A Tor hidden service is a server that is only accessible through the Tor network. Instead of a traditional domain name, it uses a .onion address - a 56-character string derived from the service's cryptographic key. This architecture means the server's real IP address is never exposed to visitors, and visitors' IP addresses are never exposed to the server. Both parties communicate through encrypted Tor circuits.
Version 3 onion addresses, the current standard, use Ed25519 cryptography and provide significantly stronger security than the deprecated v2 addresses. They are resistant to enumeration attacks, making it impossible for adversaries to discover hidden services by brute force. AnubizHost exclusively deploys v3 hidden services.
Hidden services are not just for anonymity - they also provide built-in end-to-end encryption without needing a TLS certificate from a certificate authority. The .onion address itself serves as the cryptographic identity of the server, so visitors know they are connecting to the authentic service without relying on third-party trust.