How to Host a Tor Hidden Service on a spare Android device
How to reuse an old Android smartphone left in a drawer? Turn it into a server for the hidden web!
How make it? Three simple steps!
1 — Install Tor
Install OrBot app from Google Play:
[embed]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.torproject.android[/embed]
Then enable the ‘Hidden Service Hosting’ option in settings.
Change the value of ‘Hidden Service Ports’ to 80.
![](/assets/2016/08/1*mugD9M_o2QwzFAQPfBSSrQ.png)
Also configure OrBot to run on the device startup.
When Orbot starts, the new hidden service address will appear in notification bar and also in app main log.
![](/assets/2016/08/1*2_gBaCJXP3KsWmKZ32uMkQ.png)
2 — Install the Web Server
Install Palapa Web Server:
[embed]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alfanla.android.pws[/embed]
Configure the server to run on device startup and setting the lighttpd port on 80.
![](/assets/2016/08/1*qwQ080uCnPZFrXwZe3NcSQ.png)
3 — Install the SSH/SFTP server
(Optional) Install SSHDroid
[embed]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=berserker.android.apps.sshdroid&hl=it[/embed]
Create an user (ex. admin) and set home directory to the www directory of Palapa WebServer (in /sdcard/pws/www/).
![](/assets/2016/08/1*i6MZTGBtDAkwbEyXgKeNvQ.png)
Once SSHDroid was started, you can connect to your ‘android hidden server’ througt SSH or SFTP (only on your local network) and publish your hidden site.
Now, leave your top-secret server in a drawer, connected to home wifi, or equip it with a SIM card and a data plan and hold it with you for a maximum security :-)