Even Firefox's new, enhanced private browsing mode doesn't hide your identifiable IP address from the sites you visit, though it does prevent them tracking you based on cookies.Ĭonnecting to the Tor network entails more than just installing a browser and firing up websites. Standard browsers' private browsing modes discard your cached pages and browsing history after your browsing session. Using Tor affords far more privacy than other browsers' private (or Incognito) modes, since it obscures your IP address so that you can't be tracked with it. This makes it very difficult for government snoops or aggressive advertisers to track you online.

Instead, Tor routes your Internet traffic through a series of intermediary nodes. Tor won't encrypt your data-for that, you'll need a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The Tor Project (Opens in a new window) has a page listing many examples of legitimate types of Tor users, such as political dissidents in countries with tight control over the Internet and individuals concerned about personal privacy. The Tor Project non-profit receives sizeable donations from various federal entities such as The National Science Foundation.

If you're thinking that Tor comes from a sketchy group of hackers, know that its core technology was developed by the U.S.

Tor Browser manages to simplify the process of protecting your identity online-but at the price of performance. Accessing Tor has long been beyond the ability of the average user. Using this Web browser also hides your location, IP address, and other identifying data from regular websites. The most common way to view the so-called Dark Web that comprises Tor sites is by using the Tor Browser, a modded version of Mozilla Firefox. Tor, which stands for 'The Onion Router' is not a product, but a protocol that lets you hide your Web browsing as though it were obscured by the many layers of an onion. Need to hire an assassin, buy some contraband, view illegal porn, or just bypass government, corporate, or identity thief snooping? Tor is your answer.

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