In Tor We Trust?

   The Tor network has long been seen as the tool to browse the web anonymously.  It is also know as the only tool to access the Dark Web, the underground where cyber criminals visit.  But, how secure is it?  The biggest problem with Tor are the exit nodes, the places where you leave the Tor network and enter the Internet as you normally would.  Why are those a risk?  Because someone could be there watching as you step back into the light.

   Even Tor offers advice on how to run an exit node, as it's not as easy as you think.  There is a lot of risk involved in running an exit node, an example being a man was arrested for distribution of child abuse material.  The other side of the coin is that once you leave the protection of the Tor network, you're open to prying eyes, even though you think you're still protected.  Sophos has a post discussing this type of event.

   Running an exit node is a good way to get a hold of sensitive information as it leaves Tor's network and connects back to the Internet.  This is a classic man-in-the-middle style of attack.  One person was able to this setup to snoop on private messages.  For those who use Tor, it's important to know what it can and can't do.  What it can't do is provide end-to-end encryption for sensitive information.  For that, you need to use HTTPS sites and connections if you really want to stay safe and secure.

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About Jimmy R. Tassin

Jimmy Tassin is the IT Manager of Midwest Regional Bank and has been involved with the Technology field for over thirteen years. His two hobbies are overseeing the daily operations of OmniKraft, a Minecraft server community, and writing at Goblinbyte.com.