ProtonMail Launches Tor Onion Site to Evade State Censorship

[MacRumors]

Encrypted email provider ProtonMail has launched its own onion address, allowing users to access the service over the Tor anonymizing network (via TechCrunch).

The Swiss-based email account provider, which has more than 2 million users, said the measure was aimed at defending against state-sponsored censorship, and pointed to recent moves around the world to block encrypted communications and expand surveillance.

ProtonMail said it was worried about increased attacks on online privacy, such as encryption messaging app Signal being blocked in Egypt, and the UK passing expansive surveillance legislation which mandates tracking of web activity.

The service also reported a bump in registrations following President-Elect Donald Trump's election win, with web users said to be seeking a non-U.S. based secure email provider in case of a broad expansion of online surveillance activity.

"Given ProtonMail's recent growth, we realize that the censorship of ProtonMail in certain countries is inevitable and we are proactively working to prevent this," said co-founder Andy Yen in a statement on the launch. "Tor provides a way to circumvent certain Internet blocks so improving our compatibility with Tor is a natural first step."

ProtonMail can now be reached over the Tor network directly using the onion address https://protonirockerxow.onion. The provider has also posted instructions on how to access the site on iOS devices, although it is currently looking into problems with access via the free Onion Browser app.

ProtonMail is a free download for iPad and iPhone on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: ProtonMail Launches Tor Onion Site to Evade State Censorship

 

[macs4nw]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

 

[mw360]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

Yes, but on the other hand, starting tomorrow, Donald Trump will have the power to read your email.

 

[Robert.Walter]

I wish Apple would do something similar. Maybe with an included VPN.

Oh and with reasonable storage subscriptions.
[doublepost=1484830466][/doublepost]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

Such systems are also valued by researchers, lawyers, dissidents and people that generally value their privacy and or want to protect against espionage.

 

[Telos101]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

Save a thought for folks living under the panoptic control of authoritarian regimes that routinely shut down any channel that enables "dissent".

Coming to a country near you.

 

[mkeeley]

Yes, but on the other hand, starting tomorrow, Donald Trump will have the power to read your email.

How will that be any different to what Obama's been doing?

 

[Sasparilla]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

Have to disagree there. Crooks (beyond petty crooks) and terrorists wouldn't trust a e-mail holding site like ProtonMail, because the messages are just stored there (a honeypot for govt surveillance) - cause eventually the govts are going to get in or get a copy and decode it 15 years from now.

Terrorists in particular know to use encrypted chats that do not store messages or encryption keys on servers. You could take ProtonMail and Signal away and the (really) bad guys would still find or create their own encrypted chat systems that would be secure...it would only prevent normal people from having privacy in their communications.

ProtonMail is for normal folks that want some privacy in their communications - its not fail safe. Signal gives a higher level of privacy / security for communications. The bad guys will always have their own ways of doing things, regardless of ProtonMail or Signal. JMHO...

 

[wlonsdale]

Yes, but on the other hand, starting tomorrow, Donald Trump will have the power to read your email.

[doublepost=1484833529][/doublepost]
Like Obama has been doing for eight years

 

[0098386]

[doublepost=1484833529][/doublepost]

Like Obama has been doing for eight years

Considering how petty Donald has been over this... I mean I've never seen a president elect behave in the way Trump does, it could be worrying.

 

[miknos]

That is a nice .onion address.

 

[mw360]

How will that be any different to what Obama's been doing?

It would be exactly the same, but with Obama replaced by a petty, vindictive, intolerant, ill-tempered, shameless, unhinged, corrupt proto fascist, who seems to have a real, real problem with dissenting voices.

 

[mkeeley]

It would be exactly the same, but with Obama replaced by a petty, vindictive, intolerant, ill-tempered, shameless, unhinged, corrupt proto fascist, who seems to have a real, real problem with dissenting voices.

I really like what I've seen of him so far. Upsetting the hand wringers is just icing on the cake.

 

[NomadicTy]

It would be exactly the same, but with Obama replaced by a petty, vindictive, intolerant, ill-tempered, shameless, unhinged, corrupt proto fascist, who seems to have a real, real problem with dissenting voices.

So you'd rather have a dear leader that is corrupt, lying, deceiving, murdering by drones (including US citizens without a trial), surveillance state expanding, cold war reigniting, race baiting, clueless about economics, never had a real job nor business before politics, and whistle-blower prosecuting as long as he is smooth talking and sweet jiving? Oh the letter D after names erases all the faults, right?

 

[mw360]

So you'd rather have a dear leader that is corrupt, lying, deceiving, murdering by drones (including US citizens without a trial), surveillance state expanding, cold war reigniting, race baiting, clueless about economics, never had a real job nor business before politics, and whistle-blower prosecuting as long as he is smooth talking and sweet jiving? Oh the letter D after names erases all the faults, right?

As far as I can see that description is only one drone strike away from describing Trump. If he campaigned on halting drone strikes then good for him.

 

[KALLT]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

The choice for people with a bit of common sense. We are all effectively sending and receiving postcards with sensitive information on it. It makes no sense any more, given the available technology. Apple included support for S/MIME in Mail many years ago and it is till pretty much used exclusively by businesses.

 

[canadianreader]

So you'd rather have a dear leader that is corrupt, lying, deceiving, murdering by drones (including US citizens without a trial), surveillance state expanding, cold war reigniting, race baiting, clueless about economics, never had a real job nor business before politics, and whistle-blower prosecuting as long as he is smooth talking and sweet jiving? Oh the letter D after names erases all the faults, right?

I was thinking the same thing this morning about how people trust appearances while they know the horrible truth behind smiles or tears. They all know about drones killing children in Asia and Middle-East, the NSA, the new cold war or the blind support of the so called "freedom fighters" in Syria. I guess they are reassured by fake smiles and empty words. Thanks for your comment.

 

[justperry]

This should be in the PRSI section, took only 2 post to make this a Trump/Obama thread.

 

[theBostonian]

This should be in the PRSI section, took only 2 post to make this a Trump/Obama thread.

You can't escape politics even in the core of a black hole.

 

[DogHouseDub]

Considering how petty Donald has been over this... I mean I've never seen a president elect behave in the way Trump does, it could be worrying.

You sir/ma'am, are the master of understatement. It's akin to worrying if your car tires have enough tread left to make it through another winter - then letting the family dog do the driving.

 

[coolfactor]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

I now use Runbox (out of Norway) because I'm done with hosting my email on Google's servers. Beyond just privacy, they tend to just terminate features and services without much notice. I understand that Google needs to make money, and providing reliable, free email services is quite costly, so I'd rather just have no part in their games to recover their costs.

I run a legitimate website development and hosting business with legitimate clients. Choosing services providers on factors other than cost is a very important aspect of my business. Runbox still delivers the best prices that I've found, amazing customer service, and the privacy that's just better for my clients.

 

[DrewDaHilp1]

I thought Tor nodes were already being compromised by intelligence agencies?

 

[jimbobb24]

People are scared of Trump using the surveillance state that Bush created and Obama wildly expanded? Better late than never.

 

[webbuzz]

I thought Tor nodes were already being compromised by intelligence agencies?

Since day one.

 

[Paul Dawkins]

ProtonMail, the choice of preference for terrorists and crooks worldwide.....

Logical fallacy.

 

[MacFever]

The encrypted email service (Lavabit) that Snowden used and which closed it's doors because it didn't want to surrender it's servers to government... is coming back... Looks like they are launching a new service in the next 24 hours. Would be interesting to see what they are coming back with...

https://lavabit.com/