Any tool that can prevent ISP from knowing which websites we visit? beside tor? while https can help, but still ISP knows which domains/websites we visit. There is no way around it? Also believe that IPS know when we use VPN.
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1"https can help" -- help with what? Are you also asking whether it is possible to hide that you are using a VPN? Or why are you bringing that up?– schroeder ♦Sep 23 at 13:42
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1from the comments below, you also want to hide the fact that you use Tor? You really need to explain this question and your goals better– schroeder ♦Sep 24 at 12:13
2 Answers
Two methods that are commonly used to prevent ISP's from monitoring the sites that users connect to are VPN's and TOR.
With a VPN, the ISP can see that the user is using a VPN. Also, the VPN provider can see both the user's IP address, and the IP addresses of the sites that the user connects to, and possibly even the domain names of these sites depending on the version of TLS that is used.
With TOR, the ISP may be able to see that the user is using TOR, but this can be obfuscated using Tor Bridges. No single TOR node can see both the user's IP address, and the IP addresses (or domains) of the sites that the user connects to.
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"but this can be obfuscated using Tor Bridges." but still ISP know the users are using tor. correct? please explain a bit.– MaxfieldSep 23 at 18:39
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1@Maxfield TOR bridges are secret TOR entry nodes. TOR uses TLS between the nodes. So, if you connect to TOR using a TOR bridge, your ISP just sees a TLS connection to some unknown IP address. See tails.net/doc/anonymous_internet/tor/index.en.html#bridges and security.stackexchange.com/questions/260305/… for more information.– mti2935Sep 23 at 19:47
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But, of course, if your ISP has reason to be 'curious' about your activity, they can easily see that the server at the other end of your TLS connection is a TOR bridge node. See security.stackexchange.com/questions/179658/… for more info.– mti2935Sep 24 at 19:47
The ISP needs to know where you are connecting to (let it be the website or a VPN), since it needs to route the traffic to the destination.
When using a VPN, the traffic between you and the VPN is completely encrypted. So when using a VPN, your ISP only sees that you are connected to the VPN, it cannot see anymore which sites you are using.
The downside of this is, a VPN is then seeing all data that normally your ISP would see. So it might be more insecure, depending on how reputable your ISP or VPN is.
Tor is similar to a VPN, just with the feature that the connection is going through multiple nodes, each one encrypting the traffic on top of each other.