It's no secret that everybody's thinking about privacy and cyber security more since the world was pummeled with the unsettling, spy-novel truths of the Snowden revelations. Now, companies are starting to seize onto the zeitgeist by building more secure tools for the internet. And it sounds like Tor will be at the front of that line.
The Tor anonymity network is in talks with "several major tech companies" about integrating its technology into their software, according to the Daily Dot. One of those companies, the Daily Dot's Patrick Howell O'Neill, is Firefox, and that integration might come in the form of a Tor button that would enable anonymous browsing for hundreds of millions of people. Again, it's unclear if this major tech company is indeed Firefox, but Tor executive director Andrew Lewman offered some hints.
"They very much like Tor Browser and would like to ship it to their customer base," said Lewman. "Their product is 10-20 percent of the global market, this is of roughly 2.8 billion global Internet users." Lewman added, "[The tech companies are] willing to entertain offering their resources to help us solve the scalability challenges of handling hundreds of millions of users and relays on Tor."
This sounds like a great idea! Indeed, Firefox does have between 10 and 20 percent of the global browser market, and Mozilla, the nonprofit that builds the open source browser, is certainly interested in issues like privacy and security. Last year, Mozilla launched Lightbeam as an add-on that helps users visualize who's collecting data from them. A similar add-on that offers increased privacy or even total anonymity makes perfect sense. The Daily Dot calls it an "easy Tor button." We call it genius.
But even if it's not Firefox, it would be a smart move for any browser to take advantage of Tor's anonymity network. Easy integration into a popular browser would not only offer better privacy for millions; it would also encourage more people to think about cyber security. We already saw this earlier this year, when Apple announced that it would integrate DuckDuckGo, the anonymous search engine, into Safari for iOS 8. This is in addition to new, improved encryption in iOS 8.
If anything, turning Tor into a mainstream resource means that everybody enjoys better security. The Tor network works like a daisy chain that puts distance between the user and their destination, so that hackers or spies can't trace who's doing what on the internet. The longer that daisy chain gets, the harder it is to identify the person on the other end. Although as we learned a few months ago, it's not impossible to identify Tor users. Still, it's much harder.
So regardless of who's doing it, you should be excited by the idea of more Tor integration. It's a boon for your privacy and good for cyber security. And hopefully, it's just around the corner. [Daily Dot]
Read more:
Dreaming of a Tor Button for Firefox
- Tor - Official Site - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Tor Browser (M-S0FT) - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Downloading torrents in utorrent using tor browser - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Tor Browser installieren [Tutorial deutsch] - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- TOR BROWSER KURULUM+KULLANIM - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- tor browser descargar e instalar - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Entering the Deep Web-Deep Web Url link (2014) - Video - May 6th, 2014 [May 6th, 2014]
- Red Onion Tor Browser for iPhone - Video - May 10th, 2014 [May 10th, 2014]
- working referral link to agora hidden market place -new url ( onion site ) - Video - May 12th, 2014 [May 12th, 2014]
- Tor Browser Free Download/Install|Free Latest Version|64/32 bit Windows|2014 - Video - May 18th, 2014 [May 18th, 2014]
- how to install TOR Browser On LINUX - Video - May 18th, 2014 [May 18th, 2014]
- Grams Darknet black market search engine demo - Video - May 18th, 2014 [May 18th, 2014]
- How to Install the New Tor Browser in Kali Linux - Video - May 18th, 2014 [May 18th, 2014]
- How to download and use Tor browser [4K] - Video - May 20th, 2014 [May 20th, 2014]
- Free App Lets the Next Snowden Send Big Files Securely and Anonymously - May 22nd, 2014 [May 22nd, 2014]
- How to get free 7 day trials for XBL works as of May 2014 - Video - May 23rd, 2014 [May 23rd, 2014]
- Free Access to Deep Web (HIdden Wikki)(Tor Browser)-free 2014 - Video - May 27th, 2014 [May 27th, 2014]
- Federal Cybersecurity Director Found Guilty on Child Porn Charges - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Cybersecurity official uses Tor but still gets caught with child porn - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Softonic - Tor Browser - Download - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- What is the Tor Browser? - Tor Project: Anonymity Online - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Tor Browser - Problem Connecting? - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Review: Tor Browser Bundle lets you browse in anonymity ... - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Guide to using the Tor Browser Bundle for secure communication - Video - August 31st, 2014 [August 31st, 2014]
- Hack-Bypass Hotspot (Mikrotik) With Tor Browser - Video - September 3rd, 2014 [September 3rd, 2014]
- Using tor-browser on ubuntu 14.04 LTS - Video - September 7th, 2014 [September 7th, 2014]
- Download Tor Browser Bundle 3 6 5 For Win, Mac, Linux - Video - September 8th, 2014 [September 8th, 2014]
- Browse Anonymously, Browse Safely - The App Center - September 11th, 2014 [September 11th, 2014]
- Tor browser NOT SAFE without this quick step - Video - September 12th, 2014 [September 12th, 2014]
- Tor Browser for iOS - Free download and software reviews ... - September 14th, 2014 [September 14th, 2014]
- Comcast Denies It Will Cut Off Customers Who Use Tor, The Web Browser For Criminals (CMCSA) - September 15th, 2014 [September 15th, 2014]
- Comcast calls rumor that it disconnects Tor users wildly inaccurate - September 15th, 2014 [September 15th, 2014]
- Why a thinly sourced, unverified report about Comcast has the Web in an uproar - September 16th, 2014 [September 16th, 2014]
- Drier: Is Comcast really blocking anonymous Internet browser Tor? - September 19th, 2014 [September 19th, 2014]
- Guns, drugs and freedom: the great dark net debate - September 19th, 2014 [September 19th, 2014]
- Download and Install Tor Browser Bundle - Video - September 24th, 2014 [September 24th, 2014]
- install tor browser for kali linux 1.0.9 - Video - September 27th, 2014 [September 27th, 2014]
- TOR Browser: Safe to use 2014? - Yahoo Answers - September 28th, 2014 [September 28th, 2014]
- Alex Jones Interviews Creator of TOR Browser- Infowars September 2014 - Video - September 28th, 2014 [September 28th, 2014]
- Tor Executive Director Hints At Firefox Integration - September 30th, 2014 [September 30th, 2014]
- Install tor browser on kali linux - Video - September 30th, 2014 [September 30th, 2014]
- How to install TOR browser bundle on sparkylinux 32bit - Video - September 30th, 2014 [September 30th, 2014]
- Firefox could be adding built-in Tor support for improved private browsing - October 2nd, 2014 [October 2nd, 2014]
- Tor Browser Bundle: Download & Start - Tutorial deutsch - Video - October 3rd, 2014 [October 3rd, 2014]
- With This Tiny Box, You Can Anonymize Everything You Do Online - October 13th, 2014 [October 13th, 2014]
- Tor Browser Cheat TankPit - Video - October 13th, 2014 [October 13th, 2014]
- Anonabox Promises Total Online Anonymity That's Easy, Open Source, and Cheap - October 14th, 2014 [October 14th, 2014]
- This tiny box anonymises all your online actions - October 14th, 2014 [October 14th, 2014]
- Anonabox promises a portable, streamlined way to use Tor to hide your online tracks - October 14th, 2014 [October 14th, 2014]
- Investors flock to tiny device that promises online anonymity - October 16th, 2014 [October 16th, 2014]
- How to run all your Internet's programs thru Tor Browser - Video - October 16th, 2014 [October 16th, 2014]
- Tails 1.2 : Released with Tor Browser 4.0 - Video - October 20th, 2014 [October 20th, 2014]
- Tor Browser 4.0 is released | The Tor Blog - October 25th, 2014 [October 25th, 2014]
- Access Blocked site using Tor Browser and chrome [2014] - Video - October 27th, 2014 [October 27th, 2014]
- Be Anonymous Online : TOR Browser - Video - October 27th, 2014 [October 27th, 2014]
- Menggunakan TOR Browser - Video - October 29th, 2014 [October 29th, 2014]
- Facebook Just Created a Custom Tor Link and That's Awesome - October 31st, 2014 [October 31st, 2014]
- How to Use Deep Web Using Tor Browser - Video - October 31st, 2014 [October 31st, 2014]
- Setup Tor Browser on Mac OS 10 - Video - October 31st, 2014 [October 31st, 2014]
- Facebook opens up to Tor users with new secure .onion address - November 1st, 2014 [November 1st, 2014]
- How to use the Tor browser and the Open PGP applet - Video - November 1st, 2014 [November 1st, 2014]
- Facebookcorewwwi.onion ( Preview ) - Video - November 2nd, 2014 [November 2nd, 2014]
- How to use Tor for Facebook (Windows, Mac & Linux) - November 4th, 2014 [November 4th, 2014]
- Tor Browser Bundle - Secure your Web surfing - [Free Download] - Video - November 5th, 2014 [November 5th, 2014]
- The Law Scores a Victory Against Dark Net Denizens - November 8th, 2014 [November 8th, 2014]
- Tor Browser New 4 - Video - November 8th, 2014 [November 8th, 2014]
- How to (Install- Enable) Flash Player on Tor Browser - Video - November 9th, 2014 [November 9th, 2014]
- Tor Browser New 2 - Video - November 9th, 2014 [November 9th, 2014]
- Tor Browser New 1 - Video - November 9th, 2014 [November 9th, 2014]
- Developer edition and privacy are Firefoxs 10th birthday present for the world - November 11th, 2014 [November 11th, 2014]
- Easily Install Tor Browser 4.0.1 via PPA in Linux Mint 17 - Video - November 11th, 2014 [November 11th, 2014]
- Better Tor-gether? Mozillla bids to bring anonymous browsing to the masses - November 12th, 2014 [November 12th, 2014]
- How to connect Tor Browser to Country-specific IP Address - Video - November 12th, 2014 [November 12th, 2014]
- A Computer Science Professor Found A Way To Identify Most 'Anonymous' Tor Users - November 19th, 2014 [November 19th, 2014]
- Tor Browser-in Yuklenmesi ve qurulmasi. - Video - November 26th, 2014 [November 26th, 2014]
- | | install tor browser on ubuntu 14 04 - Video - November 29th, 2014 [November 29th, 2014]
- Tor Browser 4.5-alpha-1 is released | The Tor Blog - November 29th, 2014 [November 29th, 2014]
- Como instalar o Tor Browser- Navegador da Deep Web/Annimo - Video - December 5th, 2014 [December 5th, 2014]
- [ExpertProf - THT]Tor Browser Kurulumu Ve Onion'a Girilmesi - Video - December 5th, 2014 [December 5th, 2014]
- Tor Browser Bundle 4 0 2 Latest Version Is Available To Download And Update - Video - December 8th, 2014 [December 8th, 2014]