What is Tor and why should you be careful with it
The internet has brought into fore the issues of privacy and security of personal data. From hackers, companies, and governments, the threat of tracking and stealing personal information is real. Unseen eyes are everywhere.
According to Digital trends, Tor is software that facilitates the user to browse the Web anonymously. Tor uses a method called onion routing to hide information about the activities of the user. Using Tor, you can get access to websites that are not indexed by search engines. Vast information is locked behind protocols and passwords and cannot be found through a Web search. All of which can be accessed using Tor. Nothing is tracked, nothing is stored, and you can forget about bookmarks and cookies. As your traffic is routed within random nodes the world over, it offers the most secure browsing you can imagine.
Hazards, limitations and general safety
Tor has gathered a bad reputation not as result of its goal but as a consequence of what it does. As cities with prosperity and growth attract criminals, Tor’s cover provides refuge to unsavory individuals. As it is a modified version of Firefox, it is exposed to similar attacks like those targeting Firefox. When an individual user computer is infected with malware one can trace their activity and even access their device remotely.
Even if you use Tor for legal purposes, you make an attractive target for hackers or governments. There is a likely potential of value in your information directly because you are using Tor. Remember to disable plugins and scripts which can run independently of your browser settings and transmit data about the user. Those who torrent should bear in mind that torrent programs broadcast your IP address to permit other people to connect with you and share files, therefore, interfering with the whole process of onion routing. Torrenting must, therefore, be avoided when using Tor.
Tor users must be careful on what they click. Although many sites are legal and socially acceptable such as whistleblowing sites and Bitcoin exchange sites, others are full of criminal behaviors. Tor’s cover helps the good, the bad and rebels; navigating onto a web page with illegal content may land you in a legal dispute.
According to Life hacker, there is no way to complete security and privacy on the internet, and Tor has not changed this. However, when you change your browsing practices to assure that you do not expose your identity and take reasonable precautions, it is possible to minimize the risks of browsing with Tor.
