3.11 Tor project Tor proxy - (The Onion Routing)
Module 3 – Network scanning. Section 3.11: Tor proxy.
Tor (The Onion Router) is a system intended to enable
online anonymity.
– Onion routing" refers to the layered nature of the encryption service
– The Tor client is free software, and there are no additional charges to use the network.
– The Tor Browser, previously known as the ‘Tor Browser Bundle’ (TBB), is the flagship product of the Tor Project. It consists of a modified Mozilla Firefox ESR web browser, the TorButton, TorLauncher, NoScript, and HTTPS Everywhere Firefox extensions and the Tor proxy.
– Users can run the Tor Browser from removable media.
– Operates in Microsoft Windows, macOS, or Linux platforms.
– https://www.torproject.org/download/d...
– Web traffic is encrypted and passed through tor network to hide your ip address and provide anonymity.
Vidalia software is a discontinued cross-platform GUI for controlling Tor, built using Qt.
– The name comes from the Vidalia onion since Tor uses onion routing.
– Archived link
– http://web.archive.org/web/2012113019...
https://www.torproject.org/
– Tor is free software and an open network that helps you defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security.
– Tor Project released Tor Messenger Beta, an instant messaging program based on Instantbird with Tor and OTR built in and used by default.
Tor Messenger supports multiple different instant messaging protocols, without relying on libpurple
– ProxyMob Firefox add-on, and ObscuraCam.
Tor Apps for Android OS
The Guardian Project is actively developing a free and open-source suite of applications and firmware for the Android operating system to improve the security of mobile communications.
The applications include:
– ChatSecure instant messaging client
– Orbot Tor implementation (proxy for mobiles)
– Orfox, the mobile counterpart of the Tor Browser
– ObscuraCam – Photo and Video app for privacy
OS using Tor
Several security-focused operating systems user Tor extensively hardened from scratch. Some of the GNU/Linux distributions are:
– Incognito, Liberté Linux, Qubes OS, Subgraph, Tails, Tor-ramdisk, and Whonix etc.
Tor projects are
– Tor Browser, Tails
– Atlas, Stem
– Orbit, Arm
Pluggable Transports, OONI
– Tails is a live operating system that you can start on almost any computer from a USB stick or a DVD.
– Tails is built upon Debian
– Tails is Free Software. Tails sends its traffic through Tor.
– It aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity.
Help people from cyber spying and annoying advertisers
• Tor aims to provide protection for ordinary people who want to follow the law.
• Tor can fight identity theft, cyber crimes
Tor usage is wide
• Law enforcement agencies
• Illegal activities, e.g., to gain access to censored information,
• Organize political activities
• Criminal enterprises and hacktivism groups etc.