Used Tor Browser Bundle for Windows? Share your experience and help other users.
Key Details of Tor Browser Bundle
- Protect your privacy and defend yourself against network surveillance and traffic analysis
- Last updated on 04/08/20
- There has been 1 update within the past 6 months
- The current version has 0 flags on VirusTotal
- Also available on Android and Mac
Editors’ Review
The free Firefox-based Tor Browser Bundle integrates the Tor network's enhanced privacy and security. If you thought Onion Routing involved wooden crates, flatbed trucks, or a sandwich order, you might be surprised to hear it's online security technology. Think of an onion's layers: in Onion Routing, layers of encryption make it impossible to trace messages back to their point of origin. Once a secret project of the U.S. Naval Research Lab, it's now the concern of the Tor Project, an open-source community devoted to developing Tor, the software implementation of second-generation Onion Routing technology, and maintaining the Tor network.
Recent updates to the Tor Browser have focused on improving usability and bolstering its defenses against "browser fingerprinting attacks"—a growing concern in the online privacy community. Fingerprinting involves identifying unique browser and system configurations to track users across websites, even when cookies are disabled. The latest version includes randomized display settings and advanced script blocking by default to combat this.
The Tor Browser still includes the Vidalia network connection utility, though its integration is now seamless compared to earlier iterations. Essentially, the Tor Browser handles all the setup for users. Both the Tor Browser and access to the Tor network remain free. Importantly, the Browser has expanded its compatibility, offering native support for macOS's latest updates and ARM-based systems, such as the Apple M1 and M2 chips.
The process is streamlined after extracting and opening the Tor Browser, which still includes the Vidalia Control Panel. The software automatically connects to the Tor network and launches the Browser on a Tor start page. Though the Browser uses a green globe icon, it remains based on Firefox's framework, which has been updated to Firefox ESR 115. Tor-specific features remain in the toolbar, with enhancements in the "Security Slider" feature. This slider lets users quickly adjust between Standard, Safer, and Safest settings depending on their browsing needs.
While Tor excels at preserving anonymity, it's not without competitors. Brave Browser, for instance, offers an integrated Tor mode within its Browser, allowing users to access the Tor network without requiring a separate download. While Brave is faster due to its chromium-based architecture, its Tor implementation lacks the full customization options in the Tor Browser. Moreover, Brave's Tor mode does not completely anonymize metadata, potentially exposing users to certain risks that the standalone Tor Browser mitigates.
In use, we found the Tor Browser to function much like other Firefox-based browsers. Its built-in features, such as NoScript and HTTPS-Everywhere, remain key to its strength in privacy protection. Was it slower than standard browsers? Yes, familiar pages loaded with a noticeable delay, though recent updates have improved connection speeds. However, the trade-off for heightened anonymity and security is worth it for those prioritizing privacy.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the Tor Browser Bundle offers unparalleled access to Onion Routing's benefits, now with more robust defenses and user-friendly improvements.
What’s new in version 9.0.8
- Version 9.0.8 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
Used Tor Browser Bundle for Windows? Share your experience and help other users.
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