Surfshark Really Worth It ? Do You Need to Pay Attention To It?
Surfshark is a virtual private network (VPN) service that was founded in 2018. Its headquarters are in the British Virgin Islands, which are renowned for their stringent privacy regulations and lax restrictions on data retention. Surfshark offers a range of features designed to protect your online privacy and security, including:
Encryption
Surfshark uses AES-256-GCM encryption, which is the strongest encryption available for VPNs. This ensures that your internet traffic is encrypted and protected from eavesdropping.
SurfShark - Encryption Explanation (source)
AES-256-GCM encryption is a type of encryption that is widely considered to be the strongest and most secure form of encryption available for VPNs. Data is encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which has a 256-bit key length. As there are 2^256 key combinations allowed, it is practically hard to brute force or crack the encryption.
GCM (Galois/Counter Mode) is a block cipher mode of operation that combines AES encryption with a message authentication code (MAC). This provides both confidentiality and integrity to the encrypted data. The MAC ensures that the encrypted data has not been tampered with or modified during transmission, while the encryption ensures that the data is protected from unauthorized access.
High-speed encryption, which is vital for VPNs since it reduces the impact on your internet connection speed, is one of the benefits of AES-256-GCM encryption. Moreover, GCM mode offers a reliable method to authenticate the encrypted data, lowering the possibility of security flaws.
No-logs policy
Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that it doesn't keep any logs of your online activity. This is important for maintaining your privacy and anonymity online.
VPN logs policy refers to the practice of logging or not logging user activity when using a VPN service. A VPN logs policy outlines what information the VPN service provider collects about its users, and how long they retain that information.
When a VPN service keeps track of user activity, it frequently stores details including the user's IP address, the VPN server they connected to, the volume of data exchanged, and the time the connection was active. Users' privacy and anonymity may be jeopardized if this data is utilized to identify them and their online activities.
On the other hand, a VPN service with a no-logs policy does not collect or retain any information about user activity. This implies that even if they obtain a subpoena or court order, the VPN provider is prohibited from disclosing any information to law enforcement or other governmental organizations.
Surfshark - No Logs Policy Explanation (source)
A no-logs policy is considered the gold standard for VPN privacy because it ensures that users' online activity is completely private and anonymous. Moreover, it shields customers against security lapses such as hacking or data breaches that can expose their private data.
It is important to note that not all VPNs with a no-logs policy are equal. Some VPNs may claim to have a no-logs policy but still collect some user data, such as connection logs or metadata. It's important to read the VPN provider's privacy policy carefully and understand what information they collect before choosing a VPN service.
MultiHop
MultiHop is a feature offered by Surfshark that allows users to connect to multiple VPN servers in different countries, providing an additional layer of security and anonymity. When you use MultiHop, your internet traffic is routed through two or more VPN servers instead of just one.
Surfshark - Multihop Explanation (source)
Let's imagine, for illustration purposes, that you reside in the United States and wish to access a website that is only accessible from the United Kingdom. With MultiHop, your internet traffic would first be encrypted and routed through a VPN server in the United States, and then through a second VPN server in the United Kingdom. This makes it more difficult for anyone to trace your online activity back to you, since your internet traffic is passing through multiple servers in different locations.
MultiHop is particularly useful for people who want to access sensitive or restricted content, such as journalists, activists, or whistleblowers. By routing your internet traffic through multiple VPN servers, it makes it more difficult for anyone to monitor your online activity or identify your IP address.
It's important to note that using MultiHop can slow down your internet connection, since your internet traffic is passing through multiple servers. However, Surfshark offers a range of servers around the world to choose from, so you can select the ones that are closest to you to minimize any impact on your internet speed.
CleanWeb
CleanWeb is a feature offered by Surfshark that helps to protect users from online threats by blocking ads, trackers, malware, and phishing attempts. When you enable CleanWeb, it will block ads and trackers on websites you visit, and it will also block known malware and phishing domains.
SurfShark - CleanWeb Explanation (source)
By blocking ads and trackers, CleanWeb helps to protect your privacy by preventing advertisers from tracking your online activity and collecting your personal information. It will also be useful for people who frequently use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks that are open to attacks.
CleanWeb also protects you from malicious websites that could install malware on your device or attempt to steal your personal information through phishing attempts. By blocking access to these sites, CleanWeb helps to keep your device and your personal data safe from online threats.
CleanWeb is especially useful for people who use public Wi-Fi networks, since these networks are often unsecured and can be vulnerable to attacks. By enabling CleanWeb, you can help to ensure that your online activity is secure and private, even when using public Wi-Fi.
Kill switch
By instantly cutting off your internet connection if the VPN connection is lost, a kill switch function provided by Surfshark and other VPN providers helps to protect your privacy and security. This stops your ISP or anybody else who could be watching your online behavior from seeing your internet traffic.
Surfshark - Killswitch Explanation (source)
When you enable the kill switch option, it keeps track of your internet connection and promptly turns it off if it notices that the VPN connection has been lost or disrupted. This guarantees that even if there is a brief interruption in your VPN connection, your online activity will still be secret and safe.
Those who are worried about privacy and security, such as journalists, activists, or anybody who wants to secure sensitive information, will find the kill switch option to be very helpful. It will also be useful for people who frequently use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks that are open to attacks.
It's important to note that the kill switch feature can be customized to your preferences. For example, you can choose to enable the kill switch feature for specific applications or websites, or you can choose to enable it for your entire device. This allows you to balance the level of protection you need with the convenience of using your device and apps.
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Surfshark is one of the few VPN providers that offers unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning that you can use the VPN service on an unlimited number of devices at the same time with a single subscription. This is a great feature for users who have multiple devices that they want to protect with a VPN, without having to pay for multiple subscriptions.
The unlimited simultaneous connections feature is particularly useful for families or small businesses, where multiple people may need to use a VPN on different devices. With Surfshark, everyone can use the VPN service on all of their devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, without having to worry about exceeding a device limit or paying for additional subscriptions.
It's worth noting that while Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, the speed and performance of the VPN service may be affected if too many devices are connected at once. However, Surfshark has a large network of servers around the world, which helps to minimize any impact on speed or performance.
Camouflage mode
Camouflage mode is a feature offered by Surfshark that helps to hide the fact that you are using a VPN, making it harder for anyone to detect or block your VPN connection. When you enable Camouflage mode, your VPN traffic is disguised as regular internet traffic, making it difficult for anyone to tell that you are using a VPN.
This feature is especially useful in countries or regions where VPNs are blocked or restricted, such as China or Iran. By using Camouflage mode, you can bypass these restrictions and access the internet freely and securely.
Camouflage mode also helps to protect your privacy by preventing your ISP or anyone else from detecting that you are using a VPN. This is important because some ISPs may throttle or limit your internet speed if they detect that you are using a VPN.
Another benefit of Camouflage mode is that it can help to protect your VPN connection from being blocked by websites or services that detect and block VPN traffic. By disguising your VPN traffic as regular internet traffic, Camouflage mode helps to prevent these blocks and allows you to access the content you want to view without any restrictions.
Conclusion
Overall, Surfshark is a reliable and secure VPN service that offers a good range of features at an affordable price. Beginners will find it simple to use thanks to its user-friendly interface, while more experienced users will find it useful due to its sophisticated capabilities. Also, because of its location in the British Virgin Islands, it is exempt from government monitoring and data retention regulations, which is good news for users who value their privacy.