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@@ -3,33 +3,34 @@ The Onion Routing (TOR) Frequently Asked Questions
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1. General.
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-1.1. What is tor?
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+1.1. What is Tor?
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Tor is an implementation of version 2 of Onion Routing.
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+Go read the tor-design.pdf for the details.
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-Onion Routing is a connection-oriented anonymizing communication
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-service. Users build a layered block of asymmetric encryptions
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-(an "onion") which describes a source-routed path through a set of
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-nodes. Those nodes build a "virtual circuit" through the network, in which
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-each node knows its predecessor and successor, but no others. Traffic
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-flowing down the circuit is unwrapped by a symmetric key at each node,
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-which reveals the downstream node.
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+In brief, Onion Routing is a connection-oriented anonymizing communication
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+service. Users choose a source-routed path through a set of nodes, and
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+negotiate a "virtual circuit" through the network, in which each node
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+knows its predecessor and successor, but no others. Traffic flowing down
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+the circuit is unwrapped by a symmetric key at each node, which reveals
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+the downstream node.
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-Basically tor provides a distributed network of servers ("onion
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+Basically Tor provides a distributed network of servers ("onion
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routers"). Users bounce their tcp streams (web traffic, ftp, ssh, etc)
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around the routers, and recipients, observers, and even the routers
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themselves have difficulty tracking the source of the stream.
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-1.2. Why's it called tor?
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+1.2. Why's it called Tor?
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-Because tor is the onion routing system. I kept telling people I was
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+Because Tor is the onion routing system. I kept telling people I was
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working on onion routing, and they said "Neat. Which one?" Even if onion
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routing has become a standard household term, this is the actual onion
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routing project, started out of the Naval Research Lab.
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-(Theories about recursive acronyms are ok too.)
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+(Theories about recursive acronyms are ok too. It's also got a fine
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+translation into German.)
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-1.3 Is there a backdoor in tor?
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+1.3 Is there a backdoor in Tor?
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Not right now, but if this answer changes we probably won't be allowed
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to tell you. You should always check the source (or at least the diffs
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@@ -42,12 +43,12 @@ source, that's a sure sign something funny could be going on.
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for you.]
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-3. Running tor.
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+3. Running Tor.
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3.1. What kind of server should I run?
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-The same executable ("or") functions as both client and server, depending
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-on which ports are specified in the configuration file. You can specify:
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+The same executable functions as both client and server, depending on
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+which ports are specified in the configuration file. You can specify:
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* SocksPort: client applications (eg privoxy, Mozilla) can speak socks to
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this port.
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* ORPort: other onion routers connect to this port
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@@ -56,18 +57,18 @@ on which ports are specified in the configuration file. You can specify:
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3.2. So I can just run a full onion router and join the network?
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-No. Users should run just an onion proxy (use the 'oprc' config file).
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-If you start up a full onion router, the rest of the routers in the
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-system won't recognize you, so they will reject your handshake attempts.
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+No. Users should run just an onion proxy. If you start up a full onion
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+router, the rest of the routers in the system won't recognize you,
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+so they will reject your handshake attempts.
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3.3. How do I join the network then?
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If you just want to use the onion routing network, you can run a proxy
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and you're all set. If you want to run a router, you must convince
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the directory server operators (currently arma@mit.edu) that you're a
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-trustworthy person. From there, the operators add you to the directory,
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-which propagates out to the rest of the network. All nodes will know
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-about you within an hour.
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+trustworthy and reliable person. From there, the operators add you to
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+the directory, which propagates out to the rest of the network. All
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+nodes will know about you within a half hour.
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3.4. I want to run a directory server too.
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@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ about recently joined routers.
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5. Anonymity.
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-5.1. So I'm totally anonymous if I use tor?
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+5.1. So I'm totally anonymous if I use Tor?
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@@ -101,8 +102,6 @@ about recently joined routers.
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5.3. What attacks remain against onion routing?
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-tagging: can change bytes in the cells, even through link encryption
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-end node can give back wrong data, even subtly wrong data.
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6. Comparison to related projects.
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