How Safe Is Tor Really?
In this article, we asked you how secure Tor really is. Tor (acronym for The Onion Routing) is a project that promises its users anonymous surfing and protection from traffic analysis. However, cases have recently become known in which "anonymous" users of the network have been investigated and arrested by investigative authorities. As a result, it is possible to bypass encryption. Chip.de has investigated.
Tor is not safe under certain circumstances
Experts repeatedly emphasize that the use of Tor does not create any added value for the average Internet user. If you are not familiar with the matter, your data can be significantly more vulnerable than without Tor encryption. In order to better understand this, we have briefly and extremely simply described in the following list how an inquiry via Tor is processed:
- The free Tor bundle is a prerequisite for using the Tor network. This consists of a client and a modified version of the Mozilla Firefox browser.
- If you send a request via the browser, the browser determines which Tor servers are available and selects a random route via at least three of these servers.
- Your browser will now establish an encrypted connection with the 1st server, which will be extended to the rest of the servers.
- The last server, which acts as an exit node, forwards the request. From here on, it is no longer encrypted.
Tor: Trusted servers as a requirement
- As long as all Tor servers used are “clean”, ie trustworthy, the encryption works seamlessly. The situation is different if the exit node (exit point from the network) is not trustworthy.
- Every person or institution can set up a Tor server. The user data of various users then flow via this server. This inevitably includes data of a sensitive nature, such as passwords and the like. It follows that the operator of the last server in the encryption chain (exit node) can spy on and use all the data.
Conclusion: So safe you can use Tor
- Targeting individuals through the Tor network is extremely difficult if the user has mastered certain tricks.
- However, operators of Tor servers can intercept the data that is randomly passed by. In connection with any metadata, a location or similar can also be used. getting closed.
- So Tor is only really secure if you do not communicate any personal data via the network: So do not log in to your existing accounts and do not enter personal information such as your email address or address anywhere. Under no circumstances should you use online banking via the Tor network.
- Instead, you should only use all accounts that you want to use through Tor through Tor. So first create a mail account via the Tor network, which you can then use for any user account. But never log in to these accounts without being connected to the Internet via Tor. You should also use the hidden gate services as often as possible.
- But the fact is that there is no safer alternative to Tor. So if you want to surf the Internet anonymously, Tor is a good choice - as long as you use the network conscientiously.
- As an alternative or in addition to Tor, we also recommend connections via VPN.