Identifying Tor Browser Artifacts: A Key to Digital Investigations 🛅🔍

The Tor browser, known for its anonymity and privacy-centric features, is widely used for secure browsing. However, in digital investigations, forensic analysts often need to uncover traces left by Tor users on a system. Understanding Tor browser artifacts is crucial for law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity professionals, and digital forensic experts to track potential illicit activities. This article delves into various methods investigators can use to identify Tor browser artifacts effectively.

1. Command Prompt — Active Network Connections

One of the first steps investigators take when identifying Tor browser activity is checking active network connections. Since Tor establishes connections with its network of relays, these connections can sometimes be detected using basic command-line tools.

Command:

netstat -ano

By running the netstat -ano command in the Command Prompt, investigators can review active network connections on a system. If a user has an active Tor session, the command may reveal IP addresses associated with Tor relays. Additionally, mapping the Process ID (PID) to a running process using the tasklist command helps link network activity to the Tor browser application.