The Tor Browser has experienced a significant surge in popularity recently. Initially created by the United States Naval Research Laboratory during the mid-1990s, it was designed to facilitate secure and anonymous communication for government personnel.
In contemporary times, a significant number of individuals prefer utilizing the Tor Browser due to its ability to provide users with the liberty to maintain their privacy and anonymity while navigating the web.
What is Tor?
The Tor browser, often referred to as the Onion Router, serves as a flagship and prominent offering of the Tor project.
A group of developers, alongside several volunteers from the Tor Browser project, has successfully engineered a web browser by altering a version of the Mozilla Firefox browser. This adaptation enables users to surf the internet while maintaining their anonymity.
It encompasses a series of volunteer-operated relays that facilitate the redirection of Internet traffic, ensuring that the user's activities remain unobserved. Upon the conclusion of the user's browsing session, the Tor Browser automatically ends the session by eliminating or deactivating various sensitive information, including browsing history, HTTP cookies, and other related data.
The Tor browser is widely recognized for its capability to provide users with access to websites located on the Deep Web and Dark Web, which are not accessible through conventional browsers such as Firefox and Chrome.
Why is it required to disable JavaScript in the tor browser?
Disabling JavaScript in the Tor browser is essential for numerous security considerations. In 2013, it was revealed that various previous iterations of the Tor browser were susceptible to JavaScript-based attacks. This vulnerability arises because JavaScript can create a backdoor for an attacker or hacker, enabling them to monitor the user by utilizing the session information they provide.
How to turn off JavaScript in the Tor browser?
To turn off JavaScript in the Tor Browser, adhere to these steps:
- Launch the Tor Browser by double-clicking its icon.
- Next, locate the menu icon, typically found in the upper right corner of the browser window, and click on it as demonstrated below:
- After the menu has been displayed, locate the "Options" within the available selections and click on it to access the preferences for the Tor browser.
- Upon accessing the settings tab, select the "Settings and Privacy" choice found on the left-hand side, then look for the Security option among the available selections.
- At this point, to disable JavaScript, select the "Safest" option and then exit the settings tab.
The Tor browser provides another method to turn off JavaScript by utilizing the "NoScript" functionality, which allows users to deactivate all scripts within the browser environment.