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Tor Uncovered: Tor is an overlay network designed to provide a fully anonymous way to browse the web and exchange messages or data over the internet. The "darknet" is supposed to be free from eavesdropping and surveillance, but resourceful agencies can still breach its many onion-like layers to go and get a suspect's true identity.

German news outlet Tagesschau reports that local law enforcement agencies have successfully targeted, tracked, and arrested four suspects in a single investigation. The outlaws used Tor to hide their identities and activities in managing a ransomware operation and hosting child sex abuse material (CSAM) on their servers.

Investigators identified the suspects using a "timing analysis" attack. The officers directly monitored many Tor nodes over time, looking for a specific connection between the servers hidden within the darknet and local internet connections. The story confirms that law enforcement agencies are actively monitoring web servers hidden in Tor.

Authorities tracked four people in their investigation, eventually taking over the Tor address belonging to a ransomware group. Police redirected its traffic to a new page to prevent users from sharing previously stolen encrypted files. Then, the investigators used timing analysis techniques to uncover the identity of "Andres G," an individual operating a .onion service known as "Boystown" that hosted CSAM.

Successfully uncovering who's behind a darknet service is no easy feat, and authorities haven't revealed significant details about their timing analysis attack. Developers from the Tor Project claim a suspect tracked by German authorities was using an old version of the Tor-based, decentralized instant messaging application Ricochet.

The Tor team said the Ricochet user was "fully de-anonymized" through a guard discovery attack. The outdated Ricochet release didn't protect against timing analysis. Developers addressed this shortcoming in a new application fork (Ricochet-Refresh). This version is fully maintained and offers better privacy for freely chatting (and exchanging files) within the darknet.

The developers claim that users can only access Onion services from within the Tor network, so any discussion about monitoring exit nodes is irrelevant. The network is healthier than ever, with over 2,000 new exit nodes coming online over the past few years. An "exit node" is the last hidden Tor node a user connects to before going on the clearnet, acting as the originator of the communication from an ISP's point of view.

"Like many of you, we are still left with more questions than answers," the Tor programmer said. "But one thing is clear: Tor users can continue to use Tor Browser to access the web securely and anonymously."

Permalink to story:

German investigators successfully tracked suspects inside the Tor network

 
Nothing is really safe. Don't break the law and then you won't have to even use this kind of crap.
 
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WhoCaresAnymore said:
Nothing is really safe. Don't break the law and then you won't have to even use this kind of crap.
Click to expand...

Tor is not "crap". And criminals aren't the only ones using it to conceal their presence on-line. I use it often, for several reasons, and I'm not breaking the law just for that.
 
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Breaking the law is an excuse for every law enforcement to read everything. Society falling apart and they still think it's not their fault. Disintegration of trust kills civilizations.
 
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TOR is like any other tool, VPN , a crappy master lock padlock , an std C4 yale lock etc It's good enough for most people day to day.

Given that corps like VISA have knowlingly and on purpose allow their Cards to be more vulnerable than needed, as 1% fraud is "acceptable" . I've always disagree with this strategy, as mirrors one broken window , one graffitti principle. ie wipe it out straightaway , never allow it to start. In long run the 1% is probably more money wise more expensive, completely ignoring human costs. banks do same BS, eg 4 digit pin codes on non-random devices ( ie numbers in exactly same spots, to aid muscle memory ) . Plus your CVV number has high contrast on your card, so easy to read ( scrape it off fellow readers )
TOR is perfectly fine for most people doing nothing in particular eg piracy or **** posting whatever on the grey scale
 
hahahanoobs said:
"Several reasons" but not even one given.
Good chat...
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Tor is sometimes the only way people under oppressive regimes can get access to free information. Believe it or not, there are more legitimate users of tor in than illegitimate. China and Brazil are two MASSIVE ones.

Believe it or not, there are still billions of people who do not have free speach and can be arrested for things as petty as saying their president is an *****. Imagine if they started throwing people in jail for saying Trump or Biden were *****s, Tor would become popular REAL quick.
 
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"Like many of you, we are still left with more questions than answers," the Tor programmer said. "But one thing is clear: Tor users can continue to use Tor Browser to access the web securely and anonymously."
Click to expand...

You can't keep shoving free speech all the time when there was a obvious network running with CP.

 
WhoCaresAnymore said:
He must need his "Personal" freedom for about 15 minutes when he feels the need.

lol.
Click to expand...
No, because Italy is currently being governed by what I consider a fascist party, and I don't feel safe with certain Google search queries on the clearnet. Queries you would consider perfectly normal in other Western countries.

And that's just one simple example of how I use Tor to mind my own business.
 
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Alfonso Maruccia said:
No, because Italy is currently being governed by what I consider a fascist party, and I don't feel safe with certain Google search queries on the clearnet. Queries you would consider perfectly normal in other Western countries.

And that's just one simple example of how I use Tor to mind my own business.
Click to expand...


I absolutely second gingerbill. These guys think they know it all. I absolutely understand what you mean and stand by what you said. I also use Tor for many reasons. It's a tool. A good tool. But for good InfoSec one needs more than just a privacy browser like Tor.
 
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You can run but you cannot truly hide.
Anonymity on the web and yes even the Tor network is just an illusion, sure Tor delivers top notch anonymity to make it hard for most to track you, but it's not foolproof , on the internet anyone and everything can be tracked down and be found . It all just depends how bad someone wants to find you and what lengths they are willing to go to do it.
 
Anonymity online is at the whim of your government, try using Tor/VPN in Xinjiang.
 
bclaymiles said:
"I value my privacy"
"Tell me what you want to keep private"

smh.
Click to expand...
"Tor is used by criminals."
"I can justify its continued use because I don't do that."

The good ol' sample size of one defence...

I never specifically asked for ANY private data. I just wanted SOMETHING with more substance as a defence. He killed any further discussion after one reply. Gimme a break. That's not normal.

You literally defended someone saying "Trust me, bro."
 
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The TOR network is not designed to be completely untraceable, only very difficult. Whatever technique the Germans used likely involved a monumental effort and expenditure of resources. Not something the average person using the network needs to worry about.
 
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hahahanoobs said:
"Tor is used by criminals."
"I can justify its continued use because I don't do that."

The good ol' sample size of one defence...

I never specifically asked for ANY private data. I just wanted SOMETHING with more substance as a defence. He killed any further discussion after one reply. Gimme a break. That's not normal.

You literally defended someone saying "Trust me, bro."
Click to expand...
There are a lot of things that are a grey area that you just don't want traced back to you.

Whether it is white hat hacking and responisble disclosure, certain forms of piracy, like software and intellectual property that one cannot acquire using any other means, taking part on discussion forums either on the dark web or the clear one, especially if you're in a country like the UK, which has been punishing people abnormally for stating their opinions online that goes against the new hate speech guidelines, it is definitely a good idea to have good infosec. So I thank the good people that contribute to Tor for giving us yet another tool to cover one's tracks.

Yes, it is used to commit crime. But banning it for that reason or throwing everyone in the same bag for using it is rash and, quite frankly, inhumane. Nuance is the name of the game. It's important to not go for each other's throats and take a second to think before we talk. We're all in the same boat. Just because Alfonso didn't answer your question like you wanted doesn't immediately mean there is no legitimate, non-criminal, use for it, is all I am saying.

So chill and look for a fight elsewhere.
 
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Arthurik_jan said:
Yes, it is used to commit crime. But banning it for that reason or throwing everyone in the same bag for using it is rash and, quite frankly, inhumane.
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to hear their thoughts on guns, cars, knives, computers and cell phones. All used to commit crime. But tor, OOOH NOES!
 
Arthurik_jan said:
There are a lot of things that are a grey area that you just don't want traced back to you.

Whether it is white hat hacking and responisble disclosure, certain forms of piracy, like software and intellectual property that one cannot acquire using any other means, taking part on discussion forums either on the dark web or the clear one, especially if you're in a country like the UK, which has been punishing people abnormally for stating their opinions online that goes against the new hate speech guidelines, it is definitely a good idea to have good infosec. So I thank the good people that contribute to Tor for giving us yet another tool to cover one's tracks.

Yes, it is used to commit crime. But banning it for that reason or throwing everyone in the same bag for using it is rash and, quite frankly, inhumane. Nuance is the name of the game. It's important to not go for each other's throats and take a second to think before we talk. We're all in the same boat. Just because Alfonso didn't answer your question like you wanted doesn't immediately mean there is no legitimate, non-criminal, use for it, is all I am saying.

So chill and look for a fight elsewhere.
Click to expand...
The only thing I'm fighting is poor logic.
There is never a defence for a "Trust me, bro" reply.
 
lonetac said:
Would be interesting to hear their thoughts on guns, cars, knives, computers and cell phones. All used to commit crime. But tor, OOOH NOES!
Click to expand...
Guns have age requirements.
Cars have speed limiters.
Knives can't be concealed.
Cell phones are taken away at concerts.

Why? Because bad actors ruined it for the rest.

Enter Tor...
Encryption is an open door for malicious intent. With Tor the primary selling point is anonymity online. It's like a store without serveillance cameras and expecting everyone to be honest. Not gonna happen.

So yea, I'm against the browser.
Especially with the articles I've read about it over the years and when a "legit" user can't defend their argument for its continued use beyond, "Trust me, bro."
 
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hahahanoobs said:
The only thing I'm fighting is poor logic.
There is never a defence for a "Trust me, bro" reply.
Click to expand...

And yet you engage in the logical fallacy of "If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear."
 
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hahahanoobs said:
The only thing I'm fighting is poor logic.
There is never a defence for a "Trust me, bro" reply.
Click to expand...
As I wrote, grey areas. If you are fighting for the opposition, for example, in Russia, and trying to organize your efforts and not get yourself and your family in mortal danger, what are you supposed to use?

There are so many legitimate use cases for this that the fact that people use it for crime does not even come close to justifying Tor's shutdown.

Nothing good comes of a society that aggressively fights crime with broad strokes. Lots of innocent people get hurt.
 
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