A Tor error was discovered recently by Frederic Jacobs and posted on his blog. The error claims that the user isn’t using a Tor browser, even when he is. That can be quite alarming to a lot of people who lack familiarity with the browser’s inner workings.
What is the Tor IPv6 bug?
Users often use the site torproject.org to check if their program was properly configured. If you’re using IPv6 instead of IPv4, the page will say that you’re not using Tor. The browser lacks full support for IPv6, which leads to the error. When a user connects to the page with IPv6, he’s not recognized by the system. The error can be shown even if Tor is configurated correctly. It’s recommended that users clear their IPv6 settings until the browser starts to support them fully. That will solve the error problem. The problem will most likely be solved in the future as IPv6 gets more implemented on the Internet.
More Information about Tor
As the world gets more connected, more information is being collected through it. That information includes browser data. Most online activity can be tracked by the signal the computer sends to the Web. Tor is one solution to that. The browser gives anonymity by scrambling the signal through a network of relays. This is good for anyone who doesn’t want to get noticed. Some journalists, activists, and other politically vulnerable people use it to hide their online activity from tyrannical regimes and government surveillance. This can be very beneficial toward freedom on the Internet. However, there are those who use it for malicious purposes. Drug dealers, human traffickers, and other criminals can organize their operations using the anonymity provided by Tor. Another breed of criminals, the ransomware scammers also use the browser and often require scammed users to contact them through it. That makes their communication and transactions harder to trace.
Conclusion
As you can see, the browser has its ups and downs. It can be used or abused. It’s a good idea, but like most good ideas, it can be used for bad instead of good.
