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Stress that the Tor Browser should be used as much as possible #273

Closed C-O-M-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N closed 5 years ago

C-O-M-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N commented 7 years ago

This is already done by a related project: https://prism-break.org/en/subcategories/gnu-linux-web-browsers/

Try to use Tor Browser Bundle (TBB) for all of your web surfing. It will offer you far better anonymity than any other browser. Make sure to learn the basics of Tor before using it. If the site you want to visit will not work in the TBB, try Firefox intead, but realize these browsers do not anonymize your ip by default.

TBB notes: Using the TBB to sign into websites that contain your real ID is counterproductive, and may trip the site's fraud protection. Make sure to check for HTTPS before signing in to a website through Tor. Signing into HTTP websites can result in your ID being captured by a Tor exit node.

Where should this be? Also I can tweak the above paragraph and add additional details into why using Tor for most browsing is a good idea and how by using it one helps others get more privacy.

ghost commented 7 years ago

TPB is a high-value target when it comes to finding vulnerabilities in browsers.

You obviously shouldn't use TPB only for suspicious activity, but should generate some random noise as well. Also it's based on FF which is less secure than Chromium.

VPNs should be used as much as possible and we should explain how to use Tor properly. I will write a tutorial on using anonymity tools like Tor properly soon.

privacytoolsIO commented 7 years ago

276

ghost commented 7 years ago

I agree it should be the first browser we commend, but still am not sure how much should we stress using it.

C-O-M-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N commented 7 years ago

@Shifterovich

TPB is a high-value target when it comes to finding vulnerabilities in browsers.

Chromium has the same status if you consider its crushing market share. I don't see what your point is here.

VPNs should be used as much as possible and we should explain how to use Tor properly.

By that you mean that VPNs should be used as much as possible instead of Tor?

ghost commented 7 years ago

HVTs use Tor, not Chromium.

And yes, you should definitely generate random noise with Tor even when not using it (if you intend to use it for something serious later), but using Tor as much as possible makes little sense.

C-O-M-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N commented 7 years ago

HVTs use Tor, not Chromium.

My point was that even if Tor Browser was based on the most secure browser (Chromium) then a similar argument would conclude that Chromium shouldn't be used.

FWIW an example of good practice for HVTs with the Tor Browser: When you visit TheIntercept's SecureDrop (https://y6xjgkgwj47us5ca.onion/), if JS is enabled they put the warning: We recommend turning the Security Slider to High to protect your anonymity: ...

And yes, you should definitely generate random noise with Tor even when not using it (if you intend to use it for something serious later), but using Tor as much as possible makes little sense.

Tor is 1/n anonymity network, as such, using Tor as much possible can only make sense since it's not just about protecting oneself but also others.

And just to clarify, by as much as possible I mean:

ghost commented 7 years ago

Visiting non-HTTPS websites over Tor is a very bad idea. Using Tor for most of your browsing sacrifices a lot of usability, yet I can't see a single positive thing about it.

C-O-M-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N commented 7 years ago

@Shifterovich

Visiting non-HTTPS websites over Tor is a very bad idea.

Unless it's because someone is logging into HTTP websites over Tor. Otherwise I don't think it's a bad idea, especially with higher security settings i.e. Medium or High.

Using Tor for most of your browsing sacrifices a lot of usability,

Examples?

yet I can't see a single positive thing about it.

The whole "make covert traffic" (traffic analysis aspect) + "the bigger the crowd the easier it is to hide in it" (fingerprinting aspect).

ghost commented 7 years ago

There are other ways to generate noise without having to use Tor for all browsing.

Examples?

Low speed and a lot of things don't work in Tor.

ghost commented 7 years ago

Unless it's because someone is logging into HTTP websites over Tor. Otherwise I don't think it's a bad idea, especially with higher security settings i.e. Medium or High.

There are other reasons to use HTTPS. https://doesmysiteneedhttps.com/

blacklight447 commented 5 years ago

We now have a big explanation on our VPN provider page which describes the difference between vpns and Tor, including their usecases, which makes this issue no longer needed, closing.