TOR ' how safe is it?

Most people are of the opinion that TOR is a cent percent private and safe way to get on the World Wide Web without being traced. Is this fact or just a rumor? There are many ways to find out the answer for that. However, not all the sites case of it.

The truth is that TOR does not really provide the privacy and anonymity solution. It has various other limitations coupled with risks that one needs to be aware of before making use of it.

The Exit Nodes are possibly sniffed

On using tor, the internet traffic passes through the tor's network and then makes way through the various selected relays even before it exits the Tor's network. The whole idea of using tor is to not identify the computer used. The computer used might have only initiated the first connection or could have possibly acted as a relay that is relying on the encrypted traffic to other Tor nodes. But the truth is that most of the traffic would have to emerge straight from the Tor network. For instance, if one is connected via Tor to Google, then this traffic gets passed through many Tor relays, however, it eventually rises from the tor network and gets connected to the servers of Google. The very last Tor node, when the traffic is left by the Tor network on entering the free Internet gets monitored. The particular node, wherein the traffic exits the network of Tor is known as the exit relay or the exit node.

The exit nodes are much riskier than the relay node which passes the traffic. It is very likely of the government to go ahead with the exit nodes and then monitor the amount of traffic which leaves it.

This poses much more than a theoretical risk. When making use of Tor always ensures that the HTTPS sites are encrypted especially when the site contains sensitive matters. The traffic would be tracked and this would not only be done by the government but also by anti social elements of the society so as to access the private data.

Plug-ins, JavaScript and other Apps that leak the IP

The browser bundle of Tor, comes with certain preconfigured settings which are secured. When the JavaScript gets disabled, the plug-ins are in no position to run, the browser would also give off warning signals when you attempt to get a file downloaded and then have it opened in another application.

If you are making efforts to handle your IP then using JavaScript must be avoided. Making use of JavaScripts like the various plug-ins, flash etc. can create leaks and hence a link to your real IP.

The Tor browser bundles get rid of all the issues with the help of its default settings however, one could even potentially disable such protections and make use of the Javascript or the plug-ins in the browser of Tor. Do not perform this setting if you are not sure about anonymity. Then again, if anonymity is not your criteria then making use of Tor is not required in at all.

This is not a mere theoretical risk. One must leave the browser of Tor in the security settings mode. Making use of Tor on any other browser should be avoided. The Tor bundle should be made use of which has already been preconfigured having the ideal settings already. No other apps should be made use of when using Tor.

Exit Nodes are risky

Donating the bandwidth by means of running the Tor relay is the best way to remain anonymous. This does not come with a set of legal problems. A tor relay is nothing by but the passing on of the encrypted traffic up and down, within the Tor network, Anonymity is facilitated through the various relays that volunteers steer.

An exit relay is a risky option and should hence be thought over several times before running the relay. The relay is nothing but the place where the traffic from Tor comes out of its anonymous network and then connected back to the open net.

If the antisocial elements of the society make use of services like Tor, they can easily track your IP address.

The biggest risk that is involved with the running of the Tor exit nodes is that it is not a everyone piece of cake. The project has been running successfully. Suggestions are always welcome but it is advised not to try this task.