The CIA has recently beenexpanding its online communication with the public, and now it’s taking that effort to the deepest corners of the internet.
The agency launched a website Tuesday on the Tor network —the backbone of what’s commonly known asthe dark web — to give people a new and more secure way to get in contact.
“Our global mission demands that individuals can access us securely from anywhere. Creating an onion site is just one of many ways we’re going where people are,” Brittany Bramell, CIA’s director of public affairs, said in a statement.The dark web isn’t indexed or searchable by normal search engines, and to access it, individuals must use an anonymized browser called Tor — short for The Onion Router.
The CIA’s .onion site will provide all of the same information, contacts and services the spy agency’s normal website does. It’s aimed at people who want to anonymously share information with the CIA, but are wary of being tracked.
“We believe onion services are a key next step in securing the web, similar to the standardization of https as more secure configuration than http, so it’s not a surprise that the CIA would want to take advantage of the privacy and security protections that onion services provide,” said Stephanie Whited, Tor’s communications director.
Spy agencieshave long been at home on the dark web, asTor was developedwith U.S. intelligence in mind by the Naval Research Lab “for the primary purpose of protecting government communications.” But now it’s used by a much wider community, from journalists and activists tothose buying and selling illicit goods and services.
The CIA gives instructions on downloading Tor and how to reach its dark web domain, which is at the following address:
ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion
This comes on the heels of the CIA launching an official Instagram account, adding to a social media presence that already consisted of Twitter and Facebook profiles.
FAQs
Does CIA read all communication and messages sent through the public website and TOR Portal? Yes, CIA is committed to evaluating every message received.
What countries is Tor illegal in? ›
By curbing access to such tools, China and Iran maintain a firm grasp on their citizens' online interactions and the information they can access. Other nations that prohibit Tor are Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan.
What is the purpose of using Tor to access the dark web? ›
The purpose of Tor is not only browsing privacy and anonymity but also to provide users with freedom of the internet. Users can access websites and pages that may be blocked by their host network or other browsers using the Tor Browser – including parts of the internet known as the dark web.
Why does the CIA have an onion site? ›
The CIA's . onion site will provide all of the same information, contacts and services the spy agency's normal website does. It's aimed at people who want to anonymously share information with the CIA, but are wary of being tracked.
Can the FBI track you through Tor? ›
In conclusion, while TOR can provide a high level of anonymity, it's not completely foolproof. There are ways that law enforcement and other agencies can track down users on the TOR network, such as traffic analysis, exploiting vulnerabilities in the TOR software, monitoring exit nodes and using Honeypot nodes.
How untraceable is Tor? ›
Moreover, it's important to remember that using Tor does not make a user's actions on the internet completely anonymous. If a user logs into a service like an email account or social media platform through Tor, those services can still potentially record that user's activity.
Is Tor illegal in the United States? ›
Tor is legal in the US. You won't likely get in trouble just because you use the Tor browser. However, Tor is not a lawless domain, so you can't use this browser for illegal activities. If you use Tor for buying drugs or weapons, you are held responsible against the law.
Is Tor safe to use in the US? ›
Is Tor Browser safe to use? Tor Browser is safe to use if you're browsing the same sites you would on the “clear web.” But if you browse . onion sites, use caution. Tor's encryption tries to keep your identity and destination secret, but bad actors can still find a way to identify you.
What country uses Tor the most? ›
| Characteristic | Share of total users |
|---|
| Germany | 51.27% |
| United States | 13.42% |
| Finland | 2.32% |
| India | 2.25% |
6 more rowsFeb 13, 2024
How to protect yourself when using Tor
- Avoid sharing your personal data. Once you enter your Facebook, Google, or any other account, you are not anonymous anymore. ...
- Turn on the safest mode. ...
- Visit only HTTPS websites. ...
- Don't click on suspicious links. ...
- Update your antivirus software. ...
- Use a virtual private network (VPN).
The Tor Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) research-education nonprofit organization based in Winchester, New Hampshire. It is founded by computer scientists Roger Dingledine, Nick Mathewson, and five others. The Tor Project is primarily responsible for maintaining software for the Tor anonymity network.
What is the onion router? ›
Tor, short for The Onion Router, is free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication. It directs Internet traffic via a free, worldwide volunteer overlay network that consists of more than seven thousand relays.
What is the most secretive unit in the CIA? ›
Operators who are in the Special Operations Group are officially referred to by the CIA as Specialized Skills Officers. The Special Operations Group is often considered the most secretive special operations force the United States has at its disposal.
How did the FBI break Tor? ›
The FBI used a vulnerability in Firefox 17, on which the Tor browser is based, to turn Freedom Hosting sites into malware spreading tracker tools.
Does the CIA report to the president? ›
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DCIA) serves as the head of the CIA and reports to the Director of National Intelligence.
Can the police find you if you just look at stuff in Tor? ›
Using the Tor browser could be suspicious to your ISP and, therefore, to the police. However, you're not going to get in trouble just because it looks a bit suspicious. It's important to point out that if a user is engaging in criminal activities, a VPN will not save them.
Who can see Tor activity? ›
When using Tor Browser, no one can see the websites that you visit. However, your service provider or network admins may be able to see that you're connecting to the Tor network, though they won't know what you're doing when you get there.
Is Tor monitored by NSA? ›
The rules indicate that the NSA tracks any IP address that connects to the Tor web site or any IP address that contacts a server that is used for an anonymous email service called MixMinion that is maintained by a server at MIT. XKeyscore targets any traffic to or from an IP address for the server.
Can the CIA track your location? ›
Summary. The CIA, any intelligence agency or law enforcement can track your every move very precisely by tracking the cell towers your phone pings before it connects. All this data is stored in the phone carrier's database and can be accessed by these agencies.
