In this digital raceway, online privacy continues to gain increasing relevance each day, and Tor has emerged as the forerunner in providing it. Acing the art of anonymity in an era pockmarked by data breaches and constant monitoring, we present to you a comprehensive guide chock-full of valuable tips and tricks for using Tor in a bid to safeguard yourself on the web.
1. Do Use Tor
Like a cloak of invisibility, Tor has earned its stripes and fame in the realm of online anonymity. It garners multifarious applications:
– For sensitive browsing, where the tag of anonymity becomes your armor.
– Reporting abuse or corruption, ensuring personal security while acting against misconduct.
– Perform business activities, secure in the knowledge that sensitive data remains confidential.
– For Inter-state or inter-country communication, overcoming possible restrictions or surveillance.
– Publishing anonymous posts, keeping identity camouflage intact.
– Sharing personal secrets with family or friends, maintaining personal privacy at its best, and more.
2. Don’t Use Windows for Tor
Looking to bolster your internet privacy? Beat the retreat from utilizing Tor on Windows systems. Vulnerabilities and security bugs integrated with these systems could expose your privacy, reducing Tor to a toothless tool. Firing up Tor-configured Linux systems like Tails and Whonix secures your confidentiality. Further, you can also sculpt Tor to your liking on any of your preferred Linux distros.
3. Do Regular Tor System Updates
The protection offered by Tor parallels the safety and efficacy of the system running the Tor client. Regular updates of the Tor client, Tor-assured applications (browsers, instant messaging clients, email clients, etc.), and your operating system warrant bolstered security.
4. Don’t Use Non-Encrypted Websites
As a traffic router, Tor can help reroute your data but it cannot encrypt your internet traffic. Hence, unencrypted data can be read, posing a threat to your privacy. It’s quintessential to use end-to-end encryption like SSL or TLS for sensitive online communications on HTTPS websites, and add-ons like ‘HTTPS Everywhere’ that automatically switch to HTTPS-intensive browsing for supported websites.
5. Do Encrypt Your Data Storage
Tor wouldn’t assuage the concerns regarding securing data on your computer. The ultimatum for comprehensive security is the encryption of data through potent cryptographic algorithms like LUKS or TrueCrypt.
6. Don’t Use the Tor Browser Bundle
The Tor Browser Bundle is marred by critical vulnerabilities, making it an unsafe option for anonymous browsing.
7. Do Disable Potentially Vulnerable Applications
Binary applications like JavaScript, Adobe Flash, Java, QuickTime, and others have the potential to sidestep your privacy settings and share your data. Firm up your anonymous browsing by disabling these.
8. Don’t Use P2P with Tor
The architecture of the Tor network was not designed to support peer-to-peer file sharing. Furthermore, it also hinders the speed of other users on the network.
9. Do Clear Cookies and Site’s Local Data
Even with Tor’s capabilities, workarounds such as cookies and local data storage by websites could unveil your identity. Be prudent and routinely clear such data.
10. Don’t Use Your Real Email While on Tor
Your email could become the Achilles heel in your privacy. Maintain your anonymity by employing a virtual identity instead.
11. Don’t Use Google
Consider treading off the beaten path and stay clear of Google. With its proclivity for data logging, it could undermine your privacy, and it’s advisable to opt for alternatives like Startpage and DuckDuckGo, which conscientiously offer search results whilst shunning IP logging and refusing to store cookies on your machine.
_Deftly navigating and implementing these measures greatly enhances your experience with Tor, equipping you with robust tools for maintaining your online privacy against the prevailing winds._
_Source: Efytimes_
_Complement your knowledge by exploring our other articles on cybersecurity and online privacy._
_This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities._
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
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