Tor traffic

What is Tor ?

Tor (The Onion Router) is a privacy-focused system designed to anonymize TCP connections by masking users’ IP addresses. It consists of a network of servers, called nodes, and is widely used to protect users from internet surveillance, analytics tracking, and website monitoring.

While Tor has legitimate privacy uses, it is also exploited by hackers, spammers, and bots to evade detection. Tor routes traffic through multiple encrypted relays, obscuring the origin of requests and making traditional IP-based tracking and geolocation difficult.

How does Tor work ?

Tor operates by routing your web traffic through a chain of volunteer-operated servers (nodes) around the world, which allows users to :

• Bypass censorship and access blocked content

• Browse anonymously, hiding IP address and location

• Avoid tracking by websites, ISPs, or surveillance systems

Tor uses onion routing, encrypting communication in multiple layers. Each layer is decrypted at a different relay point, ensuring both privacy and anonymity.

Why should you block Tor traffic ?

Although Tor has ethical uses, many malicious actors exploit it for :

• Anonymous credential stuffing and brute force attacks with stolen usernames/passwords

• Automated scraping and bot traffic

• DDoS attacks that overwhelm servers while hiding attacker identities

• Spam submissions through forms

• Scraping competitor content or pricing without detection

• Fake account creation or abuse of sign-up bonuses

Attackers often combine Tor with proxy chains or VPNs, making detection and tracking even more challenging.

How to detect Tor-based bot traffic

Suspicious Tor traffic can be identified by monitoring :

• Traffic from known Tor exit nodes

• Unusual spikes from anonymous or foreign IPs

• Sudden waves of form submissions or fake sign-ups

• High bounce rates or rapid browsing patterns from the same session

CloudFilt automatically detects Tor traffic using :

• IP reputation intelligence

• Behavioral analytics

• Real-time bot activity monitoring

How to block malicious Tor traffic

While some Tor traffic may be allowed for ethical reasons, businesses under attack should block Tor exit nodes to maintain security and performance. Recommended practices include :

• Using tools like CloudFilt to block or flag Tor exit nodes in real time

• Analyzing behavioral anomalies and traffic origins

• Setting custom rules to block high-risk users while allowing trusted ones

• Maintaining IP whitelists for legitimate users

CloudFilt : Tor traffic protection made easy

CloudFilt offers advanced bot protection to help you :

• Detect and block malicious users from Tor, VPNs, or proxy networks

• Protect APIs, login forms, and content from anonymous scraping

• Maintain traffic quality and safeguard your conversion funnel

Whether you operate an eCommerce store, SaaS platform, or content site, blocking harmful Tor traffic ensures that real users are prioritized and protected.