first hop to entry node, encrypted? sorry for trivial question

[Dave Page]

On Tue, Nov 06, 2007 at 08:38:10AM +0000, Jefferson Iblis wrote:

> I've heard variously that Tor does encrypt my communications with my
> entry node, and also that it does not. Which is true? Can my ISP sniff
> my communications with my entry node?

There is often some confusion as to the definition of an "entry node".
The user runs a local Tor proxy, normally on the same machine as their
web browser / IM client. Connections between client applications and
this local Tor are *not* encrypted.

However, this local proxy is not the "entry node" in Tor terms. The
entry node is the first hop in the chain of *public* Tor servers.
Traffic between your local Tor proxy and the entry node *is* encrypted,
and that's the bit which goes across your ISP's network.

Dave
-- 
Dave Page <grimoire at cultofperf.org.uk>
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