diff --git a/backend/src/sync-assets.ts b/backend/src/sync-assets.ts
index 302196458..d7644e24b 100644
--- a/backend/src/sync-assets.ts
+++ b/backend/src/sync-assets.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import axios from 'axios';
+import axios, { AxiosResponse } from 'axios';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
-const fsPromises = fs.promises;
 import config from './config';
 import logger from './logger';
+import { SocksProxyAgent } from 'socks-proxy-agent';
 
 const PATH = './';
 
@@ -17,12 +17,44 @@ class SyncAssets {
 
   private async downloadFile(url: string) {
     const fileName = url.split('/').slice(-1)[0];
-    logger.info(`Downloading external asset: ${fileName}...`);
+
     try {
-      const response = await axios.get(url, {
-        responseType: 'stream', timeout: 30000
-      });
-      await fsPromises.writeFile(PATH + fileName, response.data);
+      if (config.SOCKS5PROXY.ENABLED) {
+        let socksOptions: any = {
+          agentOptions: {
+            keepAlive: true,
+          },
+          host: config.SOCKS5PROXY.HOST,
+          port: config.SOCKS5PROXY.PORT
+        };
+
+        if (config.SOCKS5PROXY.USERNAME && config.SOCKS5PROXY.PASSWORD) {
+          socksOptions.username = config.SOCKS5PROXY.USERNAME;
+          socksOptions.password = config.SOCKS5PROXY.PASSWORD;
+        }
+
+        const agent = new SocksProxyAgent(socksOptions);
+
+        logger.info(`Downloading external asset ${fileName} over the Tor network...`);
+        await axios.get(url, {
+          httpAgent: agent,
+          httpsAgent: agent,
+          responseType: 'stream',
+          timeout: 30000
+        }).then(function (response) {
+          response.data.pipe(fs.createWriteStream(PATH + fileName));
+          logger.info(`External asset ${fileName} saved to ${PATH + fileName}`);
+        });
+      } else {
+        logger.info(`Downloading external asset ${fileName} over clearnet...`);
+        await axios.get(url, {
+          responseType: 'stream',
+          timeout: 30000
+        }).then(function (response) {
+          response.data.pipe(fs.createWriteStream(PATH + fileName));
+          logger.info(`External asset ${fileName} saved to ${PATH + fileName}`);
+        });
+      }
     } catch (e: any) {
       throw new Error(`Failed to download external asset. ` + e);
     }