Tor
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desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux) and Android
Tor Project | Anonymity Online
iOS
- there's a handful of Tor browsers in the appstore but these are actually endorsed by the Tor Project
- Check their Github repository for documentation
iOS forces all browsers to use WebKit framework, limiting full Tor protection
Learn how Onion Routing protects you
sequenceDiagram
participant Client
participant Entry as Entry Node
participant Middle as Middle Node
participant Exit as Exit Node
participant Web as Website
Note over Client,Web: Encryption Process
Client->>Entry: Triple-Encrypted Message
Entry->>Middle: Double-Encrypted Message
Middle->>Exit: Single-Encrypted Message
Exit->>Web: Decrypted Message
Note over Client,Web: Return Path
Web->>Exit: Response
Exit->>Middle: Single-Encrypted Response
Middle->>Entry: Double-Encrypted Response
Entry->>Client: Triple-Encrypted Response
Note over Client,Web: Security Benefits
Note over Entry: Knows sender,
not destination
Note over Middle: Knows neither
sender nor destination
Note over Exit: Knows destination,
not sender- Your data gets wrapped in three layers of encryption
- Each node peels off exactly one layer - they can only see the next hop, nothing else
- Entry Node knows who you are but not where you're going
- Middle Node is just a relay station
- Exit Node sees the destination but has no idea who sent it
Initial Setup
Launch Tor Browser and you'll hit the connection screen. Choose "Connect" unless you're dealing with censorship or proxy issues. If you're behind a restrictive network, click "Configure" to set up bridges.
If you're dealing with heavy censorship
- Use the Connection Assist feature to automatically grab a bridge
- Set up Pluggable Transports (obfs4 is solid)
- Request custom bridges if the defaults are blocked
Verification
Make sure it's working:
- Hit check.torproject.org to verify your connection
- Run a DNS leak test
- Check your circuit info by clicking the lock icon