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You can use torsocks on Arch Linux to transparently route most CLI applications through the Tor network, effectively using it as a proxy wrapper. Below is a concise, operational guide.

1. Install and Enable torsocks

sudo pacman -S torsocks
sudo systemctl enable --now tor.service

Confirm Tor is running:

systemctl status tor.service

2. Basic Usage

You prepend any command with torsocks:

torsocks curl https://check.torproject.org/
torsocks git clone https://github.com/...
torsocks ssh user@example.com

torsocks checks /etc/tor/torsocks.conf and defaults to the local Tor SOCKS port at 127.0.0.1:9050.

3. Optional: Enforce torsocks Globally in a Shell

You can alias commands during a session:

alias curl="torsocks curl"
alias wget="torsocks wget"

Or start a shell where everything runs through torsocks:

torsocks bash

Anything executed inside that subshell will use Tor unless explicitly excluded.

4. Configuration Options

Configuration lives at:

/etc/tor/torsocks.conf

Key parameters include:

• TorAddress (default 127.0.0.1)
• TorPort (default 9050)
• OnionAddrRange
• AllowInbound 0|1

Example modification (if Tor is running on 9150, as in Tor Browser Bundled Tor):

TorPort 9150

Restart not required; torsocks reads this on invocation.

5. When torsocks May Not Work

torsocks only hooks dynamically linked network calls, so:

• Statically linked binaries may bypass it entirely.
• Applications using custom network stacks may not be compatible.
• Some protocols (e.g., certain UDP-heavy ones) will not function through Tor.

To test whether it is working, run:

torsocks curl https://ifconfig.me/

You should receive an exit IP belonging to a Tor exit node.

6. Hardening Tips

• Avoid using Tor with applications that leak DNS. torsocks handles DNS via Tor, but only if the application uses libc resolver functions.
• Avoid protocols that expose your real IP within the protocol (e.g., BitTorrent).
• Avoid logging that could inadvertently store local IPs.

If you want, I can also provide:

• A system-wide transparent Tor proxy approach (iptables + tor + transproxy)
• A minimal torsocks wrapper script for specific applications
• Troubleshooting steps for common compatibility failures