- Who Created Tor?
- Features of Tor Browser
- Which Countries Use Tor The Most
- How To Download Tor Browser
- How Does Tor Work?
- Recommendations For Using Tor Browser
- What Are The Bridges in Tor for?
- Is Tor Available for Mobile Devices?
- Can I Open Blocked Sites with Tor?
- What Are .onion Addresses?
- Is Tor Better than a VPN?
- Does Tor Fully Encrypt Traffic?
- Conclusions - Tor Browser & Crypto Casinos
Main Facts about Tor:
- Tor is a web browser made for anonymous Internet use and unblocking prohibited websites. It is a strategy for thwarting Internet restriction and surveillance.
- Tor uses “onion routing” technology, a network of specialized nodes, to connect to the Internet. Each of these nodes encrypts user data. By doing this, the user conceals his identity behind a number of “layers,” much like an onion.
- If the Tor network is directly blocked, it can be accessed via special “bridges” instead.
Who Created Tor?
Onion routing technology, which formed the basis of the browser, was developed by U.S. Navy scientists in the 1990s in order to protect the online communications of U.S. intelligence. An alpha version of Tor was published in 2002, and in 2004 the source code of the application was made freely available for free distribution.
In the early 2000s, the project was called The Onion Routing (Tor). A little later, a network of routers was deployed, which by the end of 2003 included more than ten network nodes in the United States and Germany.
In 2006, the developers of Tor founded a non-profit organization The Tor Project, which is engaged in the development of the project to this day. Its activities are funded by various NGOs in the field of human rights, U.S. government agencies, as well as research institutes, and large Internet companies.
Tor Browser itself was released in 2008.
As of the middle of 2022, the Tor network counts about 7,000 nodes (so-called “repeaters”) around the planet, and the number of active users is approaching 3 million.
Features of Tor Browser
Tor is a network that works as an additional layer of Internet connection. The main goal of the project is to create an effective means to bypass Internet censorship that is available to any user.
Tor takes longer to load web pages than a typical browser does. This is due to the fact that it connects through a network of servers rather than directly (“relays”). To guarantee the user’s anonymity, such a system is required. In addition, specialized “bridges,” or covert repeaters and “pluggable transport,” can get through more serious obstacles, including the Tor network itself (see below).
Tor is regarded by journalists and human rights advocates as a pillar of contemporary democracy and a crucial instrument for promoting free speech, and researchers are constantly seeking to increase its technical advantages.
As of May 2022, the browser was banned in 16 countries: Belarus, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, North Korea, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, and Vietnam.
Which Countries Use Tor The Most
According to Tor Metrics at the end of May 2022, the Tor repeaters are most commonly used to access the internet in the following states:
- United States (more than 22% of the daily user audience);
- Germany (9% of users);
- Russia (4.6%);
- India (4.5%);
- France (3.5%);
- Indonesia (3.3%);
- Finland (3.2%);
- Netherlands (2.9%);
- United Kingdom (2.7%);
- Brazil (2.1%).
How To Download Tor Browser
Tor can be downloaded from the official website and is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows. If the site is blocked, you can try to get to it using VPN services, special browser plug-ins, or a website mirror. This way, you can play at diferent type of casinos, like USDT casinos or anonymous casinos, without worrying about your private data to be leaked or stolen.
The user can also send an email to gettor@torproject.org and specify their operating system and interface language. In response, you will receive an email with a working link for downloading.
How Does Tor Work?
The default browser collects a lot of data about a user that can be used to track their exact location and even their identity. In turn, Tor passes user traffic through several relay nodes. The standard chain looks like this: input node, an intermediate node, and the output node. All of them can be far apart, and each acts as an independent layer of encryption.
After launching the browser, the program forms a network of three repeaters randomly. The user’s data is “covered” by three layers of encryption during transmission, resembling an onion. When the first node (the input node) receives traffic, it “skims” one layer and learns the address of the next node, sending the data further down the chain. Then the action is repeated and the traffic goes to the output node. It performs a full decryption and sends the request to the addressee. The response to the request is returned in the same way and goes through the same steps.
Imagine a mail system. A person puts a certain request into an envelope that is sealed in two more envelopes and sends it to user A (the input node). That person opens the first envelope, which says, “Send the envelope to user B.” The message is sent to user B (intermediate node), then to user C (output node) with the same request. The latter user opens the envelope of user C. The output node executes the request that the person specified in the letter.
Neither node sees the entire path and content of the request and does not know the sender – this guarantees a high level of data confidentiality.
Recommendations For Using Tor Browser
Choose your security settings first. There are three levels in all of Tor. All website features are fully available on the first level, but some of them are disabled on the second. The final level disables Javascript by default on websites, allowing only those website functions to function that can load static content. While this virtually guarantees privacy, it makes it quite challenging to use contemporary websites with loads of interactive features and customization.
Second, several nations have blocked the entire Tor network in addition to simply its website. In this situation, it is advised that you choose the “pluggable transport” connection option when configuring your browser. There are a number of these in total, and their efficacy varies depending on the situation.
Every connectable mode of transportation depends on “bridges” functioning. These are nodes that are untraceable and unblockable and are concealed from the general public. You can utilize the built-in bridge after turning on Tor for the first time. In the event that it fails, you must request a specific bridge address. Find a working bridge address by going through the list.
What Are The Bridges in Tor for?
In some countries, not just the Tor site is blocked, but its entire network. For such cases, the browser has a “pluggable transport” that you can turn on when you first turn it on. There are several types of transport in total, and the effectiveness of each depends on individual circumstances.
Connected transport relies on the operation of “bridges”. These are nodes that are hidden from public scrutiny, the path to which cannot be traced and blocked. The first time you enable Tor, you can use the built-in bridge. If it doesn’t work, you need to ask for an individual bridge address. Go through the bridge addresses until you find one that works.
In some countries, such as Iran or China, the authorities even fight for access to bridges. There are special obfuscation bridges for this case. They add an extra layer of masking traffic. Running a bridge requires additional programs and settings.
Is Tor Available for Mobile Devices?
Tor is available for Android phones. Previously, before the official release, third-party Orfox apps were available, as well as the Orbot helper service.
Orfox is the mobile version of Tor, which the Tor Project itself recommended before the release of its app. With the release of Tor Browser on Android, the program stopped receiving updates, so we don’t recommend using it.
Orbot is a proxy app that routes mobile traffic of individual apps through the Tor network.
The Tor app for iOS is maintained by independent developers. According to the App Store administration’s review, it is confidential and does not collect personal information, and user feedback is mostly positive.
Can I Open Blocked Sites with Tor?
In most cases, blocked sites can be accessed using a direct link in the Tor browser. If the site does not open, using a bridge is likely to help.
What Are .onion Addresses?
“.onion” is a domain name whose addresses can only be opened in the Tor browser and does not participate in the world’s official Domain Name System (DNS). An onion address is not a full-fledged entry in the system, and information about it is not stored in the root DNS servers.
Some popular websites use .onion to allow their users to bypass the blocking of the main address. For example, The New York Times or the social network Facebook.
Is Tor Better than a VPN?
The key idea behind Tor is anonymity by changing IP addresses, while the way a VPN works is privacy. Tor protects information about who the user is, while the VPN protects data about what the user is doing online.
Tor is best used for visiting the Internet anonymously and communicating. However, some users prefer VPN services because they are easier to set up and faster. VPN is suitable for bypassing blocking and censorship on the Internet, provided that privacy is not so important.
At the same time, the VPN service itself can be blocked, and the authorities in Russia actively use it. Moreover, members of the Federation Council have already allowed the introduction of a complete ban on VPNs in the country.
In such conditions, even in the case of a complete blocking of its network, Tor, unlike VPN, will remain an effective means of circumventing censorship due to the technology used.
Does Tor Fully Encrypt Traffic?
No, Tor does not provide complete anonymity. The browser can’t protect the user if he or she provides information about himself or herself on the network, or if there are viruses or programs on the computer that monitor the traffic.
Tor hides data between the user’s computer and the servers in the Tor network but does not encrypt the final part of the connection between the input node and the destination server. A complete list of Tor output nodes is publicly available, any unencrypted traffic originating from the output nodes is likely to be closely monitored.
Privacy can be increased by combining Tor with special operating systems and VPN services.
Conclusions – Tor Browser & Crypto Casinos
Сrypto casinos are gambling platforms which take Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment, have grown in popularity recently. They are a popular option for individuals who want to gamble online anonymously since they provide a high level of privacy and security to users.
Since it offers additional privacy and anonymity to users who access these websites using it, the Tor browser has significantly contributed to the growth of crypto casinos. Players can further conceal their identity and location by routing their traffic over the Tor network, making it more challenging for authorities or other parties to monitor their online behavior.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all countries allow users to access crypto casinos using the Tor browser. Using a VPN or the Tor browser to get around a country’s tough restrictions against online gambling could have legal repercussions. Also, it’s vital to read the terms and conditions of each site before using it because certain crypto casinos may have policies that forbid the usage of anonymizing software like Tor.
If you are looking for ways to purchase Bitcoin or sell Bitcoin to buy other cryptocurrencies, our team of professionals is ready to help you. Gamble safely and responsibly!
