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You can check whether a .onion address is published by the organization it claims to represent, but no browser icon can certify that a site is trustworthy. Verify the complete address through an independent official source, then use Tor Browser’s indicators to confirm the connection type. If you cannot verify the address, do not enter credentials, send money, or download files.
What a link check can—and cannot—tell you
There are two separate questions: does Tor connect to the onion service at this address, and is that service really the organization or person you intended to reach? Tor’s cryptography helps with the first. It does not answer the second.
The Tor Project explains: “Because of the cryptography involved, the .onion URL lets Tor ensure that it is connecting to the right location and that the connection is not being tampered with.” That means the address identifies a particular onion location; it does not establish the operator’s real-world identity, honesty, or safety. The Tor Project’s onion-services documentation also explains the limits of the browser indicator.
Verify the address before opening it
- Start from a trusted, independent source. Navigate to the organization’s known official website yourself, or use another channel you already trust, and look for its onion address there. Do not treat a search result, directory, forum post, email, or message as proof. The CIA, for example, publishes information about its Tor portal in its official FAQ and advises obtaining Tor Browser from the Tor Project rather than another internet source.
- Compare the entire address. A current onion address consists of 56 letters and numbers followed by
.onion. Copy it from the trusted source and compare every character. A small transcription error can prevent the service from being reached. Do not try similar-looking alternatives or accept a familiar name displayed on the page as verification. See The Tor Project’s explanation of onion addresses. - Get Tor Browser from its official source. Use the Tor Project’s own download channel, not an unofficial bundle or a download site reached through an unsolicited link. The CIA’s FAQ specifically cautions that other download sources may not be trustworthy.
- Check the browser’s connection indicator. Tor Browser indicates when a connection uses an onion service. Treat that as information about the connection, not a reputation check. The Tor Project notes that an onion icon can appear for an HTTP onion service and, in that case, does not show that you are on the “right site.” Confirming who operates the address still depends on the independent source check.
Do not mistake HTTPS or a lock for proof
HTTPS encrypts a connection, but it does not prove that the site operator is legitimate. A phishing site can have a certificate, use HTTPS, and imitate a trusted organization. Check the actual address and verify unexpected messages by a separate route. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center puts it plainly: “Do not trust a website just because it has a lock icon or ‘https’ in the browser address bar.” Read the FBI/IC3 phishing advisory.
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Handle unexpected links and files cautiously
If an onion link arrived in an unsolicited or suspicious message, do not click it or open attachments. Contact the purported sender or organization using a phone number, website, or support details you already know are genuine. If you choose to visit, go directly to the official site and locate the address there rather than following the message’s link. Download files only from sources you trust, and keep your software updated. These precautions follow the FBI’s online safety guidance.
Choose a Tor Browser security level for exposure, not identity
Tor Browser’s security levels change which browser features are available. The Tor Project’s security-level guide describes the trade-off: Safer and Safest disable some features that could be used in attacks, but sites may work less reliably. Safest disables JavaScript by default. A higher setting can reduce exposure to certain web features; it cannot verify who runs a site or make an unverified address legitimate.
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Use the evidence to decide
| Check | What it tells you | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Exact address published through an official, independently reached channel | The organization’s own source publishes that onion address. | That the service is harmless in every respect or that a message containing the same link is genuine. |
| Tor Browser onion indicator | The active connection uses an onion service. | The operator’s identity or reputation; the indicator alone does not show that it is the intended site. |
| HTTPS or a lock icon | The connection is encrypted in the applicable context. | That the operator is honest or that the page is not phishing. |
| Safer or Safest security level | Some browser features are restricted, with possible effects on site functionality. | That the address or site identity has been authenticated. |
If you cannot find the exact address through an independent official source, treat it as unverified. Do not enter credentials, send money, or download files. The cited guidance does not establish that a public directory or third-party scanner can certify an onion service as legitimate, so do not rely on one as proof.
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