Earlier .onion could be technically opened on the regular web due to itspsdeuo-TLDstatus.
The special-use status also opens the possibility of site-specific encryption and the use of security certificates.
Tor has faced competition from other secure browsing systems such as HORNET.
But now it is set to benefit from key changes that will improve security and have further implications.
They MUST generate NXDOMAIN for all such queries.
source: www.techworm.net
