss of speed. If you’re planning on using Tor to remain both anonymous and enjoying a smooth web browsing experience, you’re in for a disappointment. Tor browser is notoriously slow for various reasons depending on a lot of different factors. While it does guarantee you anonymity online, one thing it does not guarantee is a fast-browsing experience. You can learn more about why this in the FAQs section below.

What is the Difference Between the Tor Browser and a VPN?  

VPNs and the Tor browser work differently and have different uses. The following are the primary variations between the two:

Tor Browser:

• Operates by utilizing a volunteer-maintained decentralized network of servers.
• Hides the source and destination of internet traffic, allowing data to be routed via three randomly chosen servers inside the Tor network.
• Only data sent through the browser is encrypted, and because of the many encryption levels, this causes a slowdown.
• Perfect for things like sending private emails, gaining access to prohibited news websites, and communicating with whistleblowers when privacy and secrecy are crucial.

VPN (Virtual Private Network):

• Improved speed and a selection of server locations are provided by a VPN service, which encrypts and routes all of your internet traffic through a single user-selected server run by the VPN provider.
• It is appropriate for online activities, such as downloading, streaming, and safeguarding public Wi-Fi networks, since it offers precise service and privacy protection.
• Faster speeds are available, and some VPNs offer extra security features like kill switches and leak prevention, in addition to capabilities like port forwarding for P2P downloads.

What is the Difference Between Tor Browser and Proxy?  

The degree of secrecy and security offered by a proxy server and the Tor Browser varies significantly:

Tor Browser

• Provides anonymity by hiding the source and destination of internet traffic through a decentralized network of servers run by volunteers.
• Encrypts data being sent through the browser; this process is slower due to several encryption levels.
• Perfect for operations like viewing prohibited news websites, communicating with whistleblowers, and using anonymous email addresses, when privacy and secrecy are crucial.

Proxy

• Hides the user’s IP address and location by acting as a middleman between the user’s device and the internet and rerouting internet traffic through the server.
• Generally, it does not encrypt internet communication, making the user susceptible to tracking and eavesdropping.
• Provides a more straightforward method of altering one’s apparent internet location, but it is less secure and anonymous than the Tor Browser.

Is Using Tor Legal?

In short, yes. There’s nothing illegal about using Tor, and it remains entirely legal for use in most countries of the world. Why most? Because some countries do actually place restrictions on the use of the browse. For instance, China has specifically curtailed the use of Tor within the mainland. Thanks to the Great Firewall, Tor traffic is virtually non-existent within the country and cannot be accessed from outside the country. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela have also placed similar restrictions on the use of Tor. However, none of these countries have any dedicated laws against using Tor, so the question of legality remains a grey one.  

Is Tor Immune To Vulnerabilities? Not Quite

Something you should know before you start using Tor includes the fact that despite being unarguably one of the safest ways to surf the web, it is still not immune to vulnerabilities. Now, I should probably add that these problems continue to exist, but these aren’t problems that do not have easy solutions. Hence, here are some of the most common vulnerabilities that continue to exist in Tor you need to be aware of:

Final Tor Exit Node Can Be Exposed:

An exit node is the last node that handles Tor data before it reaches its final destination in laymen’s terms. The data at this point is wholly decrypted and, as you can probably guess, virtually laid bare. Unless your traffic is via an HTTPS connection, some sensitive information and data can be exposed to the operator running the node.

The Path To The Exit Node Isn’t Safe Either:

Tor was designed to provide absolute anonymity to all its users. It relies heavily on the assumption that the Tor volunteers will not snoop into the traffic running through their servers. However, past investigations have shown that these volunteers can efficiently perform man-in-the-middle attacks.

As a study at the Northeastern University by Guevara Noubir indicated, Tor hackers are equipped with highly sophisticated techniques that allow them to infiltrate into user traffic with ease. Some of these techniques include automated probing SQL injection into databases.

Confirmation Attacks Can Compromise Tor:

Resourceful government agencies like the NSA can overcome the security barriers Tor browser provides. The most obvious example is the use of Tor attacks that draw a correlation between user transmissions between both the entry and exit nodes. These can easily indicate use patterns if the hackers have any other corresponding data.

Can VPN Make Your Tor Browsing Sessions Better?

Long story short, yes. A VPN can lend your Tor browsing sessions an additional layer of privacy and provide you with some much-needed security while using it.

The best way to benefit from a VPN while using the Tor browser is to connect to a VPN before using Tor. This is because it ensures your internet provider won’t know about your access to Tor. It should go without saying, but ideally, you’ll want a VPN that keeps no user logs. PureVPN is perhaps the best option in this case as it has gotten itself audited via an independent firm and received the critical “no-logs” certification.

Using a VPN like PureVPN would enable you to select login from any other server outside your country. This will provide your Tor browsing session with the kind of anonymity needed to evade some of the geo-restrictions that might be in place in your country.

People Also Ask:

Here are some other commonly searched for problems by users related to Tor browser:

Is Tor free?

Yes, Tor is entirely free to use regardless of which OS or device you might be on. Furthermore, it’s completely legal to distribute it without any specific permission as long as you adhere to Tor’s licensing requirements.

Can I use Tor on my smartphone or tablet?

Fairly easily. Just head over to the Tor browser’s official website, and you can download the browser for your Android devices such as smartphones and tablets. However, there’s no dedicated client for iOS. Hence, you’ll need to use Tor via the Onion browser app for iOS. It may not be as convenient as the Android version, but it isn’t too difficult to use.

Why is Tor so slow?

Once you do get on Tor, one of the things you might notice at the start is just how slow Tor can be. This is because the traffic via the browser is pinged via several servers across the world. You also have to factor in the fact that the network is much smaller proportionate to the people who use it. This has been a hot topic within Tor’s developers’ team and should be resolved soon.

What is the deep web vs. the dark web?

This is probably the most common misconception that people have. While both the deep web and dark web share similarities, they are vastly different in the grand scheme of things. For starters, the deep web usually refers to all the websites that you can’t access via your regular web browser. On the other hand, the dark web are sites you can only access via a Tor browser, known as “onion sites.” In other words, dark websites are a part of the deep web. Most of the deep websites usually include business intranets, online banking platforms, and databases in addition to the dark web. These dark websites are typically meant for specific activities that blur the line between legal and illegal as they allow access to sites banned in most countries, such as news publications, whistleblowing sites, as well as social media sites such as Facebook.

What are the best Tor alternatives?

Several other alternatives provide a similar service like that of Tor. This includes Freenet and Invisible Internet Project (I2P). Without getting into too many details, both of these operate using the same principles as Tor. This ensures similar levels of anonymity as you would get with Tor. However, you won’t have access to Onion sites, so you might find your actions fairly limited.