TOR Network: It Is Still Reliable As Of 2024?
People are questioning how safe and reliable the TOR Network is right now because of a number of security holes and moves by law enforcement that have made it harder for users to remain anonymous.
According to official Reddit thread, German authorities successfully deanonymized Tor users via traffic analysis.
These are the main reasons why people think Tor network is not as safe as it used to be, here we cover some of the main reasons to believe this:
Is Anonymity At Risk On The TOR Network?
More Surveillance By Law Enforcement
According to new accounts, law enforcement agencies, mostly in Germany, have been able to de-anonymize Tor network users by keeping an eye on traffic patterns at both the network’s entry and exit points.
These agencies were able to identify users by comparing the timing of network data and keeping an eye on Tor servers for a long time. This leaves us very worried about how well Tor’s privacy features work.
Understanding Malicious Exit Nodes
The way Tor’s exit nodes work is another major security hole. These nodes decrypt the traffic before it gets to its end destination. This means that criminals or even the government can watch them.
The individuals in charge of the exit node can read and record a user’s data if they visit a website that is not protected (i.e., not using HTTPS). There is an even greater chance of this happening because a lot of Tor exit nodes may be run by people who want to do harm.
Limitations In Technology For TOR Network
Less Nodes Than Before
A lot of different nodes are needed for Tor to work well and keep yourself anonymous. But the number of active nodes has dropped to about 7,000–8,000, which is a lot less than what Tor was purpose-built to handle. This decrease makes it more likely that users’ traffic will go through nodes that are owned by a small group of entities. This makes it easier for attackers to use timing attacks and link traffic.
Problems With The Implementation
Tor can have bugs and security holes just like any other program. There have been times when JavaScript flaws were used to get users’ IP addresses. This shows that while Tor makes privacy better, it is not completely secure. It is also suggested that you do not change settings or add-ons that could reveal your identity.
For enhanced security on this matter, we recommend checking the article: Daily Web Browsing Threats: Trackers & JavaScript Security Risks.
Risks Of User Behavior
The chance of data leaks Users’ actions can cause data leaks even when using strong technology like Tor. For example, adding personal information or logging into personal accounts can make it harder to remain anonymous.
Users also put their devices at risk of malware and other security problems when they download files or click on links from sources they don’t know or trust.
TOR Network: Conclusions
Because of these flaws, Tor network is seen as less dependable, even though it still has a lot of benefits for normal users like you who care about their privacy, for accessing the dark web, and have overall better anonymity than regular browsing.
Users are warned to be careful by using TOR with other privacy tools like VPNs and following the best practices for browsing the web anonymously. if you want to see what are the best alternatives to TOR Network, we recommend checking our article: TOR Alternatives: Their Pros & Cons