Silk Road forums

Discussion => Security => Topic started by: marsvolta12 on May 24, 2012, 02:49 am

Title: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: marsvolta12 on May 24, 2012, 02:49 am
How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using Tor?

I'm sure this question has been answered before. I've read some post about it and I didn't really get a full answer.

Came someone with a good knowledge base shed some light on this subject?

Thank You
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: markwest on May 24, 2012, 02:55 am
im no expert but why in hell would you run a risk
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: marsvolta12 on May 24, 2012, 03:41 am
If there is extremely relevant information that you want to read/see whatever...

Most links look like they show very informative info on this forum. 
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: theotherotherside on May 24, 2012, 06:45 am
Routing a non-tor browser through Tor only protects you in some ways. Sure, for the most part, you'll appear anonymous to your destination, but you're open to more attacks. For example, vulnerable plugins which may expose your identity such as flash or java will still be active. Also, the browser may leave more traces of your activity on your computer.

Basically, why take the risk? Take the time and set up a Virtual Machine or preferably USB/CD based OS such as Tails or Liberte.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: shoehorn on May 24, 2012, 09:37 am
I guess I'm showing my lack of IT-savvy but can one get to SR without TOR? Not that I'd want to.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: replay on May 24, 2012, 10:36 am
It's not safe.  Like theotherside said, plugins like flash and java might reveal your identity.  Also there is revealing information from your user-agent and referrer.  If you want to see how anonymous your browser appears to be visit, https://panopticlick.eff.org/ .  Maybe sticky the website for noobs?

Hey marsvolta12,  I have a couple questions.  You use to post frequently until you claimed to be busted which was about a month and a half ago.  What happened and do you need more bitcoins?
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: hyruleantoker on May 24, 2012, 08:24 pm
I don't think any responses actually understand the question.

Is it safe to have two separate windows open simultaneously, one being the TOR browser with all sensitive and illicit things, and the other being your default browser, with 'normal' things (ie Facebook, google, youtube, pornhub, etc...)?
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: kryst on May 24, 2012, 09:11 pm
I don't think any responses actually understand the question.

Is it safe to have two separate windows open simultaneously, one being the TOR browser with all sensitive and illicit things, and the other being your default browser, with 'normal' things (ie Facebook, google, youtube, pornhub, etc...)?

im curious to know this as well as i have been doing it :/
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: QwertAnon on May 24, 2012, 10:04 pm
I'm doing it too.

Well, a possible vulnerability is accessing the same server from both instances (e.g. being logged in to youtube in normal browser and googleing in tor browser).
The Tor devs warn that if you do it and your internet breaks down both connections stop at the same time and the server can correlate both users. But that attack is probably not likely to uncover the average SR user.

In case you're - for whatever reason - not using tormail you might accidently log in to your account over clearnet because you're in a "i'm protected nothing can happen to me - oh shit wrong browser window" mood.

Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: theshowcase on May 28, 2012, 03:34 am
Ok this is a very interesting question to me now. Something I've been doing for a couple months since I've found out about Tor/SR. It's something I've actually wondered myself from time to time, but didn't actually think it posed a risk. But now I'm anticipating someone with supreme l33t knowledge to chime in.

And as for the reply above^, man, that shit happened to me. I was stoned as fuck and had only been using the Tor browser for a couple weeks or so, and I logged into my FB thinking it was the regular browser. I forgot exactly what happened that made me realize this, but then I think I realized FB wasn't in a tab on normal Firefox and I logged in and FB asked me someone from an unknown location had logged in [showed a map of Germany] and I had a choice to click on two buttons, "This is not okay" & "This is okay" something like that. I click the latter and that was that. But shit, what a dumb move.


I tend to Change Identity often in Vidalia, probably don't help much but makes me feel better. Clearly it's a placebo effect, probably doesn't do shit lol.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: PsilocybinTendencies on May 28, 2012, 04:05 am
I, too, would like someone with strong tech knowledge to chime in on this.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: kmfkewm on May 29, 2012, 09:27 am
It is safe unless you are simultaneously visiting the same site with Tor and without Tor and your internet connection breaks.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: danknugsdun on May 29, 2012, 10:49 am
Not very on topic but some decent info.

When using Tor browser do not click on links which refer you to a new tab onto a clearnet site. i.e. Somebody on SR links you to google and you click it. Most websites have referer information so they can see the last site you were visiting which would probably flag the IP you were using at the time.

Not sure how good/bad this is just some info I found when browsing.

Dank
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: theshowcase on May 29, 2012, 09:40 pm
That's good info bro.
Title: Re: How safe is using a non-Tor browser while using tor
Post by: Cpt. Meow on May 29, 2012, 10:28 pm
Slightly OT as well, but I found this site helpful for hardening my browser. Just a big pain to update the TBB settings every time an update is released

www.ip-check.org