Payton

Imagine stepping into an unseen marketplace where shadows trade whispers instead of goods. You can’t shake hands or glance at a face; all you have is a number—a “trust score”—and a vendor’s reputation, carefully crafted yet obscured by layers of anonymity. How much should you trust those numbers? And can a reputation on the darknet […]

Understanding Guard Node Persistence and Associated Risks Imagine sending an anonymous letter through a complex mail system that promises to hide both your identity and the destination. Now, imagine one post office branch in this system handles your letters repeatedly while keeping detailed logs of when and where each letter goes. How safe would you

Imagine walking into a crowded café where every conversation, every glance, and every footstep is being silently monitored. No one knows who’s watching, but somehow, patterns emerge—connecting who you really are with the trail of coffee orders you make, the books you carry, or the friends you meet. This is the sort of invisible threat

Imagine navigating a digital labyrinth where every step you take leaves a faint but traceable footprint. For many activists operating under authoritarian regimes, this reality is all too familiar. While the Tor network—commonly hailed as the cornerstone of online anonymity—provides a powerful shield, its default setup may only be the first layer of defense. What

Imagine trying to access a crucial website, one that hosts vital news or connects loved ones separated by censorship and surveillance—but your internet provider or government blocks it. This is the daily reality for millions living under strict digital controls. For users of privacy tools like Tor, such blocks mean losing access to the very

Imagine building a secret digital world tucked away from prying eyes, where privacy isn’t just a feature—it’s a foundation. You craft your .onion service with care, coding it in JavaScript to provide dynamic, seamless user experiences behind the thick veil of the Tor network. Yet, each script you write, every line of code running in

Dark web journalism toolkits: from research to secure publishing It’s said that light reveals truth, but sometimes, shining a light directly can put the truth-seeker in grave danger. Journalists navigating high-risk environments, sensitive stories, or repressive regimes often turn to the shadowy corners of the internet for information—areas where privacy, anonymity, and security are paramount.