A general discussion on Tor

[Pondlife]

Posting in General for a more colourful discussion.

Since the BBC and other sites published the article linked to by eek here as a helpful guide to buying drugs online with some anonymity and after various mentions at other times on this site I had a bit of a wander over to the darker side of the web. Then this morning I read that due to a Firefox vulnerability a Yank organisation has been trying to connect users MAC addresses/hostnames with site visits here (AIUI?).

What are the panel's views on these things? Is it going to be come more prevalent for semi IT savvy users. Or will it get blown wide open and result in large numbers of potheads getting their collar felt?

So the other question is, how to make money off it?

Feel free to register as a sockie before contributing.

[cojak]

I think that the semi-savvis will learn about VPN's first, and those slightly more savvy will look to Scandinavian VPN's rather than US/UK ones...

[TheFaQQer]

I think that the semi-savvis will learn about VPN's first, and those slightly more savvy will look to Scandinavian VPN's rather than US/UK ones...

[cojak]

[Clippy]

There seems to be a somewhat hypocritical approach by the authorities with relation to addressing such issues.

Tor is known to enable the dark web to exist which facilitates illegal drug sales, kiddie porn etc.

Bit Torrent sites such as EzTV enable individuals to download copyrighted materials such as movies, TV shows etc.

Which area do the authorities seem to be targetting with the most vigour?

Well, EzTv was the latest torrent site to be blocked in the UK whereas this is, to my knowledge, is the first time Tor has been, directly or in-directly, subject to any action.


(Probably not the debate you were hoping for!)

[Pondlife]

Aye Clippy. Some was arrested for Kiddie stuff so it can't be completely anon?

As for the VPN approach, AIUI, it means that you appear to be in Sweden as far as websites you visit are concerned but that these sites are in the open and you're still getting their location via DNS etc.

My understanding of Tor is that .onion sites are hidden and just as anon as you are. i.e. both user and host are anon.

[doodab]

It raises some interesting questions about economics in a trust free environment.

[cailin maith]

Ok, for the non geek of us what is Tor and what is the dark web? Is it like another internet? Or just the nasty bits of the real internet?

[stek]

Ok, for the non geek of us what is Tor and what is the dark web? Is it like another internet? Or just the nasty bits of the real internet?

TOR is The Onion Router - layers and layers of routed traffic that hides your IP or claims it does, like the layers in an onion!

[cailin maith]

TOR is The Onion Router - layers and layers of routed traffic that hides your IP or claims it does, like the layers in an onion!

Ah - thank you