Secrets and pitfalls of the Tor network: new revelations on security and the risks of deanonymization

Recently, an investigation has questioned the security of the Tor network, highlighting the risk of "de-anonymization" of users by law enforcement. A report published by the German portal Panorama, with the support of the Chaos Computer Club (CCC), states that authorities in several countries, including Germany, use innovative techniques such as timing attacks to identify Tor users, analyzing the times of data entry and exit without exploiting intrinsic vulnerabilities in the software.

Intervention by the Tor team

The team behind the Tor project responded quickly with an official note titled " Is Tor still safe to use? ", seeking to reassure their user base. Their response noted that the attacks described in the report date back to a period between 2019 and 2021, and involve outdated versions of applications such as Ricochet, which was retired in 2022 and replaced by Ricochet-Refresh, which includes protections against stylistic attacks such as Vanguard. They also noted significant improvements in the Tor network's security mechanisms since 2021, making attacks of this type much more difficult.

Tor Security Advances

The Tor team noted that in recent years, significant efforts have been made to identify and remove compromised nodes, increasing the overall robustness of the system. In addition, the issue of network centralization has been addressed, encouraging greater diversification of relays, which is essential to avoid centralized points of vulnerability. Progress has also been made in improving the network's defenses, with an invitation to the community to contribute to the distribution of relays for a more robust and secure system.

Between privacy and investigative needs

Despite the assurances, legitimate concerns remain about the security of the Tor network and its ability to protect user privacy. The Tor team has pledged to maintain a high level of vigilance regarding security measures, urging users to always use the latest versions of their software. This raises important ethical and operational questions regarding the balance between online privacy and the investigative needs of law enforcement: on the one hand, Tor is crucial to protecting freedom of expression and privacy, on the other, its use in crime remains a significant challenge for law enforcement.