Tor (network)
Free and open-source anonymity network based on onion routing / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tor[6] is a free overlay network for enabling anonymous communication. Built on free and open-source software and more than seven thousand volunteer-operated relays worldwide, users can have their Internet traffic routed via a random path through the network.[7][8]
Developer(s) | The Tor Project |
---|---|
Initial release | September 20, 2002; 21 years ago (2002-09-20)[1] |
Stable release(s) [±] | |
0.4.8.11[2] (10 March 2024; 2 months ago (10 March 2024)) | |
Preview release(s) [±] | |
Repository | |
Written in | C,[3] Python, Rust[4] |
Operating system | Unix-like, (Android, Linux, BSD, macOS), Microsoft Windows, iOS |
Size | 50–55 MB |
Type | Overlay network, mix network, onion router, Anonymity application |
License | BSD 3-clause license[5] |
Website | torproject |
Using Tor makes it more difficult to trace a user's Internet activity by preventing any single point on the Internet (other than the user's device) from being able to view both where traffic originated from and where it is ultimately going to at the same time.[9] This conceals a user's location and usage from anyone performing network surveillance or traffic analysis from any such point, protecting the user's freedom and ability to communicate confidentially.[10]