Tor Browser - is it Legal?

 Tor browser – is it legal? 

 

This blog is for educational purposes only. I do not condone downloading/using Tor browser for malicious purposes. 


What is Tor? 

Tor is a browser created by the CIA to protect government network traffic and protect government held secrets. It uses an encryption method called ‘onion routing’ where network traffic is routed through 3 encryption servers called nodes. These nodes are only given packet information, not where the data has come from so your traffic becomes completely anonymous. Due to this routing method, Tor has become a gateway to the dark web which is a more sinister section of the internet consisting of illegal websites and black-market, online stores. This creates a legal dilemma with Tor browser in many countries. 

 

Legal issues around Tor 

Due to Tor’s anonymity, it stops government agencies from looking at your web traffic. This can break investigatory powers and remove their ability to conduct investigations on criminals that utilise the Tor network. Some countries have even tried banning Tor altogether. These countries include: 

    • Iran 
    • China 
    • Russia 
    • Armenia 
    • Egypt 
    • Mongolia 
    • South Africa 

These countries want to ban Tor browser from public use as they want to intercept communications and make it easier to catch criminals. The only way they can do this is to remove their right to privacy. In other countries, Tor is not illegal however it does provide access to illegal content. If you are using Tor as a normal web-browser, you are not breaching any laws and taking advantage of Tor’s great freedom and anonymity. In fact, being on the dark web is not inherently illegal however, using it for malicious purposes can be considered unlawful especially when buying black-market services or products. 

 

Legal uses for Tor 

Tor has some legitimate, legal uses: 

    • Bypassing authoritarian regimes and censorship for journalism. 
    • Organising protests and rallies for political and world issues. 
    • Law enforcement using Tor to catch criminals. 
    • Cybersecurity professionals using Tor to test security protocols. 

 

Is Tor safe? 

Tor is a great tool to for everyone to use to hide their network traffic. However, there are some safety issues with using the Tor network. Multiple government agencies have proved they can break Tor’s onion routing encryption and track down individuals which break the law online. Tor also contained a vulnerability which exposed IP addresses of MacOS and Linux systems. The best way to use Tor is to utilise a VPN while using. 

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