We often have to help people who, as a result of these situations, must be so far under the radar that no 5-step Infographic to internet safety will cut it (you should still start here though).
So to help those of you in this tough spot, we have a living blog post, How to Keep your LGBTQ+ Identity Hidden Online. that we constantly update once per month so you can learn more about keeping yourself safe.
We've added a summary of this post to it, but here, we're talking about Net Safety Class 201:
ToR browser and erasing your "net presence".
Before we can talk about ToR Though, we need to talk about your "IP address" or how the internet knows what computer you are accessing it from.
Your Address is Like Caller ID
Internet Protocol Addresses or IP addresses are like envelopes for your "data" that are used to get it from its starting point (your computer) to the end destination (where the information is) and back.
IP addresses carry necessary data that the receiving device can authenticate you with, much like a caller ID. If you seem legit, they'll reply back, or save you into their "contacts" and "call you" later.
If someone can read all the places with your IP Addresses, they can piece together who you are, and what you see on the internet.
While the average interested person, school, or company, doesn’t typically want to go through the hassle of putting all those pieces together, there's a point where you might find someone who is that interested.
Like say, if you're a Bisexual teen with very "strict" parents and with strict parental control services.
So How Do You "Erase" your IP Address?
Systems or devices that don't require a user name and password to gain access to the Internet are reasonably untraceable, but this isn’t always an option. There could be time limitations, or people will catch on because systems are too public, or web filters block certain sites at libraries.
Anonymous proxies and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are other ways to hide IP addressees, which we'll save for later blogs, but even then, these are difficult to set up and get access to, may cost money to use, and initial access is usually tracked.
The easiest way to mask your IP Address is using Tor browser, “The Onion Router”.
What is ToR browser?
Tor is a browser that inefficiently sends and repackages your data through several relays and special encryption hubs on the internet, before arriving at it's final location. Sending your data through several extra stops makes it difficult to link the originator of the data request (you) to the target of the request (The site's servers with the information you wanted).
Whew, that’s a mouthful – let’s break that down a bit.
- Routing is how data is directed through the Internet.
- Packets are the bundles of data you sent out and their routing information
(the from and to addresses on an Envelope).
- Encryption is a technique that scrambles information so no one, but the sender and receiver can understand it.
So basically, instead of sending a letter straight to your aunt:
- You send it to someone that takes your envelope and scrambles the to and from information.
- They put it in a new envelope and send it to someone else who does the same thing.
- Several times after this is repeated the last person holds on to all of those envelopes, removes your letter, repackages it, and sends the letter in a brand new envelope to your aunt.
- That new letter can't be opened without the old envelopes and the new data, but to your aunt, it looks like it came from that last person in the chain.
- She responds to the letter back to that last person, they shove the return letter into that old envelope and do a “return to sender
- Each person in the chain repeats the process until your aunt's reply gets back to you.
- If the letter was intercepted by a nosy third party somewhere in the middle, or even at your aunt’s house, they wouldn’t know where it came from or where it was supposed to go.
Side Note: There’s real mail services that do something like this, if you'd like to have some fun.
Tor’s primary weakness however is that you have to download it. It has to be on your system.
If someone else is monitoring you or your system, just having the software may raise some suspicions. Tor downloads are often completely blocked on some sites and they will not allow you access via Tor browser.
Okay Cool. So How Do I Start Using It?
Basically, you download the browser, and start using it, it’s that simple.
However, there are some caveats and limitations on what Tor can do for you. There are a list of warnings from the download page that you should definitely read and consider.
"Tor does not protect all of your computer's Internet traffic when you run it. Tor only protects your applications that are properly configured to send their Internet traffic through Tor.
So, I use Tor, and Then I’m Totally Safe, Right?
What we can say is, "Tor will ensure that your IP address isn’t recorded on the other end of your internet exchange." That’s it.
There are a few problems.
1. Sticking out like a sore thumb
It’s similar to using a fake name when you go to a hotel a lot. After a while, if you're the only one using an alias, they can tell you're the one signing your bills Mary Winchester of Lawrence, Kansas.
if you’re the only one using Tor in your physical location on your Internet Service Provider's (ISP’s) network, eventually, with enough monitoring, the person you’re trying to avoid, will figure it out and you'll just stick out like a sore thumb.
The network administrator or authorities can pinpoint traffic right back to you. Using services outside of Tor, alongside it is like using your real credit card to pay for the hotel under your fake name.
2. The Content is Still Readable
This also doesn’t immediately prevent your local network administrator from being able to see what you’re trying to send or what you get back (which is why Tor isn’t enough!).
You still need to follow the 101 tips we offered you in prior blogs to really utilize Tor’s benefits.
3. The origin and destinations are still the same
Those first hops out to the Tor network have to go through your local network and ISP. Tor isn’t magic!
There are ways to provide extra security to help hide from local system administrators like using Tor bridges if your network administrators or your ISP block direct access to Tor, and obfuscation; doing things to make figuring out your data and where you’re sending it mor difficult.
The Bottom Line: This is a Wrench. You Need a Tool Box.
Be on the lookout for them, and join our local support groups, and weekly email digest so we can give these resources to you manually - no digital paper trail.