Orbot

This article is about the software. For the Sonic character, see Orbot and Cubot. For the series, see Mighty Orbots.

Orbot is a free proxy app that provides anonymity on the Internet for users of the Android and iOS operating systems. It allows traffic from apps such as web browsers, email clients, map programs, and others to be routed via the Tor network.^[3]

Orbot

Developer(s)	Guardian Project
Initial release	1 October 2008 (2008-10-01)
Stable release	Android: 17.3.2[1]  (16 July 2024) iOS: 1.7.2[2]  (26 September 2024)
Repository	github.com/guardianproject/orbot
Written in	Java
Operating system	Android,[3] iOS[4]
Size	Varies with device
License	3-clause BSD license
Website	orbot.app/en/

This tool is used to keep the communications of users anonymous and hidden from governments and third parties that might be monitoring their internet traffic.^[5]

Reception

In 2014 Orbot was discussed in detail in an article on "reporting securely from an Android device".^[6] In January 2016, Lisa Vaas of NakedSecurity by Sophos described how to use Tor, including with Orbot on Android, to connect to Facebook.^[7]

In July 2021, Tech Radar named Orbot one of 8 "Best privacy apps for Android in 2021" but warned of slower speeds.^[8] In July 2021 Android Authority discussed Tor Browser and Orbot in brief reviews of "15 best Android browsers".^[9]

In November 2021, John Leyden of The Daily Swig described collaboration between the Tor Project and the Guardian Project to develop Orbot for censorship circumvention for any application on a device, but warned Orbot does not remove identifying information from app traffic.^[10] In July 2022, Laiba Mohsin of PhoneWorld.com described Orbot as a simple way to access the Dark Web on mobile.^[11]

In October 2022, Damir Mujezinovic of MakeUseOf described Orbot as a "flagship" product for both iOS and Android to use the Tor network, and said it "will not make you completely anonymous, but it can certainly help bypass certain geographical restrictions,"^[12] In November 2022, Mujezinovic wrote a detailed guide to using Orbot on iOS or Android.^[13]

References

1. "Release Orbot for Android 17.3.2 RC 1 (tor 0.4.8.12) · guardianproject/orbot". Retrieved 4 October 2024.
2. "Release v1.7.2 · guardianproject/orbot-apple". Retrieved 4 October 2024.
3. Shakeel, Irfan (April 2011). "Orbot: Tor- Anonymous on Android". eHacking.net. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
4. Orr, Andrew (28 February 2022). "Need Tor on iOS? 'Orbot' has Arrived on the Platform". The Mac Observer. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
5. Farivar, Cyrus (15 February 2012). "From encryption to darknets: As governments snoop, activists fight back". Ars Technica. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
6. "Advice for reporting securely from an Android device". Réseau international des journalistes (in French). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
7. Vaas, Lisa (21 January 2016). "Facebook users get support for safe browsing with Tor on Androids". Naked Security. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
8. Drake, Nate (28 July 2021). "Best privacy apps for Android in 2021". TechRadar. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
9. "15 best Android browsers for surfing whatever website you want". Android Authority. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
10. "Tor Project unveils plans to route device traffic through Tor anonymity network with new VPN-like service". The Daily Swig | Cybersecurity news and views. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
11. Mohsin, Laiba (6 July 2022). "What Is Dark Web & How To Access It?". PhoneWorld. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
12. Mujezinovic, Damir (27 October 2022). "The 5 Best Free Apps to Strengthen Your Smartphone's Security". MUO. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
13. Mujezinovic, Damir (7 November 2022). "How to Access Tor on Your Smartphone". MUO. Retrieved 2 February 2023.

Further reading

• Hathaway, Jay (19 April 2010). "Orbot offers anonymous browsing on Android, via Tor". Switched.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2012.