We've talked at length about the security and privacy problems that affect mobile devices. From defective applications to vulnerabilities present in operating systems, the average user must tread very carefully if they don't want to lose data… or something worse. Fortunately, in the case of Android we have a new ally. It's the very Tor Browser, which just entered the Google environment with an alpha build. Would you like to try it?
Privacy and anonymity. Two concepts that should be easily within our reach, but if we consider the current state of the Web, the exact opposite happens. First, the process demands great discipline from the user, who needs to change very common programs and browsing habits. Why? Because most apps and services collect information, allow others to do so, or leak it by mistake. And second, this problem multiplies on mobile devices, with their closed environments and proprietary "glass prisons" that don't allow modifications or analysis of the code used. Fortunately, there are alternatives like root access and secondary stores based on open source software, and today we must add another tool to that list: Tor Browser for Android.
Tor Browser for Android: Technical Details and Download
That's right: Tor Browser has officially arrived on Android. The original announcement goes back to September last year, when the project's leaders decided to move forward with mobile support, and today we can already enjoy the first results. The most recent build of Tor Browser for Android is essentially an alpha, and besides expecting bugs, the user must install an extra module on their device, the Orbot proxy that helps establish the connection to the Tor network. In the future, the developers plan to eliminate this second step, and have both Tor Browser for Android and Orbot integrated into a single package with a direct installation.
Despite its preliminary state, Tor Browser for Android has received very good reviews from users, and all we can expect is that it improves even more. Tracker blocking, resistance to digital pattern creation, and multi-layer encryption define Tor Browser for Android. There are two download routes: one through the official Google store, and the other as an APK in the experimental section of Tor Browser. We'll leave both links at the end of the article.
