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Tor oFFErs ComplETE
AnonymITy onlInE
cloud users to set up “bridges”, which
act as servers by making use of the
online space on the cloud.
“We have around 550,000 daily users,
but we only have 3,000 servers,”
explains Sandvik. “Having more servers
means less load for each server
in the network, and the speed for the
users should also improve a bit.”
The move massively widens the
scope of the Tor network, offering
its users not only faster speeds
while browsing anonymously, but
also more places to “hide”, according
to analysts. When there is more
online space to play with, there is a
better chance of evading detection.
3,000
The number of Tor servers
that are used to cater for
550,000 daily users.
TEcHNOLOGY 19
However, the recent invitation has
also drawn attention from groups
that would see the network banned,
meaning that it may become more
difficult to manage as time goes on.
Either way, though, the people
behind the Tor Project are planning
for the future, with the aim of bringing
anonymous browsing to as many
people as possible. And developers
such as Sandvik come across as so
dedicated to the cause that it would
seem like there is plenty of steam left
in it yet.
“We are working on a number of
different projects, such as IPv6, and
making Tor more difficult to block,”
she says. “We are also trying to get
more people to run bridges and relays
(i.e. servers) for the Tor network,
and we are trying to help users better
understand what Tor does and does
not do.”
The aim is to really get the Tor network
out there. And with the internet
now being monitored more heavily
than ever, all across the world,
it could be argued that the people
behind the Tor Project really are on to
something.
DECEmBEr 4-10, 2011
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