By Chandramouli Dorai, Chief Evangelist, Cyber Solutions & Digital Signatures, Zoho & Sudipta Deb, Product Manager, Ulaa
As Indian businesses expand their digital footprint, privacy-focused practices such as anonymous browsing are becoming critical tools for strengthening enterprise security, trust, and competitiveness.
India is riding a powerful digital wave as enterprises embrace cloud platforms, hybrid work models, and digital payments at an unprecedented pace. Yet this rapid transformation has also widened the cyber threat landscape.
According to the IBM Data Breach Report 2025, the average cost of a data breach in India has reached an all-time high of ₹220 million, with phishing and vulnerability exploitation emerging as the top concerns. The country also recorded more than 80 million phishing attacks in 2024, ranking second globally. Everyday behaviours such as connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or switching between personal and work devices continue to increase exposure to both personal and enterprise data.
Against this backdrop, Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October serves as a timely reminder for Indian enterprises to move beyond the basics of strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and patching. It is time to explore lesser-discussed but equally important practices such as anonymous browsing, which connects employee privacy, secure online research, and reduced exposure to malicious tracking.
Understanding Anonymous Browsing
Imagine you are browsing the internet to book flights and hotels for your next holiday. Your browser, internet service provider, travel apps, and websites can all track details such as your location, the device you are using, and your browsing history. This information is often used to personalise advertisements and, in some cases, even influence pricing.
Anonymous browsing helps mask or conceal your personal data so that companies cannot easily identify or exploit you. However, private or incognito modes on standard browsers offer only limited protection. True anonymity requires privacy-focused browsers, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Tor, or proxy servers that are designed to obscure identity and encrypt traffic.
VPNs, proxies, and Tor—what’s the difference?
While all three tools help users access the internet more securely, each one works differently.
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a secure server. For example, when you use free Wi-Fi in an airport or café and log in to your bank account, a VPN prevents hackers from stealing your credentials. However, users must choose a reputable VPN provider, since some services may log browsing data or track online activity.
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet, primarily concealing your IP address from the websites you visit. For instance, if access to YouTube is blocked on your office network, you might still be able to stream videos during your break through a proxy. While most modern websites use HTTPS and therefore encrypt the content of your traffic, a proxy can still view the domains you access. Your organisation’s IT team can also detect and monitor this activity. Because a standard proxy does not add its own layer of encryption, it provides limited protection against surveillance or data interception.
Tor, short for The Onion Router, offers the highest level of anonymity by routing internet traffic through multiple volunteer-run servers, each adding a layer of encryption. This makes it extremely difficult to trace the source or destination of your activity. Whistleblowers such as Edward Snowden famously used Tor to communicate securely with journalists. Although your internet service provider can see that you are using Tor, it cannot access the websites you visit or the data you exchange.
Is Anonymous Browsing for Everyone?
Anonymous browsing is relevant to anyone who values privacy and security online. It helps ordinary users reduce tracking and unwanted advertising, allows professionals to conduct confidential research or job searches discreetly, and enables journalists and whistleblowers to operate safely in high-surveillance environments. Travellers and online shoppers benefit from fairer pricing by avoiding algorithmic manipulation, while students and parents can reduce exposure to spam, scams, and targeted advertising.
For SMEs and enterprises, is anonymous browsing a real need?
For small businesses and large enterprises alike, anonymous browsing goes beyond individual privacy. It can serve as a strategic tool that enhances cyber resilience, protects sensitive information, and reinforces organisational trust.
Companies can use anonymous browsing to research competitors or markets without revealing intent, avoid price manipulation in procurement or software licensing, and reduce the risk of data leakage. Minimising a company’s digital footprint also limits exposure to reconnaissance attacks that often precede larger breaches.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 further highlights the importance of responsible data management in India. Anonymous browsing supports these principles by reducing the amount of data that can be collected or misused by external parties.
Where should users start their anonymous browsing journey?
The right approach depends on an individual’s role and level of privacy required. Everyday users can start with privacy-first browsers such as Ulaa, Brave, or DuckDuckGo, which block trackers and third-party cookies.
Professionals handling sensitive data or connecting frequently to public Wi-Fi should use a reliable VPN. Those working with confidential or investigative information can rely on Tor for the highest degree of anonymity, though it may slow browsing speeds. It is also important not to log into personal accounts while using Tor, as this can compromise identity.
Enterprises can take these practices further by embedding privacy protection into employee awareness programmes. Encouraging secure browsing habits and integrating privacy-focused tools into corporate networks can strengthen overall cyber resilience.
Towards a Culture of Conscious Cybersecurity
As Indian enterprises observe Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is important to recognise that anonymous browsing is not simply about personal privacy. It is about building organisational resilience, trust, and competitiveness. In a world where every click leaves a trace, protecting employee identities and reducing digital footprints can prevent reputational and operational damage.
Anonymous browsing represents the next step in responsible cybersecurity. It signals an enterprise’s commitment to safeguarding both people and data in an era where privacy is not just a right, but a business imperative.