Tor, short for The Onion Router, is a free, open-source network designed to enhance online privacy and anonymity. It routes internet traffic through multiple volunteer-operated servers, encrypting the data at each step. This process makes it difficult for anyone to trace a user's activity or location. While Tor is widely used by privacy advocates, journalists, and individuals in restrictive countries, it is also used by cybercriminals to conceal their identities and activities online.