Why it’s time you download an Onion Browser

Onion Browser (more commonly known as Tor) has recently become a free web browser for iPhone and iPad that encrypts and underpasses web traffic via the Tor network, enabling you to browse the internet privately.

When we enter the World Wide Web we’re allowing organisations to collect data on us and see what we’re doing when online. Some may feel this is an invasion of privacy and would therefore prefer to browse online privately. Tor was originally developed for the U.S. Navy for the main purpose of protecting government communications.

Tor network is well known for concealing your online presence. It’s ideal for anyone concerned about online privacy.

Some circumstances include:

• Reporting abuse or exploitation
• Crucial business activities
• Publishing anonymous posts
• Sharing personal details with family and friends

Tor is used by the military, reporters, and law enforcement officers to name a few.

Advantages

Some of the features of Tor include:

• Websites not being able to see your real IP address
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and insecure wireless networks are unable to track your browsing
• Access .onion sites that are only accessible over Tor
• Combat online tracking. Use a new IP address and clear your cookies/history/cache in one button.

Things to consider

• Don’t use Tor on a Windows platform. Vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system can allow hackers to get into a user’s system and reach the sensitive data.
• Avoid using Google as they log a lot of your personal data
• Disable Java, JavaScript, Adobe Flash etc. These applications run with your user accounts privileges and may access and share your data. They can also be used by hackers to gain access to your system
• Don’t use P2P
• Be aware that web browsing is considerably slower than through a normal web browser because your traffic is encrypted and is being transmitted through the Tor network
• Multimedia often bypass Tor and compromise your privacy; video files and video streams are blocked by default and are not supported by Onion Browser
• It’s worth noting that Onion Browser might not work when inside countries or using ISPs that actively block Tor