Beneath The Layers

-THE ONION ROUTER

As intriguing as it could be, the Dark Web, is an effort to maintain privacy. Dark Web visitors commonly utilize specialized anonymity software such as The Onion Router (TOR) to mask their identity. To be on simple terms, when an internet user visits any site that exists on world wide web, they are tracked via their Internet Protocol(IP)address, unlike in Dark Web. Connecting at random, to any of the publicly listed entry nodes, the traffic is bounced back through a randomly selected middle node, and finally spits out the traffic through the third and final exit node. Using TOR with a VPN gives you an extra layer of privacy because the VPN encryption prevents the Tor entry node (the Tor server where you enter the hidden network) from seeing your IP address.

Initially created by the US Department of Defense to allow spies to exchange information anonymously, It quickly grew in popularity among the public who wanted to avoid surveillance. The credits for discovery of TOR (The Onion Router)goes to the US military research which later made it accessible to the public use.

Being a part of Deep Web, it is made up of billions of individual sites that are connected to one another in various intricate ways. Finding it’s way through crypto-currency, the use of dark net, lets the user to hide transactions through possession and exchange of a virtual currency, Bitcoin.

Attracted to anonymity, the drug-dealers and hackers direct their traffic through The Onion Router, to avoid surveillance. There is a ghost of a chance that the Dark Web might be used for noble reasons by users who need to operate anonymously, in repressing countries, it is used by activists and journalists to know public opinion on their government. Whistle blowing and news leaks can be at arm’s length using this “Anonymous Tool”.

Currently the biggest market has 500 K active user registrations wherein only around 200 K are regular visitors. While using TOR one doesn’t need to worry about his location or the sites he’s visiting as nothing goes into the forensic radar, minimizing the chances of getting tracked down. It’s almost impossible to track any online activity done through Tor’s network, however, it is not entirely secure.Unless the cyber force runs some forensics test, they fail to trace down these networks.

By: Shubhangini Misra