tornado-cash-docs/tornado-cash-nova/more-anonymity-tips.md
2022-02-23 22:02:39 +00:00

2.6 KiB

More Anonymity Tips

For this section, we refer you to the tips-to-remain-anonymous.md tutorial as a first step. All points mentioned in this tutorial still apply to Tornado Cash Nova.

As a quick reminder, these tips include:

  • Using of a VPN,
  • Not sharing the shielded key or the access to this shielded address
  • If downloaded, keeping this shielded key in a safe place,
  • Deleting data after use,
  • Avoiding the use of the same API token for all transactions,
  • Being patient between the moment of deposit & withdrawal,
  • Using multiple addresses for withdrawal.

However, with its new features, Tornado Cash Nova requires further precautions to maintain anonymity.

Use of Relayers

Gas fees payments are necessary for transactions. For shielded transfers & withdrawals, two payment methods are available to provide ETH for gas fee. You can either connect your wallet or use a Relayer.

Going through your wallet for this gas fee can compromise the anonymity of the transaction if used ETH are linkable to your identity. Therefore, it is recommended to use a Relayer to preserve privacy

Tips1

Choice of Withdrawal Amounts

The customized amounts feature offers more flexibility & freedom of usage. However, it can compromise your privacy if used carelessly.

Choosing predefined amounts for withdrawals

Tips2

Choosing one of the four predefined amounts is strongly recommended as it will allow your withdrawal to blend with the crowd and remain anonymous.

You still have the freedom to Set custom to withdraw a customized amount of you choice. However, depending on the chosen amount, a connection might be deduced between your initial fund transaction and your withdrawal if:

  • the initially funded amount & the withdrawn amount are exactly the same,
  • the funded & withdrawn amounts can easily be linked through a sum.

For instance, a deposit of 0.42 ETH can be linked to a withdrawal of exactly 0.42 ETH or two times 0.21 ETH, which might compromise anonymity. However, with a withdrawal of 0.391 ETH, privacy is better preserved as there is no obvious link between the 0.42 & 0.391 amounts.

The custom option should only be chosen with full knowledge of these facts and in complete confidence in your actions.

Written by @ayefda