Tor Browser privacy features and security implications

Tor Browser is a privacy-focused web browser built on a modified version of Mozilla Firefox ESR. It utilizes onion routing to send traffic through a series of volunteer-run relays—specifically guard, middle, and exit relays—to obscure a user's identity and destination through multiple layers of encryption.

Developed by the Tor Project, a US-based nonprofit, the software is designed to resist surveillance and limit tracking by reducing browser fingerprinting. While it is a legitimate tool used by journalists, researchers, and developers, its use can create visibility challenges for security administrators, particularly on Linux systems, as it can bypass certain standard network controls.

Although often associated with the dark web, the Tor Project notes that the browser itself is not synonymous with illegal activity. Users can select between three security levels: Standard, Safer, and Safest.