Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following Tor components is tasked with data transmission in encrypted format?

1. Exit Relay

2. Guard Relay

3. Middle Relay

4. Entry Relay

The correct answer is: Middle Relay

The correct answer is the Middle Relay because it plays a crucial role in the Tor network's layered encryption system. When a user sends data through Tor, it gets encrypted multiple times, with each layer of encryption being removed as the data passes through the different relays in the network. The Middle Relay is responsible for transmitting the data between the Entry Relay (the first point of contact in the Tor network) and the Exit Relay (where data leaves the Tor network). Its primary function is to facilitate the secure transmission of encrypted data, ensuring that the user’s identity and location are obscured throughout the process. The encryption used at this stage is part of the multi-layered onion routing that Tor employs, which provides anonymity to users by making it difficult for anyone to trace the data back to its source. Each relay only knows the previous and next relay in the data path, contributing to the overall security and privacy that Tor aims to provide. In contrast, the Entry Relay is responsible for initiating the Tor circuit and handling the initial layer of encryption but does not transmit traffic itself. The Exit Relay is the final stop where the data exits the Tor network and is decrypted for the destination server. The Guard Relay also serves as a type of Entry Relay but operates with an