Didn't know exit node can comprise a user identity.
Is this exploit being used by government also?
Yes [1] and Tor is aware of it [2].
tl;dr:
Tor is used by private individuals who want to conceal their online activity, human rights activists in oppressive regimes such as China and Iran, journalists who want to protect their sources, and even by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in their efforts to infiltrate criminal groups without revealing their identity. The Tor Project is a non-profit charity based in Massachusetts and is primarily funded by government agencies. Thus it is ironic that the Tor Network has become such a high-priority target in the NSA's worldwide surveillance system.
[1] dont worry its in english even though its a german domain
http://daserste.ndr.de/panorama/aktuell/NSA-targets-the-privacy-conscious,nsa230.html[2]
https://blog.torproject.org/blog/being-targeted-nsaEdit: that FBI operation "torpedo" link I didnt find earlier:
www.wired.com/2014/08/operation_torpedo/Really noob question: If Tor users are aware that the Tor network is always under surveillance by the government, how come most of the dark activities concealed by this not-so-hidden-network at all?
Sorry i don't understand much about the Tor's concept. Thanks for the information about the mismatch of Tor and the blockchain. Never knew that using the Tor network may steal my coins.
tor works in a few diffrent was the 2 main ways are
1. Tor hosts and allows access to the Dark-net (.onion)
2. Tor allows people to use it as a VPN to anonymize normal internet usage
both are to protect the user more than anything
the downside with 2 is while the user is protected from people seeing where there coming from the exit nodes know where there going and if you get a bad exit node then that exit node can know what website your going to and your log in details.
it like walking around with a mask on and withdrawing £1000 from a cash machine people dont know who you are but anyone watching can easily take the £1000 off you
