April 26, 2024

Tor browser – setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

Tor Browser - setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

If you are concerned about your own privacy and want to use one of the bestprotected browsers, while not ready for problems with visiting certain sites, you should try the Tor browser.

The name Tor stands for The OnionRouting (“onion” or multi-layer routing), this open source browser provides anonymity to its users. As the Tor Browser website explains, it does this by encrypting information and relaying it through Tor's system of servers (called a "node") so that your ISP can't track your activities. Different tabs from the same site will load at the same node.

As a result, Tor said, sites and browserswill identify your connection as coming from the Tor network. While this effectively protects your identity, you may have problems with financial and healthcare sites that see you as logging in from a location other than your home computer. The program may also slow down your work.

You may have heard a lot about Tor and Darknet -"Shadow" segment of the Internet. Do not worry. The Tor browser simply associates Tor technology with the Firefox shell, so using this browser does not mean that you will stumble upon darknet sites.

To see which servers are forwardedyour data, you can click on the green lock icon on the left side of the address bar. If you have problems loading the site, try to configure it by clicking the “New Circuit for this Site” button, which will redirect the data and possibly solve the problem.

Tor Browser - setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

</p>

As mentioned above, the Tor browser is based on Firefox, so some interfaces and controls may seem familiar to you.

When you install Tor Browser, itBy default, it is set to private browsing mode and deletes all cookies and site data each time you close your browser. It will also remove them on restart using the New Identity feature, which is available under the broom icon to the right of the address bar. You can turn off private browsing if you want to retain some of your cookies or data. Here's how it's done:

  • Click on the three bars in the upper right corner of the browser window. Go to “Options” (on PC) or “Preferences” (on Mac).
  • Go to "Privacy & Security" in the menu on the left.
  • Find the “History” section in the mainarea of ​​the menu and uncheck "Always use private browsing mode". You will need to restart the browser, then you can choose what you want it to remember on exit (for example, browsing and download history).

Tor Browser - setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

</p>

If you want to manually delete cookies or other data during a browsing session, here is the sequence of actions:

  • In the section "Confidentiality and Security"search for “Browser Privacy” (this will be the first section on the page). Find “Cookies and Site Data” and click “Manage Data ...”.
  • Then you can use the “Remove Selected” button to remove data from a specific site, or simply click “Remove All” to delete all data.
  • On the Browser Privacy page, youYou can also click "Manage Permissions" to control which cookies to block or allow on a per-site basis. Enter the URL and then select Block, Allow for Session, or Allow.

    Tor Browser - setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

  • Finally, you can select “Clear Data” to delete all cookies and data currently stored in your browser.

    Tor Browser - setting up complete anonymity, instructions and tips

The browser's support page states that Tor offers strong protection against fingerprinting.

The Tor browser is specifically designed toto have a virtually identical (we are not perfect!) digital fingerprint among all users, the message says. “This means that every Tor browser user is like every other Tor browser user, making it difficult to track any single user.”

The Tor browser does not block ads, howeverTor recommends not installing extensions as they may cause privacy or functionality issues. In general, although Tor protects you from surveillance, you may still have to put up with the presence of advertisements.

</p>

Rate this publication