The Tor Browser

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With time everyone wants CIA i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data. But while using a browser like Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc it is easy to get knowledge about your activity on the internet for example which site you had visited, online post and messages, etc. The Tor Browser is going to be the proper solution to keep up the privacy of your data.


What is Tor Browser?


Tor is a Freely distributed Application Software, which enables us to surf the Internet anonymously, making it easy to guard our identity online. It's open-source which is safe and reliable. 

Also known as “Onion Router” because of its working mechanism written in C programming language. Can be downloaded on Mac, Linux, Window and mobile devices too.


How does it work?


Tor runs on the concept of Onion routing. In onion processing, layers are built into each other just like other onion layers. It uses identical servers, consecutive TCP / IP codes, and also the same encryption algorithms used by the other internets. Tor browser looks and sounds like any other modern web browser. But while other browsers like Firefox and Chrome send their internet traffic directly to the websites requested by the user, the Tor browser sends traffic via the Tor network. 

Tor network consists of three relays- middle relays, exit relays, and bridges. The data is integrated into an encrypted package when it enters the Tor network.

One layer of encryption is decrypted at each successive Tor relay, and therefore the remaining data is delivered to any random relay until it reaches its destination. For the destination server, the last Tor node/exit relay seems like the origin of the data. Thus, this way Tor protects the IP addresses of your servers.

Advantages of tor


  1. Anonymous: Individual data packets bounce through multiple nodes, making surveillance impractical. IP addresses are also improbable to track or trace.

  2. Secure: Because it’s open-source software, it’s difficult to hide malware in Tor. There’s security against malicious code, but few criminals bother targeting this niche browser.

  3. Free: Free and accessible worldwide. Downloading Tor is free, and works on PCs, Macs, and Linux computers. No unwanted advertising or cookies, either.

  4. Access to the deep web: It accesses the deep web. Sites with a .onion suffix (most of the deep web) are accessible through Tor, but not through other mainstream web browsers.

  5. Door to large content.


Disadvantages


1. Performance. Due to the distribution of layer-like data, Tor browses very slowly. You may have difficulty viewing the content of streaming media, even across the broadband fiber. It also takes ages to load its homepage 

2. Data isn’t encrypted. Because it’s effectively anonymous, Tor doesn’t try encrypting data. As for encryption of data, a separate VPN will be required which will contribute to further slow transferring of the data.

3. Security flaws. Information is delivered anonymously, but the browser software comprises vulnerabilities, especially when viewing HTTP sites rather than encrypted HTTPS ones.

4. Illegal: In many countries, it is illegal to work on tor because illegal marketplaces and panels are easy to set up and directly accessible by the ‘benefit’ public. 

References 

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