The Onion Router (Tor) is a free piece of software that facilitates anonymous communications and browsing. Information technology's a secure option for browsing the internet, and comes with its ain browser.

Here's how to get online securely with the Tor browser, and continue your action private.

Privacy and Security When Using Tor

If y'all want to remain anonymous when using the internet, Tor is at least as proficient as the all-time VPN you tin can proper name. Remember, though, Tor is not a VPN; it is a proxy that only protects traffic that is routed through it. Our full guide to using Tor explains this in item.

Alone, Tor cannot guarantee your security and privacy; you need to sympathize the best practices and usage tips to ensure maximum security and benefits.

These are:

  1. Don't utilize your personal information
  2. Do go on your system updated
  3. Don't utilize Tor for Google searches
  4. Do disable Java, JavaScript, and Flash
  5. Don't torrent or use P2P networking
  6. Practise regularly delete cookies and other data
  7. Don't use HTTP websites

We are non maxim that Tor is the be-all-end-all when it comes to privacy online, only if you use it properly it is a powerful tool.

Do'south and Don'ts of Using Tor

Tor is an amazing tool when used right. Many people associate its utilize with the dark web and illicit activities. This, however, only represents a small portion of the Tor userbase. Other uses for Tor include:

  • Business organisation activities
  • Cross-border communications
  • Publishing anonymous posts, data, or information
  • Whistleblowing (think WikiLeaks)

If you do decide to begin using Tor, make certain you follow these best practices.

Use the Tor browser to stay secure online

1. Avert Using Your Personal Information

One style many people fall down is by mixing their personal information in with Tor-related activities. This includes merely is non limited to: using or accessing your personal email address, using the same usernames, using debit or credit cards, and not using an anonymous persona.

If you lot are using Tor properly, create a persona and stick to it. Employ Tor-based or temporary email services, and transact in anonymous cryptocurrencies. Temporary email services should only exist used where yous don't need routine access. After a while, a temporary electronic mail address will be deleted.

2. Keep Your System Updated

Tor is only as safe as the system running information technology. Later all, information technology's a software solution. If your Os is outdated, then tertiary-parties could exploit loopholes in it to get past your Tor shield and compromise your information.

If a potential assailant is able to figure out what Os you are using and so Tor tin't protect you. On the bailiwick of operating systems, using Windows is not a adept thought. This is due to the inherent security bugs and vulnerabilities that come up with it.

If Windows cannot exist avoided, make sure you update it regularly---automatic updates are the fashion to become.

3. Don't Utilise Tor for Google Searches

Google collects and stores data such every bit search queries. Google also stores cookies on your computer to rail your browsing habits. For the most privacy-conscious of people, Google's utilise on Tor should be avoided for this reason.

Other search engines like DuckDuckGo and StartPage are best for employ on Tor. They don't track, log, store, or save annihilation to their own services or your device.

4. Disable Java, JavaScript, and Flash

Using active content on Tor is a huge risk. Adobe Flash, QuickTime, ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript, among other things, can only run because of your user account privileges. Considering of this, these tin can admission and share your private data.

JavaScript is the most unsafe. Information technology is a widely-used browser linguistic communication that may ignore proxy settings and enable tracking by websites.  Additionally, these tools may store cookies and other data from the Tor browser that tin be hard to notice and delete. By disabling them outright, you achieve a greater level of privacy and security.

v. Don't Torrent or Use P2P

Tor every bit a browser is not fabricated for P2P file sharing such every bit torrenting. The Tor network'south architecture is set up to block file-sharing traffic outright and, in addition to being risky, P2P over Tor is a risk to your privacy and anonymity.

Clients such as BitTorrent are not inherently secure. When used over Tor, they however send your IP address to other peers and there is no style to stop this.

6. Regularly Delete Cookies and Other Information

Whilst Tor routes your traffic through many nodes to prevent traffic analysis, cookies and other scripts can be used to track your activity online. With enough cookies or cardinal bits of data, information technology tin can be pieced together to expose your identity.

When using Tor, regularly prune cookies and local site data, or use an add-on that does this automatically.

seven. Avoid HTTP Websites

Data that is transferred to and from HTTP sites is unencrypted. Tor only encrypts traffic within its network, and using HTTP sites leaves you lot vulnerable to prying eyes when your traffic passes through go out nodes.

Visiting HTTPS sites that use end-to-end encryption such as TLS and SSL is perfectly safe, though. With HTTPS sites, all your data is safe fifty-fifty outside of the Tor ecosystem.

Tor Is Only every bit Rubber equally Y'all Make It

Tor is one of the best tools available to protect from tertiary-party snooping.

Although it is not perfect and there are inherent vulnerabilities and weaknesses, these tin can frequently be avoided by adhering strictly to the all-time practices and usage tips outlined above.

No matter what you are using Tor for, remaining anonymous should be your chief business organization. Online anonymity is non piece of cake, especially when we live in a earth powered by data.

Epitome Credit: sharafmaksumov/Depositphotos

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About The Author

Luke James (8 Articles Published)

Luke is a law graduate and freelance engineering science writer from the Great britain. Taking to technology from an early on age, his primary interests and areas of expertise include cybersecurity and emerging technologies such equally artificial intelligence.

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