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Tor Browser Has a Flaw That Governments May Have Exploited

A cyber arms dealer called Zerodium tweeted out details of the vulnerability, which can let a website run malicious Javascript code over the browser. Fortunately, the new Tor version 8.0 is free of the flaw.

 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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The Tor browser has a software flaw that government agents may have exploited to hack unsuspecting targets.

The vulnerability deals with a software extension called NoScript, which comes with version 7.x of the browser, according to the company Zerodium, which tweeted out the details on Monday. Like its name suggests, the NoScript extension is designed to block JavaScript, Flash and other plugins from running over untrusted websites.

However, Zerodium learned of a flaw in NoScript when the extension is set on the highest safety level. Doing this can let a website that loads over the Tor browser to exploit the extension to run any Javascript code. A security researcher who goes by the name "x0rz" has uploaded video of the vulnerability in action, and called it easy to reproduce.

The good news is that Tor browser 8.0, which arrived last week, is safe from the flaw. You can install it automatically by clicking on the onion icon in left corner of the Tor browser window. NoScript's developer has also patched the vulnerability.

Still, the flaw's disclosure suggests that actual victims were hacked by the NoScript bug. Zerodium is a company that specializes in buying previously unknown software vulnerabilities from security researchers and then selling them to government groups.

Zerodium told ZDNet that it had bought details of the Tor browser flaw months ago, and then shared them with the company's government customers. "The exploit by itself does not reveal any data as it must be chained to other exploits, but it circumvents one of the most important security measures of Tor Browser which is provided by NoScript component," Zerodium added.

The company decided to reveal the flaw, given that it's useless against Tor version 8.0. Nevertheless, don't be surprised if Zerodium has other software exploits that work against the browser. Last year, it was offering as much as $250,000 for details on Tor-related vulnerabilities.

"In my opinion, if Zerodium is dropping this [vulnerability] as free advertising, it really means they have more stuff. Probably on the latest Tor Browser 8.0 too," tweeted the security researcher x0rz.

So far, the Tor Project hasn't commented on the flaw. The group's browser is popular among journalists, activists and cybercriminals as a way to keep your online browsing activities anonymous. However, the software isn't unhackable either. Back in 2015, FBI seized a child pornography website on the dark web and then used it to spread spyware to visitors, many of whom were probably using Tor.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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