The Tor browser is so popular in cyber anonymity circles that it has become almost synonymous with security. Its function and capabilities are often unclear to a large number of users who use it on a daily basis, with the result that these small misunderstandings about its mechanism lead wrongly to complacency.
Although its use Tor offers many advantages, it is important to note what its limitations are. Understanding the risks associated with Tor can help you better protect yourself from the risk of violating your privacy. Let's look at four well-known myths covering Tor's mysterious veil.
Myth 1: Tor is not safe because it was developed by the US government
It is true that Tor was developed by the US Navy. This is the reason why one can reasonably suspect that there may be a backdoor that allows the US government to bypass encryption.
Although the US government has funded (and presumably continues to fund) the Tor project to this day, its source code software is visible to all users. So far, no one has found a loophole in any version of the released software.
But it is important to know that this could change at any time. There is no guarantee that Tor's developers will not use it as a tool to spy on their users, but the possibility of this happening is extremely low.
Myth 2: Tor is the ultimate tool for anonymous surfing
There is a very common misconception that Tor is a magical tool to cover fully your identity at the touch of a button.
Its main function is that uses ένα ή περισσότερους δρομολογητές μεσολάβησης (proxies) με κρυπτογράφηση, γεγονός που το κάνει πολύ αποτελεσματικό στο να κρύβει την πηγή όλης της κίνησης που δημιουργείται στο διαδίκτυο αλλά αυτό δεν είναι τόσο σημαντικό όσο είναι οι πληροφορίες που δίνετε στις ιστοσελίδες που επισκέπτεστε.
If you create accounts with personal data or if you are communicating with public forums then it is very easy to know who you are.
Your identity can be found by methods such as a simple analysis of your writing style, your interests, your clicking habits, and various other factors that "belong" uniquely to you.
Η συμβουλή μας είναι να αποφύγετε να δώσετε τα προσωπικά σας δεδομένα σε κάποιον που δεν είστε έτοιμοι να εμπιστευθείτε. Χρησιμοποιώντας το Tοr δεν σημαίνει ότι μπορείτε να σταματήσετε τους ανθρώπους να παραδώσουν τα data you to third parties.
Myth 3: Tor can not be tracked
The Tor has repeatedly been described as a tool that could put an end to government surveillance.
To some extent, it is true that a government's monitoring efforts will constantly stumble upon obstacles when they try to watch you on the internet. However, this does not mean that it is impossible. Yes, your IP will remain secret to anyone who discovers the traffic you create on the internet when you leave a exit node. But exit nodes on their own are not difficult to monitor. They can easily see the geographical location, as you can see here.
Myth 4: All my traffic is encrypted
Whether you use Tor or not, our advice is to try using the HTTPS and TLS protocol whenever possible. Tor only encrypts the traffic as it travels through the set of nodes, but what comes out of the output node stops being encrypted.
Someone with a little bit of know-how can run an output node, which will log all the information sent through it and thus get access in all your accounts and emails.
Conclusion
You may think we are distracting, but it is very important to understand all the dangers surrounding the Tor so that you are prepared.
It is better to know what you are, than to stay complained of a false sense of security. Tor is a powerful tool, but it has a very specific purpose.
It is not a panacea. See it as one electric drill. You can't build a house with it, but it will definitely help you build it!.