ProtonBlog(new window)

Proton Mail Fights Censorship by Adding Tor Support

Share this page

January 19th, 2017
Geneva, Switzerland

Proton Mail is announcing today the introduction of a Tor hidden service (onion site) which will allow users to directly connect to their encrypted email accounts through the Tor network. The move is aimed at countering actions by totalitarian governments around the world that are cutting off access to privacy tools.

The move also comes on the heels of recent events such as the Egyptian government’s move to block encrypted chat app Signal, and the passage of the Investigatory Powers Bill in the UK that mandates tracking all web browsing activity. Since Proton Mail was first launched in 2014 by scientists who met at CERN, the service has quickly become the favored email provider for journalists and activists around the world who require easy-to-use email encryption.

“Given our recent growth(new window), we realize that the censorship of Proton Mail in certain countries is inevitable and we are proactively working to prevent this” says Proton Mail Co-Founder Dr. Andy Yen, “Tor provides a way to circumvent certain Internet blocks so improving our compatibility with Tor is a natural first step.”

The development of Proton Mail’s onion site was done with advice from the Tor Project, the developers of the Tor software which is used by millions of people worldwide to safeguard their online privacy. With the launch of Proton Mail’s onion site, the Swiss company has become the largest email provider in the world to officially offer Tor support.

“Tor is an invaluable tool for protecting online freedom and guarding against state surveillance and censorship,” says Tor Project Executive Director Shari Steele, “We are always glad to see the increased adoption of Tor, and this appears to be a good example of how Tor onion services can be utilized for the public benefit.”

Anybody connected to the Tor network can now connect to Proton Mail’s onion site by visiting the following URL: https://protonirockerxow.onion(new window)

For easy access to the Tor network, Proton Mail and the Tor Project recommend using the Tor Browser.

About Proton Mail

Proton Mail is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, near CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) where the founding team met in 2013. Every day, the Proton Mail team, brought together by a shared vision of protecting civil liberties, works to advance Internet security and privacy. Since its inception, Proton Mail’s infrastructure has been located exclusively in Switzerland, under the protection of some of the world’s strongest privacy laws.

For more information, please visit: https://proton.me(new window)

Media inquiries: media@proton.me

About Tor

The Tor Project (TorProject.org) is a non-profit organization that develops and distributes free software and has built an open and free network that helps people defend against online surveillance. Tor is used by human rights defenders, diplomats, journalists, government officials, and millions of ordinary people who value privacy and anonymity.

The Tor Project’s Mission Statement: “To advance human rights and freedoms by creating and deploying free and open anonymity and privacy technologies, supporting their unrestricted availability and use, and furthering their scientific and popular understanding.”

Follow them on Twitter: @torproject(new window)

Media inquiries: press@torproject.org

Secure your emails, protect your privacy
Get Proton Mail free

Share this page

Proton Team(new window)

We are scientists, engineers, and specialists from around the world drawn together by a shared vision of protecting freedom and privacy online. Proton was born out of a desire to build an internet that puts people before profits, and we're working to create a world where everyone is in control of their digital lives.

Related articles

Can you password-protect a folder in Google Drive?
Protecting a folder with a password is a simple yet effective way of securing files. You may wonder whether you can password-protect a folder in Google Drive. We explain what access controls Google Drive offers and what you can do to improve your sec
Proton Pass now supports passkeys on all devices and plans
We’re excited to announce that Proton Pass supports passkeys for everyone, allowing you to manage and use passkeys across all devices seamlessly. Passkeys are an easy and secure alternative to traditional passwords that can help prevent phishing atta
what is a passkey?
Passkeys are a new way to secure your online accounts using cryptographic keys instead of passwords. They offer a high level of convenience and security, and are a real game-changer in the way we access and secure sites. What is a passkey, though, an
Apple’s marketing team has built a powerful association between the iPhone and privacy. The company’s ad campaigns claim that “what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.” And, “Privacy. That’s iPhone.” But Apple’s lawyers are telling a diffe
A cyberattack on national public employment service France Travail has exposed the personal data of as many as 43 million people.  The latest breach is the second major cybersecurity attack to happen in France in the past month, raising concerns abo
If I share a folder in Google Drive, can anybody see my other folders
Google Drive makes it easy to share files and folders, but you may have wondered at some point whether the people you’ve shared a folder with can see your other folders. We answer this question below and also share some tips for truly secure link sha
In 2014, Proton Mail was introduced as a web app, revolutionizing how we think about email privacy. Today, we’re excited to broaden the horizons of secure communication by launching the Proton Mail desktop app. Anyone can now use the new Proton Mail