The Tor browser is so popular in online anonymity circles that it has become almost synonymous with security. Its operation and capabilities are often unclear to a large portion of users who use it on a daily basis, resulting in these minor misunderstandings about its mechanism leading to mistaken complacency.
While using Tor offers many advantages, it is important to note its limitations. Understanding the risks associated with Tor can help you better protect yourself from the risk of privacy breaches. Let's look at four common myths that shroud Tor in mystery.
Myth 1: Tor is not secure because it was developed by the US government
It is true that Tor was developed by the US Navy. This is why one might reasonably suspect that there might be some kind of backdoor that would allow the US government to bypass the encryption.
Although the US government has funded (and likely continues to fund) the Tor project to this day, the source code of the software is visible to all users. So far, no one has been found to have found a backdoor in any version of the software that has been released.
It is important to know, however, that this could change at any time. There is no guarantee that Tor developers will not use it as a tool to spy on their users, but the likelihood 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 that will completely your identity with the click of a button.
Its main function is that it uses one or more proxies with encryption, which makes it very effective at hiding the source of all traffic generated on the internet, but this is not as important as the information you give to the websites you visit.
If you create accounts with personal data or if you communicate in public forums, then it is very easy for them to find out who you are.
Your identity can be found through methods such as a simple analysis of your writing style, your interests, your clicking habits, and various other factors that "belong" uniquely to you.
Our advice is to avoid giving your personal data to anyone you are not ready to trust. Using Tor does not mean you can stop people from handing over your details to third parties.
Myth 3: Tor cannot be monitored
Tor has repeatedly been touted as a tool that could put an end to government surveillance.
To some extent, it's true that government surveillance efforts will constantly run into obstacles when trying to track you online. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible. Yes, your IP will remain hidden from anyone who snoops on your internet traffic when you leave an exit node. But exit nodes themselves aren't difficult to track. They can easily see your geographic location, as you can see here.
Myth 4: All my traffic is encrypted
Whether you use Tor or not, our advice is to try to use HTTPS and TLS whenever possible. Tor encrypts traffic only as it travels through its set of nodes, but anything that leaves the exit node stops being encrypted.
Someone with a little technical knowledge can run an exit node, which will record all the information sent through it and thus gain access to all your accounts and emails.
Conclusion
You may think we are being alarmist, but it is very important to understand all the risks surrounding Tor so that you are prepared.
It's better to know what's going on than to be lulled into a false sense of security. Tor is a powerful tool, but it has a very specific purpose.
It's not a panacea. Think of it like an electric drill. You can't build a house with it, but it will definitely help you build one!
