Tor Network and Encryption Tools Lecture

This set of flashcards covers vocabulary based on a lecture regarding the technical operation and vulnerabilities of the Tor network, along with a comparison of various encryption tools such as LUKS, Diskryptor, VeraCrypt, and AxCrypt.

Tor

Stands for Onion Routing; a service built around keeping online activity and identities anonymous through what they call onion routing.

Relays

Machines operated by volunteers who contribute their bandwidth to the Tor network to construct travel paths for encrypted data.

Tor Circuit

A path constructed through the network comprised of three relays: the entry relay, the middle relay, and the exit relay.

Entry Relay

The first relay in a Tor circuit which only knows the user's IP address.

Middle Relay

A relay that knows nothing of the data itself, only where the data came from and where to send it next.

Exit Relay

The final relay in a Tor circuit which knows the destination address of the server.

Traffic Correlation

An attack where an observer at both ends of a circuit matches traffic flows by timing and volume to identify a connection without breaking encryption.

DeepCore

A deep learning model trained on real Tor traffic that achieved $96\%$ accuracy in correlating flows by learning packet timing and congestion patterns.

Guard Rotation

A Tor protection mechanism that cycles entry relays every few months to limit a user's exposure to potentially malicious nodes.

Sybil Attack

A cyber attack where one entity pretends to be many independent operators to increase their share of the network and likelihood of routing traffic.

CyberHunter

A detection tool built by researchers in 2016 to analyze archive network data and find real coordinated cyber groups like those redirecting bitcoin transactions.

CAC17

A single entity that operated undetected for four years (discovered in 2021) and controlled over $900$ relays across more than $50$ networks.

Onion Services

Websites and services that exist entirely within Tor with no publicly discoverable IP address, making the server as anonymous as the user.

LUKS

Stands for Linux Unified Key Setup; a standard full disk encryption system built into the Linux operating system, managed via command line.

Diskryptor

A Windows-based open-source tool for full disk or partition level encryption that provides a graphical user interface.

VeraCrypt

A cross-platform encryption tool (Windows, Linux, Mac OS) that supports full disk encryption, container-based encryption, and hidden volumes.

Hidden Volumes

A feature in VeraCrypt where a second, completely secret volume is stored inside an encrypted volume to prevent access if a user is forced to reveal a password.

AxCrypt

A simple file encryption tool for Windows that features auto-encryption and is designed for individual personal file protection without technical overhead.

Full Disk Encryption

An encryption method where the entire hard disk is locked and must be decrypted with a password before the operating system can load.

Container Encryption

The process of creating an encrypted vault or folder to store sensitive data while the rest of the file system remains normal.

$$AES-256$$

A high-security key size stronger than $AES-128$ recommended for highly sensitive business records, financial data, or legal documents.

Serpent and TwoFish

Strong encryption algorithms that can be combined with AES to provide layered protection in tools like VeraCrypt and Diskryptor.