Everyone knows about the dark web, an internet of sites only accessible via Tor (The Onion Router). Tor is known as a browser designed for privacy use by human rights activists, journalists and even criminals – yet some question whether its usage can be safe by regular netizens.
Tor is free and open-source software that encrypts and reroutes internet traffic through a network of volunteer-run nodes, using “onion routing.” Using this approach, your data travels between three layers of encryption – like rings in an onion – that protect your privacy while simultaneously anonimizing your location. Tor consists of three nodes: entry node randomly selecting relays for you to connect with; guard node to ensure no malicious actors interact with you; exit node which strips off final layer encryption before sending data directly to its destination server – keeping yourself hidden from websites you visit and any organizations tracking you activity.
On a typical browsing session, Tor connects randomly to multiple relays in a circuit and each node encrypts your data before transmitting it further. When opening websites via Tor browsers, traffic first connects with the guard node, entry node and finally exit nodes for transmission – with guard nodes checking to make sure connections are legitimate before transmitting your information on to its intended destination through its exit nodes.
It can take some time, especially with videos and other large downloads, due to Tor’s dependence on volunteers running nodes and servers around the globe; when their number decreases, connection speeds become affected – however there are ways of mitigating this effect.
Tor offers various other features to help protect your anonymity, such as blocking websites from seeing your IP address but still allowing them to identify you through other means such as browser plugins or torrenting applications that provide additional details of their devices or browsers.
Due to these reasons, it’s crucial to use both Tor and a VPN simultaneously. A good VPN will protect you against various threats on Tor that could reveal your identity – such as malware attacks and traffic shaping.
Tor Project has made it simple and accessible for anyone to install and use their software, including download of its browser from its website and subsequent activation, which automatically initiates VPN connections upon run-time. Just ensure you install an antivirus and secure VPN before doing this or else risk risking virus/spyware infection and compromise to your anonymity.