Each server uses just one of the layers of encryption, and only “unwraps” your data packet enough to send it on to its next destination (this type of multi-layered encryption is why it’s called an “onion” router). Tor is designed to create an unpredictable path through the network, selecting the entry, intermediate, and exit servers at random. This intermediate server, in turn, sends your packet to a third and final server, the “exit node” which allows your data to leave the Tor network and reach its destination. The entry node server sends the packet on to a second server. This first server is the “entry node” to the Tor network. When you send data through the Tor browser to some destination, Tor encrypts your data packet multiple times - “wrapping” it in several layers of encryption - and sends the whole thing to one of its volunteer relay servers. What makes Tor different is the way it routes data over its network. Tor is similar to other web browsers in that you install it on your computer and use it to access sites and services on the Internet. The Tor network is a distributed, volunteer-run network of relay servers spread out around the world. The Tor browser is simply a custom build of Firefox designed to route data through the Tor network. Tor offers a way to access the Internet safely and anonymously. Tor stands for “The Onion Router”, and can refer to either the Tor browser, or the Tor network. Then, if you decide you’d like to explore Tor for yourself, we’ll also walk you through the installation process on macOS. We’ll answer some common questions we’ve heard about Tor - touching on issues of functionality, safety, and privacy.

But if you’re like many people, you probably still have lots of questions about what it is, and what it does. You may have heard of Tor - perhaps you’ve seen it in films or TV shows that dramatize hacking, or mentioned in news stories about cybercrime and the “dark web”.

The tor project inc.