What security risk is often associated with exit relays in Tor networks?

The security risk commonly associated with exit relays in Tor networks relates to malicious traffic perception. When users connect to the internet through the Tor network, their data is encrypted and routed through multiple nodes to help preserve anonymity. However, once the data exits through an exit relay to the public internet, it can become vulnerable.

At this point, anyone monitoring the exit relay can potentially see the unencrypted data being transmitted. This includes sensitive information if the user is not accessing sites that utilize encryption (such as HTTPS). Because exit relays handle unencrypted traffic, malicious actors can intercept this data, leading to the risk of users being subjected to data analysis, surveillance, or interception of sensitive content.

This risk highlights the importance of employing further security measures such as end-to-end encryption on communications even while using Tor to mitigate the chances of any malicious observer interpreting the data they observe.