The Internet is always at risk of being tracked or leaking personal data. If you don’t want to, the only way is to stay anonymous while using the internet with the help of available tools. Like VPN, TOR or you can use proxy server for anonymity.
Of these available options, TOR is the first prominent candidate when we compare the level of anonymity. Many people consider The Onion Router project to be the best cloak for those who want to hide on the internet.
Edward Snowden, who came to light after denouncing and exposing the NSA’s unscrupulous surveillance practices, used the TOR browser to do just that. Federal agencies also charged and alleged that his disclosure of classified information was the driving force behind the Paris massacre.
Onion Router has the power to protect and hide you from all the bad guys that follow you on the internet. Even if you want to be a different version of Edward Snowden, you can do so using the TOR browser.
Is Tor safe? Is it really anonymous?
It depends. The Tor browser reduces the risk of spying and eavesdropping, but nothing is perfect these days. The Tor network also has its weaknesses, mainly appearing at the endpoints where traffic leaves the Tor network.
But Tor is one of the best options we currently have. However, I don’t recommend messing with Tor’s default settings unless you know what you’re doing. That’s because enabling Javascript and other plugins can contribute to your IP address leaks.
The popularity of onion routers has spurred hackers to create malware and make it look like the Tor browser. This is something that users should worry about. Also, Tor is the portal to dark web and criminal activities. The type of content available on the dark web is not suitable for many ordinary users.
Moreover, you cannot ignore the fact that your little mistake will contribute to revealing your identity on the internet. TOR doesn’t read your mind and stops any stupid actions you might take. So there are a few things you need to keep in mind and it will help you stay anonymous online.
9 things you absolutely should not do when using Tor
1. Don’t Use Your Mobile Phone for 2-Step Verification on Tor
Most sites offer 2-step verification by phone, where an OTP (One Time Password) is sent to your number, allowing you to securely log in to your account. Be very careful when you are using the TOR browser to access your account.
If you give your mobile number to a website, it will reveal your personal information as well, as it will be easier for hackers to track you using your number. Note that even if you are using a SIM card registered with someone else’s name, the carrier can easily track you as they also keep the IMEI number of the device in their database and can be used to track you.
2. Do not use user accounts outside of TOR
If you use the TOR browser to check your Facebook, Twitter or email accounts, never use those accounts outside of the TOR browser as it will expose your online identity on the web. Almost every website these days records information like login and logout times, your location, your IP address, and other details. Using your account on the Internet even once is enough to get your IP address and eventually reveal your identity.
3. Do not post personal information
You must always keep this in mind, do not post any personal information such as name, address, date of birth, credit card number when using TOR. It will reveal your identity, and there is no use in using TOR.
Therefore, you should create an account with a new email address that is not linked to your real identity. You can use that email for your social accounts and enjoy anonymity on Tor.
4. Do not send unencrypted data via TOR
TOR encrypts your connection, not your data, and TOR’s exit nodes are very vulnerable. Therefore, you should not send unencrypted data over the TOR network, because someone can access your confidential information when the data is at the last node. The remedy for this is to use a VPN along with Tor, read in detail here.
5. Don’t use TOR with Windows?
Microsoft’s Windows is the world’s most used operating system for desktop computers. Older versions of Tor for Windows had vulnerabilities that could potentially reveal your identity even when you’re using TOR to access the internet. Therefore, using Tor on Windows is still a topic of interest.
The Linux operating system will serve you well for this purpose. Linux distributions like Tails and Whonix come preconfigured with TOR. You can configure Tor manually on any distro you like. But it’s best to use Top these anonymous operating systems.
6. Don’t forget to clear cookies and site data
When you visit a website, it sends a small file to your computer, called cookies. It keeps a record of your browsing habits and other data so that the website can recognize you on your next visit. Some websites may also store data locally on your hard drive.
You should delete those cookie files and local site data after each TOR browsing session. These may allow the website to collect information about you and track your location and IP address.
Later versions of the Tor browser automatically delete website cookies and download history after you end your session. Alternatively, you can click the New Identity option (click the onion button in front of the address bar) to do the same without closing the Tor browser.
7. Don’t use TOR for Google Search
If you want to stay anonymous while using TOR, don’t use Google to search for your queries. While it may sound odd, this is because Google collects information such as search requests, stores cookie files on your computer, and tracks your browsing habits to provide advertising services.
You don’t want that, do you? So you can use other search engines like DuckDuckGo and StartPage as they don’t log your IP address or any other activity. In fact, there have been cases where Google did not work correctly with Tor. It may display an error message or ask you to authenticate.
8. Don’t Use HTTP Sites on TOR
You should be aware that TOR can be exploited using vulnerabilities found at exit nodes. So if you access HTTP websites using TOR, there is a chance that someone can access your information when it is at the exit nodes. Data transferred to and from an HTTP website is unencrypted and can be viewed at exit nodes because TOR only encrypts connections within its network.
You can prevent such situations by using HTTPS sites. They use end-to-end encryption protocols like SSL and TLS. So all your data stays safe, even if it’s outside the TOR network.
9. Do not connect to the same server at the same time
This is an important thing that you need to keep in mind. If you are accessing a specific remote server using TOR (anonymously), it is not recommended to access that same server from outside the TOR network (non-anonymous) as that could lead to disclosure your real identity. This is because in the event your internet goes down, both of your connections will end at the same time and it won’t be too difficult for a hacker to notice this.
Alternatively, a web server can try to guess those two connections by increasing or decreasing the speed on one of your TOR or non-TOR connections to see if the speed changes and thus track your real IP address.
Why should you stay anonymous using Tor?
Now, we’ve discussed whether Tor is anonymous and what you should follow to stay safe online. Here are some reasons and benefits of staying anonymous using Tor:
- Your ISP cannot track your browsing activity.
- Hackers will not be able to track you.
- Websites and services cannot track your data and display personalized ads.
- You can do whatever you want without being judged.
- You can share confidential data while being anonymous.
summary
TOR is a great option for staying anonymous on the internet, even as other countries criticize it for acting as a venue for illegal activities. But Tor was not created for that purpose. You just need to take some of the precautions above to not be tracked online.
Finally, the Tor project is researched by the lab United States Navy funding and development =). So I don’t use Tor much.
