Using Tor Proxy through other aplications

Question

Before I proceed, I would like to mention that I understand that Tor browser integrates unique features such as not loading certain html canvases, scripts and a whole bunch of additions to make browsing more anonymous. I always use Tor when complete anonymity is required although I don’t use it as my daily driver, yet!

As long as I am okay revealing my IP to anybody else, it is tempting to use other applications through Tor proxy as I have a belief doing so prevents my ISP from reading my data that travel encrypted through the Tor network which otherwise are sent/received unencrypted. I also appreciate the special feature that can route all DNS requests through Tor. I believe this feature improves anonymity by a massive step and stops ISPs from logging where we go on the internet as both data and DNS are encrypted!

Question 0:

Would there be others methods ISPs can use to track where we go on the internet? (I don’t mean installing spyware or forcibly installing any malware)

Question 1:

If I use Tor proxy 127.0.0.1:9150 through Firefox,Chromium will there be any traffic leaving my browser unencrypted that can be viewed by someone else the middle (MITM)?

As per my knowledge, SOCKS5 + SSL + Remote DNS through Tor Network should encrypt all my Firefox traffic unless evil add ons, Adobe Flash or Java content reject to adhere the SOCKS5 Proxy I forced my Firefox to listen to. Please be kind enough to share your knowledge or correct me in this regard.

Question 2:

I understand the Tor browser traffic is more anonymous than the Firefox traffic that uses Tor. But is traffic coming out from Firefox (using the Tor proxy) easier to be decrypted than the traffic coming of the Tor browser?

Question 3 :

Would those packets coming out of Firefox too (using SOCKS5 Tor proxy) will hop through the same Tor circuit with the same exact hops as Tor browsers' traffic?

Answer 1

Answer 0:

There is always a way to be monitored by your ISP, because your information (packets) goes through its physical infrastructure (usually fiber cable) at least there is a way to know if you are connected to a tor relay (not the information going inside the packets that is encrypted), some ISPs do that in order to prevent their clients to connect tor that's why exists tor's bridges.

Answer 1:

In first place a man in the middle attack can not be prevented. If you mean as "unencrypted" some kind of leak as DNS requests that doesn´t go thorough tor, you need to combine Tor + proxy aplication + Browser or application.

Proxy aplications like Proxychains (HTTP,HTTPS,SOCKET 4,5 proxy), privoxy (HTTP proxy) or polipo (HTTP proxy) helps you to prevent such kind of problems.

You would still have to deal with third-party issues as you mention in the second paragraph (Adobe flash...).

(I have never had a leak with proxychains, privoxy + Tor )

Answer 2:

No, if your firefox's traffic goes through tor, has the same encryption as if it goes through TBB(tor browser).

The problem again is the leak (when something does not go through tor) that´s why TBB is safer than the conventionals browsers.

TBB is a modified ESR version of Firefox by default comes with add-ons as "Non-Script" and "HTTPS-Everywhere" plus TorLanucher and TorButton.

TBB has some configuration changes, if you type in the URl bar "about:config" in your firefox and TBB you may see some of the differences.

If you want to use Tor with other applications you should check this.

Answer 3:

I have been monitoring my traffic and i've noticed some changes when TBB runs and when Tor is used with Proxychains + Iceweasel(firefox).

(Not: an entry point changes every 2 weeks approx.)

• Results:

  • When TBB is running the entry point relay always has port: 9001. (the ip changes but it is always on the same port)

  • When Proxychains is used the entry point relay is different from the TBB's. It tries to establish connection on the same ip but different port.

  • Usually Proxychains(also privoxy) connects to relay whose port is 443.

I´ve checked and both are trusted entry points(relays) but the ports are different...( still don´t know why).

The exit nodes are the same on both (TBB and other applications) they change every 10 min but are always the same 20-30 ip´s.

you might be interested in this application for Tor, Arm