The web is anonymous. That’s the greatest myth going around for those not in the know. A newbie equates anonymity with invisibleness. Our email ID or username may cover up for our real identity, we can give fake ages and even genders, or hide behind a dopey eyed avatar but in the end, that’s mere window dressing.

Every time we log onto the web we leave behind a digital fingerprint – our IP address. IP addresses can be traced back to a physical location and to the specific computer. And if somebody knows where your computer is, invasion of your privacy takes a little while to follow.

Identity thefts, invasion by spywares, attacks by cyber-criminals are just some of the real dangers. Using simple IP tracing tools (sniffers) someone can exploit vulnerabilities and hack into your computer. Very commonly, IP addresses are tracked and logged along with your surfing activities to deliver targeted ads to your browser or even spam mail to your inbox. In an extreme case scenario, your passwords are hacked through.

All the above dangers have a solution through anonymous surfing. But hey, didn’t I say that it’s a myth? Well, it is usually, but a few tools do make it possible. The core for most of anonymous browsing is the Tor network. Also called Onion routing, the technology uses a series of encrypted network relays around the world to protect your traffic from prying eyes. Hence, the likeness with an onion.

Portable Anonymous Browsers

Portable browsers lend the anytime-anywhere advantage. Carry it around on your USB Drive and browsing remains traceless.  Here are four browsers for anonymous browsing. Read More »