Tor’s name comes from its original moniker, The Onion Router, and as the name suggests Tor uses several layers of encryption to protect your data. The software program was developed by the Tor Project, which is run by more than 6,000 volunteers around the world.
All web traffic gets relayed through a huge network of open connections worldwide. Tor directs traffic through its vast volunteer overlay-network, which consists of more than 7,000 relays. With each relay of data, another layer of encryption is added so that by the time your data or traffic reaches its destination, it’s virtually impossible to track back to its origin.
Is it safe to install Tor Browser?
It is safe to install Tor Browser – after all, it was created to let users surf the internet safely and protect online privacy. However, while installing the software itself is safe, Tor can be used for risky activities, such as accessing the deep or dark webs. Care should be taken when accessing this heavily encrypted collection of websites.
Installing Tor is as simple and easy as downloading popular and common browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, although neither provides as much privacy protection. Tor functions similarly to regular browsers. The main distinction, though, is that Tor takes a few moments to configure itself every time you launch it. When you launch Tor, you don’t need to restart your computer or device each time.
Tor Browser is available for Windows, Mac, and Android operating systems. Alternatives to Tor include Epic Privacy Browser, Tor Browser Bundle, PirateBrowser, and DuckDuckGo. Orbot, meanwhile, provides anonymity for Android users.
