Winner: TorPark
TorPark is a special version of the Firefox browser that has been configured to work with the free Tor anonymizing service and run directly from a USB flash drive. It’s a neat idea; just plug in your USB stick to any PC with a USB port and Firefox V1.5.0.7 is automatically launched, set up for secure and private surfing.
The most obvious application is internet cafes, public terminals or indeed any PC including your own where you don’t want to leave any trace of your private surfing activities. However, what attracts me is not so much the privacy side as the security potential. That’s because TorPark creates a secure encrypted connection between the PC you are using and the Tor servers. This allows you to safely transmit information without fear of interception. This makes it ideal for surfing on open Wi-Fi networks. Previously, secure surfing on such networks required the use of private VPN networks, an option only available to corporates??, the well heeled and the technically savvy. Now, using TorPark, any surfer can reap the same security benefits for their browsing.
It won’t help the security of your email though. And there are other security limitations too. For example, don’t think TorPark will now mean you can now securely conduct your internet banking at an internet cafe. I’m sorry, it’s still a no-no. That’s because, if a keylogger is installed on the PC you are using, it will grab your confidential data before it gets encrypted.
Similarly, don’t think TorPark can provide you with total anonymity; last month the German police seized a whole batch of Tor servers. And there are other caveats. Expect your surfing to slow down as it’s relayed across multiple Tor surfers. The slowdown may be small or intolerable; it all depends on how heavily the network is loaded. Expect, too, that some web sites won’t work correctly, either because they don’t allow anonymous surfing or because they use features that won’t work in the Tor environment. Happily, this inconvenience can be minimized as TorPark allows you to easily switch between Tor based browsing and normal browsing. You will, of course, loose your anonymity in the process but at least the site will now work.
These reservations aside, TorPark is a terrific product. All users of open Wi-Fi networks and public computers should use it as a matter of course while many other users will see immediate application in their own environment. I’ve set it up on a spare USB stick and on my hard drive as well. I suggest you do, too.
http://torpark.nfshost.com/index.php Freeware, Windows NT and later, 9.02MB
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