What is TOR Browser and Is it really safe?

About Tor Browser

The name TOR derived from the acronym "The Onion Router" and the core principle of TOR was developed by the USA> navy in the mid-1990s. In 2002, it was publicly released in order to protect the users to get hold of their personal information.

All new Tor Browser was created as a Bundle by Steven Murdoch using a modified version of the open-source version of web browser Mozilla Firefox.

It is free and an open-source software that helps to keep you anonymous online. Today Tor Web Browser offers the best anonymous web surfing and developers are continuously working hard on programming to improve Tor's anonymity.

Download URL for Tor Browser given below and software on a variety of platforms like Windows ,Linux , MacOS, android.

Tor Project | Download Link

How Tor Browser works?

As images illustrate below, Tor Browser anonymize by routes all of your internet web traffic through the Tor network and Tor consists of a basic three-layer proxy, like the layers of an onion as per Tor's onion logo.

Data is bundled into a layer of packets of encrypted data before it enters the Tor network. it's then routed through a series of volunteer-operated public servers called nodes or relays. The Tor network routes all types of TCP traffic optimized for web browsing and does not support UDP .

Tor Network connects at random first node, then bounces the traffic through a randomly selected middle node/relay, and finally spits out the traffic through the third node and finally the exit node.

Thus Tor protects the data by covering it in multiple layers of encryption like an onion. And it feels, browsing through Tor will be very slow, since your data needs to travel through multiple relays/nodes before reaching its final destination.

Our final question - Is Tor Browser really safe?

Tor browser isn't fully secured and system design has a few flaws, leaks and weaknesses. Since Tor network's servers volunteer-operated and you never know who's behind the nodes/relays that your data goes through.

The exit relay removes the final encryption layer on the data. It cannot access the original IP address or location, but it's possible at the exit node to spy on the activity or data on visiting an un-secured HTTP websites.

Tor browser is also susceptible to an equivalent attack by hackers that other web browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox. Always turn off the browser’s extension, plugins and scripts if you're trying to remain completely anonymous, because these are often exploited to reveal your IP address, private data, etc.

Deep Web and Dark Web

Websites in Deep Web and Dark Web cannot be accessed through search engines and regular browsers. Those are part of the internet and require Tor Browser to the deepest part of the internet. Our blog will continue on TOR, Deep Web, Dark Web and Bitcoin. Stay tuned…