Surfshark VPN : Award-winning VPN service

[jasonX]

Surfshark VPN : Award-winning VPN service​

Surfshark is a very popular VPN used by people around the world. It is very consistent in the VPN rankings, always among the top providers in the world. Founded in 2018 as a VPN, Surfshark has quickly managed to become one of the leading brands in the VPN industry and offers a security bundle that goes beyond the VPN. Today, Surfshark VPN has solidified its position as one of the top budget-friendly virtual private network services in 2026, earning high marks from independent reviewers for its combination of low cost, as mentioned, unlimited simultaneous device connections and strong performance across streaming, torrenting and general privacy needs. The Surfshark brand is more than just a VPN now, with added tools like antivirus, Alternative ID, and Everlink technology that boosts connection stability.

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In a nutshell, Surfshark is one of the most secure VPNs you can get. It combines strong encryption, advanced privacy tools, and a strict no‑logs policy – all proven by independent audits and a transparent track record that you can view in their

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. Whether you're streaming, browsing, or torrenting, Surfshark provides a reliable layer of protection across all devices.

Surfshark HIGHLIGHTS​

Surfshark's Security Encryption
Surfshark uses industry-leading encryption to keep the user's data safe, specifically (as mentioned above) AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20, both trusted by cybersecurity experts worldwide. AES-256-GCM is widely adopted in government and enterprise-grade systems, while ChaCha20 offers excellent security on devices with lower processing power. Todate, there aren’t any safer alternatives.

Strengthening Surfshark’s encryption is it's Perfect Forward Secrecy – a feature that generates a unique key for every session. This means if ever someone intercepts your traffic, they (the interceptor)wouldn’t be able to decrypt any (intercepted) sessions. VPN protocols control how your data is encrypted and transmitted. Some prioritize top-tier security, while others are built for speed and efficiency. Having multiple options lets the user adjust based on his device or activity. It is a set of rules governing the connection between your device and the Surfshark VPN server.


VPN protocols
As the user goes online, he is constantly sending and receiving information. Sending this information, requires that it be split into small data packets, and VPN protocols dictate the order in which these packets are sent and the encryption used to protect them. All protocols used by Surfshark are fast and secure, and you can stick with the default protocol or choose a different one that suits your preferences.

Different protocols offer varying advantages. Some provide faster speed or better image/audio quality, while others ensure a more stable connection. If a user is experiencing connectivity issues, try changing the protocol. Surfshark supports fast and secure protocols: OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), WireGuard, and IKEv2.

• OpenVPN protocol
  
  OpenVPN is a tunneling protocol that is available as an open-source project. Its code is freely available on the internet, and it is maintained and updated by security and networking experts from around the world. Additionally, while using this protocol on Surfshark, you are using obfuscated servers. The Surfshark app offers two options for OpenVPN: UDP and TCP.
  
  UDP is faster and is great for safe streaming, video calls, or games.
  TCP is more stable and will ensure that every single packet of information that you send from your device is delivered. However, it may be slower compared to other protocols.
  
  NOTE: OpenVPN is available on Surfshark apps for Android, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Linux.
• WireGuard® protocol
  
  WireGuard® is a relatively new communication protocol that has recently gained popularity in the cyber-security market. WireGuard works by creating secure point-to-point connections using state-of-the-art cryptography, aiming for high performance and minimal overhead. Its open-source nature provides better performance compared to OpenVPN and IKEv2. It is considered the fastest VPN protocol available today.
  
  To ensure an even further security - Surfshark has implemented post-quantum protection on top of the WireGuard protocol - simply use it in app and you're protected!
  
  NOTE: Currently, WireGuard® is available on Surfshark apps for Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS. If you cannot find it on your Surfshark app, update it to the latest version. Post-quantum encryption layer is not supported on manual configurations at this time. Please note that WireGuard® is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfield.
• IKEv2 protocol
  
  IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) is a widely used VPN protocol known for its strong security features and efficient performance. It establishes a secure connection between a client and a VPN server, enabling encrypted data transmission over the internet. IKEv2 is notable for its ability to quickly re-establish connections in case of network disruptions, making it suitable for mobile devices and remote access scenarios.

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Nexus Technology
Launched in early 2025, Surfshark Nexus is a major upgrade to how its VPN network operates. Instead of routing your traffic through a single server, Nexus connects all uers to a network-wide infrastructure using software-defined networking (SDN). This allows Surfshark to manage all the user's connection across multiple servers at once.

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With Nexus, the user's traffic is dynamically routed based on factors like speed, server load, and stability. This means fewer connection drops, faster performance, and a more consistent experience, especially during high traffic or when switching locations. Nexus also brings a boost to privacy. Because the user's traffic flows through a wider network rather than one fixed server, it's harder to trace and less vulnerable to potential exposure. It also enables advanced features like rotating IPs without disconnecting the user's session.

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Nexus features address traditional VPN problems
Connecting all of Surfshark VPN servers into a single Nexus network will help roll out new features and benefits that will address common consumer VPN problems:

• IP Rotator (feature) will solve the privacy concerns of having the same IP address when connected to a VPN for a long time. It will periodically change your IP address without disconnecting you from the VPN. You’ll be able to choose how you want your IP address to rotate – in a specific location, country, region, or even globally.
  
  
• IP Randomizer (feature) will hide your browsing patterns. When on, this feature will give your device a new IP address every time you visit a different website (or any other internet resource).
  
  
• Dynamic MultiHop (feature) will allow you to pick your own entry and exit VPN locations in any way you like. Want to connect through Austria to the US and then change it to Singapore? Go for it. They’ll be all part of the same network anyways.
  
  
• Better speeds. Nexus will allow us to connect you to the best performing (most of the time they’re the closest) entry servers and allow you to exit through any location you want. This will solve a lot of the international and local internet speed issues.
  
  
• Better connection. Optimizing connection, network performance, or carrying out maintenance will most times be done without disconnecting you from the VPN. So, you’ll experience more stable connections and will receive better protection from DNS and data packet leaks.
  
  
• Better VPN performance. A network of servers will allow us to route your traffic based on your traffic patterns like streaming, downloading, or browsing. This will improve your connection performance.

Overall, Nexus is Surfshark’s way of making VPNs smarter, improving both speed and security while laying the groundwork for even more advanced privacy tools.

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FastTrack -- a true real-time VPN route optimization for enhanced internet performance!
'FastTrack' is an innovative solution created by Surfshark which continuously evaluates different routes in real-time. When network conditions changes, Surfshark monitors connection speed across our entire network, thus identifying the most efficient paths available at any moment. FastTrack adjusts the path to ensure the user's data always travels along the most optimized and stable pathways, resulting in better internet performance and speed.

Basics of internet speed and latency.
The quality and safety of your internet connection can make or break anybody's internet experience. Virtual private networks (VPNs) have long been a trusted tool for online security, but Surfshark, has taken it a step further to provide the most efficient service possible for all users. Internet speed determines how much data you can send or receive per second, while latency measures how quickly data travels between two points. The quicker the response time — the better. Together, these factors dictate how smoothly your internet connection supports various online activities.

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How does it all work?
The FastTrack solution is built on Surfshark Nexus, a unique multi-server routing system that connects users to an entire network of servers rather than a single VPN tunnel, enhancing security and stability. At the heart of this system is Surfshark's globally distributed probes, which function like messengers. They check the speeds and latency from their perspective and return this information. Surfshark actively tests multiple path combinations using Nexus to identify the most efficient routes. Collecting and analyzing real-time speed data ensures that user traffic is directed along the optimal paths, delivering the best possible performance for everyone.


Why does it matter?
Even with the best internet quality, network performance gets worse the longer the path is. For example, connecting from Miami to Detroit, you will probably maintain fast internet speeds. However, they will most likely drop when connecting from Miami to Sydney. The FastTrack solution optimizes both speed and a consistent, high-quality connection. By actively managing user routes, we enhance connectivity and overall user experience. For example, due to the layout of global network infrastructure, a data packet traveling from one city to another may be routed through multiple cities, countries, or even across continents and under oceans, if those paths offer less congestion or faster transmission speeds. By actively optimizing these data paths and leveraging the most efficient routes, we can maximize connection speed. This optimization ensures that users consistently experience the best possible network performance, regardless of their physical location.

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No-logs policy
The no-logs policy is at the core of every secure VPN.

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, one of the

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, confirmed that Surfshark adheres scrupulously to the commitments made in our no-logs policy. This gives Surfshark users and potential clients concrete proof that the company complies with the highest privacy and quality requirements. Surfshark has worked with Deloitte to verify its no-logs policy in 2023 and 2025. Deloitte is prepared in accordance with the ISAE 3000 (International Standard on Assurance Engagements 3000) international standard.

ISAE 3000 is an international framework issued by the IAASB for independent audits of non-financial controls like IT security, ESG reporting, and GDPR compliance. A Type 1 report reviews control design, while Type 2 also evaluates how effectively those controls operate.


Confirmed by Independent audits
Surfshark's strict 'No‑logs' compliance has been confirmed/proven in multiple third‑party audits by trusted firms like

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in recent years. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands (which is part of the

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) but trust that Surfshark enforces a strict no-logs policy to minimize exposure Server infrastructure. All servers operates over 4500 RAM‑only servers across 100+ locations, ensuring data is never stored on disk.


DNS and IP leak protection
Built‑in DNS, WebRTC, and IP leak protection to prevent traffic exposure. Automatic kill switch available across desktop and mobile apps to block internet traffic if the VPN connection drops.

 

[jasonX]

Surfshark VPN Features


Surf the web safely on unlimited devices with Surfshark’s advanced privacy and security features.
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MultiHop Double VPN
Route your internet traffic through two different VPN (Virtual Private Network) servers with Surfshark’s Dynamic MultiHop (double VPN) — manually choose entry and exit points for double encryption, anonymity, and data security. A double VPN, or multi-hop VPN, is an advanced security feature that routes online traffic through two VPN servers, encrypting your data twice and providing higher anonymity.

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It works by initially encrypting data from your device and routing it via a remote VPN server. Then, the data is sent through a second VPN server and re-encrypted. This process hides your online activity behind two servers, doubling the security of your data. At Surfshark, the 'Double VPN' feature is called MultiHop. The VPN servers are located in different countries and are pre-selected for you. If you wish to select the servers manually, Dynamic Multiphop allows you to do just that, thanks to

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.

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The difference between a double VPN and a VPN over VPN
There are two major differences between using a VPN over VPN (sometimes called layered VPN) and using a double VPN — the servers used and the complexity of the data journey.

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Obfuscated, 100% RAM-only infra servers
Hide your data and the fact you’re using a VPN with obfuscated servers, like Surfshark’s — even your ISP (Internet Service Provider) won’t know you’re using a VPN. Surfshark is among the first providers in the VPN industry to upgrade its servers to RAM-only infrastructure, meaning that servers boot up using only RAM memory instead of hard drive storage.

Surfshark runs its entire VPN network on RAM-only servers, meaning no data is ever written to physical hard drives. This setup ensures that every piece of information, including session data, is wiped automatically whenever a server is rebooted. Surfshark made the switch to a fully RAM-based infrastructure in 2020, reinforcing its no-logs policy with hardware that physically can’t retain user data. Even if a server were compromised, there would be nothing to recover. This kind of diskless architecture has become a security benchmark in the VPN industry, and Surfshark was one of the earlier providers to adopt it network-wide. It’s a major reason users can trust that their browsing activity stays private.

Obfuscated servers are VPN (Virtual Private Network) servers that hide your data and make a VPN connection much more difficult to identify. This technology is sometimes called stealth VPN. Obfuscated servers are helpful if you’re connecting from a place that heavily restricts internet usage, as they ensure that even your ISP (Internet Service Provider) will have a hard time identifying you’re connected to a VPN.

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Why would you need obfuscated servers?

• Censorship
  
  If you live in a country that censors internet use, you might need obfuscated servers for your VPN to work. Obfuscation makes your encrypted connection harder to detect and helps you maintain your privacy.
• ISP snooping
  
  Concerned that your ISP monitors and controls too much of what you do online? Obfuscation will hide the fact you’re using a VPN.
• Government tracking
  
  Some governments track their citizens more than others. If you want to ensure your privacy is intact, obfuscated servers can help — they prevent any VPN activity detection.
• Strict internal networks
  
  Universities or schools can sometimes ban VPN usage. In these cases, obfuscation is also helpful, as it will hide the fact that you’re using privacy-protection tools. Educational institutions cannot block a VPN if they do not know one is being used.

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Split tunneling
Exclude apps and websites from VPN encryption with the split tunneling feature, also called Bypasser on the Surfshark app — choose which traffic remains under VPN protection and which doesn’t get routed through the VPN server.

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VPN split tunneling, also called Bypasser on the Surfshark app, is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) feature that lets you choose which traffic routes through the encrypted VPN tunnel and which goes directly to the internet. Instead of disabling your VPN completely when a website or app requires IP-specific access, you can exclude it from the VPN tunnel with split tunneling — accessing it directly while keeping full VPN protection for all your remaining online traffic.

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What are the different types of VPN split tunneling?
There are three main types of VPN split tunneling:

• App-based split tunneling
  
  App-based split tunneling can leave certain apps unaffected by a VPN connection. Say you’re a PC user and don’t want Steam to go over your VPN. Add it to the split tunneling list, and you’ll connect to Steam directly without being routed through a VPN server first.
• URL-based split tunneling
  
  URL-based split tunneling operates on a website-by-website basis. So, if you’ve designated one specific page to use split tunneling, your normal browsing will be protected by the VPN, while anything you do on this page will be transmitted over the internet directly.
• Inverse split tunneling
  
  Inverse split tunneling, unlike traditional split tunneling, encrypts only the data from selected apps or websites, while all other data bypasses the VPN. This lets you choose what to route through your VPN while the rest of your traffic goes directly to the internet.

Why use split tunneling?

• Achieve greater control online
  
  Looking to protect your sensitive data without affecting your overall internet experience? That’s where split tunneling comes in. Balance security and efficiency by encrypting your most vital information while letting non-sensitive activities bypass VPN protection.
• Use different IP addresses
  
  A VPN changes your IP address to that of a VPN server. When you choose to bypass some apps from VPN use, they’ll use your actual IP address. This allows you to use two IPs at once and access local content on specific apps while staying hidden on others.
• Access wireless home devices
  
  Using a VPN can affect your phone or computer’s ability to connect to wireless home devices (e.g., printers). Enable split tunneling to keep all devices on your network synced while enjoying a secure connection for any web services you need.
• Exclude data-heavy apps
  
  A VPN connection may slow down your internet. While this speed drop is minor and usually goes unnoticed, it can sometimes interfere with your online activity. Split tunneling lets you exclude certain apps from encryption, helping them run at full speed.

Split tunneling vs. full tunneling

Full tunneling means all your internet traffic is transmitted through a VPN tunnel. Your data is protected, and your online activity is encrypted through a secure VPN connection. With split tunneling, you can choose which data is routed through the VPN tunnel and which remains unaffected. Any data that doesn’t go through the tunnel is unencrypted, and your IP address isn’t hidden from the apps and websites you include in your split tunneling list.

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Kill Switch
Boost your online security and keep your data protected at all times with the VPN Kill Switch — if your VPN connection drops, this feature cuts off your internet access so that your data doesn’t get exposed. A VPN kill switch is a security feature that protects your privacy in the event of an unexpected VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection drop. Rather than allowing your device to reconnect to the internet on its own, the kill switch blocks internet traffic until VPN protection is restored.

Using a kill switch reduces the chance of your regular IP address being exposed or of data being sent outside the encrypted VPN tunnel. This is especially important on unstable networks, public Wi-Fi, or during brief connection interruptions. In short, a kill switch is a built-in safety net that helps protect your connection, even when the VPN encounters problems.


What are the benefits of using a kill switch?

• It keeps your data protected
  
  Using the internet over an unsecured network is never 100% reliable, no matter the device. A kill switch feature helps prevent data leaks if your VPN connection suddenly drops.
• It ensures your traffic is always encrypted
  
  A VPN filters all your internet traffic through an
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  , hiding your regular IP (Internet Protocol) address from prying eyes. A kill switch guarantees you won’t be online without VPN protection.
• It shields your identity
  
  Connecting to a VPN server changes your IP address, helping you keep your regular online location private. With a kill switch enabled, your true location won’t get exposed.
• It boosts your online security
  
  A VPN’s kill switch is a lifeline for anyone in a country that restricts their online rights. It helps keep your data and IP address from getting exposed by cutting the internet connection when your VPN protection goes down.
• It fortifies file sharing
  
  If you’re sharing files with strangers, exposing your IP address is all too easy. A built-in kill switch blocks all traffic the moment your VPN disconnects — helping you keep your identity private from start to finish.
• It brings you peace of mind
  
  Worried about Wi-Fi hotspots or mobile data networks acting up? Don’t be. Kill switches keep your connection VPN-protected and minimize the risk of IP leaks — even if your VPN fails.

Types of VPN kill switches

VPN kill switches fall into two categories: those that protect specific apps and those that secure your entire system.

• Application-level kill switches
  
  Application-level VPN kill switches close certain apps and stop them from sending or receiving data.
  
  These kill switches don’t interrupt your device’s internet connection. The chosen apps won’t leak any private data whenever you lose your VPN connection, but using other apps may still put you at risk.
• System-level kill switches
  
  System-level VPN kill switches cut off all internet traffic to and from your device, keeping data across your whole system safe.
  
  To provide the highest level of protection, both of Surfshark’s kill switch modes work on a system level:
  
  Soft kill switch activates only if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly and blocks all internet traffic until the VPN reconnects;
  Strict kill switch blocks internet access anytime the VPN is off — even if you disconnected manually.

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NoBorders
Use Surfshark VPN through network restrictions with NoBorders — this feature detects restricted networks and provides you with a list of servers that work best under those network restrictions. NoBorders is a Surfshark feature that allows you to use our VPN through network restrictions. If our app detects that someone’s trying to restrict your network (like your school’s firewall or internet provider) it will automatically activate NoBorders mode. This will give you a list of servers (and will connect you to the closest one automatically) that work best under network restrictions like geo-blocking or government censorship.

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CleanWeb
Surf the web without distractions — Surfshark’s CleanWeb blocks ads, banners, and pop-ups, as well as trackers and access to malicious websites, so you can browse online safely and ad-free. Clean Web is a feature in the Surfshark VPN app and browser extensions, designed to enhance your online experience.

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Clean Web on VPN apps blocks ads, trackers, and malware when you’re connected to the VPN. It lets you surf the web ad- and tracker-free and keeps you safer online. Clean Web on browser extensions blocks web ads, including video ads, trackers, cookie consent pop-ups, and malware while you browse the web. It also makes browsing safer by alerting you to past data leaks and known malware on the websites you visit, giving you greater protection against phishing attacks.

Why use an ad blocker with a VPN?
Pairing an ad blocker with a VPN is an easy way to enhance your internet safety. Bundled together with Surfshark VPN, Clean Web empowers you to:

• Block ads everywhere
  
  Clean Web blocks ads across most major platforms, from smartphones to smart TVs. On browser extensions, it also lets you block video ads and even tailor ad blocking by language. That way, you can enjoy an uninterrupted, ad-free online experience alongside the privacy and security of a VPN.
• Stay private online
  
  Surfshark gives you Clean Web’s powerful ad blocking along with all the benefits of VPN protection. A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP (Internet Protocol) address, keeping your online activities safe from the prying eyes of hackers and intrusive ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
• Minimize malware risks
  
  Malware comes in all shapes and sizes, from infected websites to malicious ads. Never fear — Surfshark can help lower your risk of falling victim to malware. Also, Clean Web’s malware alert feature on extensions shows you a website’s leak history, letting you stay on top of any possible risks.
• Save on data
  
  Whether you’re on a mobile plan with limited data or a home connection with capped bandwidth, every megabyte counts. Ads waste data and eat up precious bandwidth. Clean Web allows you to lower your data usage and enhance your online experience by blocking ads before they ever load.
• Boost browsing speeds
  
  Ads and pop-ups aren’t just annoying — they also drain your resources as they load, slowing down your internet connection in the process. Clean Web removes resource-hungry ads to ensure the pages you’re visiting load quickly and don’t contain any bloatware that’ll bog you down.
• Combat phishing
  
  Phishing attacks often rely on ads to target internet users. Surfshark VPN and Clean Web act as your one-two punch, hiding your IP address from bad actors and blocking ads online. As a result, you get advanced threat protection that makes you far less likely to be harmed by a phishing scam.

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Cookie pop-up Blocker
Improve your browsing experience by eliminating cookie pop-ups — Surfshark’s Cookie pop-up Blocker will reject all possible cookies on Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, so you don’t have to deal with annoying pop-ups. Surfshark’s Cookie pop-up Blocker (AdBlock) is a standout feature of our browser extension, designed to enhance your browsing experience. It automatically rejects cookie requests, making browsing smoother and less distracting. The Cookie pop-up Blocker comes with the CleanWeb 2.0 suite, which is available for Edge, Chrome, and Firefox browsers and is included with all Surfshark VPN plans.

How does a cookie pop-up blocker work?
Surfshark's Cookie pop-up Blocker hides pop-ups while ensuring only essential cookies are accepted. This means you can enjoy the full functionality of the websites you visit without having to deal with irritating pop-ups.

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Static IP
Access applications remotely, host a website, or create a game server with Surfshark’s Static IP (Internet Protocol) servers — choose from a list of servers and always connect to the same one to keep the same IP address.


Dedicated IP addresses
A dedicated IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique IP address assigned exclusively to a single user or account.
Regular IP addresses are shared among many users, but a dedicated IP is the user's lone property. One user only. A dedicated IP is a static IP address that doesn’t change over time and is typically offered as an add-on by VPN services or other hosting providers.

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Surfshark offers dedicated IP servers as well as static IPs. A static IP server will give you the same IP address each time you connect. However, other people can use this server as well. Dedicated IPs, on the other hand, are unique IPs assigned to only one user. In other words, if the user purchases a dedicated IP, nobody else can use it. It is a private VPN IP that only belongs to the user. Currently, Surfshark has dedicated IP addresses in the US, the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Italy, Canada, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Benefits of Dedicated IPs:

• Works with all protocols.
  
  You don't have to choose between website speed and a fixed IP. Our Dedicated IP works with all our protocols, even WireGuard®, for maximum speed. Learn what WireGuard® is.
  
  
• Reduce Captcha requests.
  
  Captcha requests are a common issue while using a standard VPN. Many users might be using the same IP address as you are, which causes Google to prompt you with Captcha requests. A Dedicated IP helps to minimize Captchas, as websites no longer receive multiple requests from the same IP address.
  
  
• Better network performance.
  
  Using a Dedicated IP, your network should become quicker than when using a normal VPN server. With such an IP, you will be the only person generating traffic.
  
  
• Eases accessing remote networks.
  
  Accessing networks remotely with a shared VPN server is tricky since you never know what address you'll get whenever you connect. That's not an issue with a dedicated static IP.

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[jasonX]

Safety features to maximize online protection​

Surfshark Everlink
'Everlink', is the industry-first patented self-healing VPN infrastructure for stable VPN protection ensuring even better VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection stability. This means that your VPN connection remains uninterrupted, even in the event of server maintenance, without requiring any manual intervention.

What is Surfshark Everlink?
Everlink, a patented (US11190491B1, US20240080302A1) VPN server infrastructure assures your stable and reliable connection. In the event of a server failure or maintenance, Everlink acts as a self-healing mechanism and revives your connection by reconfiguring the VPN tunnel without disconnecting you from the VPN service.

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Everlink provides a smoother, more reliable VPN experience — almost like having an infinite connection. And because you remain connected to the VPN the whole time, your data stays protected, and your IP (Internet Protocol) address stays hidden. Surfshark Everlink servers are globally distributed and accessible via anycast IP addresses, ensuring that the Everlink service remains consistently available.


How does Everlink work?
All traditional VPNs establish a static tunnel between the client and a single server. In the event that your VPN connection goes down or drops (due to maintenance and the like), you the user, needs to reconnect manually. Manual reconnection or constant reconnection due to connection drops is not ideal especially when dealing with sensitive information or using public Wi-Fi.

Surfshark Everlink technology changes that. When you connect to our VPN, you’re also (automatically) connected to Everlink. Whatever server issue you are having, 'Everlink' instantly and seamlessly reconfigures the VPN connection to another working server. You don’t get disconnected, and your VPN protection stays intact. It’s all automatic, and you won’t even notice it happening.

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Why is Everlink important?
VPN reliability has traditionally been reactive — relying on kill switches or manual reconnections to mitigate server failures. Everlink represents a proactive, infrastructure-level solution that eliminates the need for disconnection altogether. Everlink goves the user the benefits of:

• Fewer VPN connection drops;
• Better protection for your IP address;
• No interruptions during server maintenance.

Kill Switch and Everlink, what's the difference?
The difference between a Kill Switch and Everlink comes down to how they handle VPN interruptions. A 'Kill Switch' is a reactive security measure that cuts your internet connection the moment your VPN drops. While effective, it disrupts service and requires you to reconnect manually.


'Everlink', by contrast, is a proactive, self-healing system. Instead of terminating the connection, it revives it by reconfiguring the VPN tunnel without disconnecting and reconnecting you from the VPN service. That way, you, the user, maintains connectivity and security without any intervention. It’s a fundamentally different approach to VPN reliability.

Thus:

Kill Switch

• Automatically cuts internet connection the moment VPN drops
• Requires manual reconnection from the user

Everlink

• Doesn't cut internet connection of the user when VPN drops. Revives connection without terminating the connection. Reconfigures connection without disconnecting and reconnecting you from the VPN service.
• No manual reconnection required from the user

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Auto-connect & Quick-connect
When your device connects to the internet, Auto-connect automatically establishes a VPN connection to keep your data secured every second you spend online. Auto-connect is a feature that will connect your device to the VPN as soon as it finds a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection. This feature can save you some time, as you won't need to open the Surfshark app and click any buttons to connect to Surfshark servers. The Quick-connect button connects you to the fastest or your chosen preferred location.

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Rotating IP
One of Surfshark’s Nexus technology features, Rotating IP, changes your IP address every few minutes without dropping the VPN connection, making it even more difficult to track you. Surfshark’s rotating IP is an advanced VPN (Virtual Private Network) feature that automatically changes your IP (Internet Protocol) address every five minutes within your chosen VPN location.

A standard VPN connection keeps you under one IP for the whole session. If you use the same IP address for longer browsing periods, some traceable behavior patterns may emerge. In contrast, an IP rotator service breaks up these patterns before they can develop. Rotating IP regularly swaps your visible IP, making your online identity harder to track. Powered by Surfshark’s Nexus technology, our rotating IP keeps your traffic fully encrypted while automatically refreshing your public IP address. This shields you from snooping, restricts surveillance, and disrupts profiling from advertisers.

Why should you rotate your IP?
IP address rotation offers VPN users multiple benefits while browsing.

• Elevated privacy
  
  Automatic IP rotation scatters your online footprint, with each session appearing to come from a new IP address. Make it much tougher for anyone to link your actions to a single identity.
• Greater safety
  
  When you frequently rotate IP addresses, it’s challenging for snoops or hackers to follow your browsing activity. Continuously change your virtual location to get an extra layer of protection online.
• Reduced profiling
  
  Rotating IPs makes tracking tools from advertisers and data brokers less accurate. Limit data gathering, help stop the creation of detailed user profiles, and keep targeted ads at bay.
• Lower cross-site correlation
  
  Using different IPs across sites and sessions makes it nearly impossible for companies to piece together your browsing journey. See a lower risk of anyone connecting your activity across multiple sites.
• Better deals
  
  Doing market research from a single IP may lead to higher prices for flights, hotels, or e-commerce products. IP rotation helps you avoid such spikes, as any on-site data collection will treat you like a new visitor each time.

Multi IP feature and an upgraded rotating IP
'Multi IP' is an innovative solution that routes your internet traffic through a different IP address for every new session or website you visit. Unlike rotating IP, all your resources and sessions will have different IP addresses. This eliminates the need to manually set up separate VPN connections or repeatedly disconnect and reconnect your VPN to achieve different IP addresses for various purposes.

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GPS override
On your Android device, you can override your GPS location, and in your GPS-enabled apps, appear as if you’re in the location that matches the Surfshark server location you’re connected to.

What is the GPS override feature?
Most smartphones nowadays have a GPS function that allows you to find your exact location. This function is often used by applications requiring your physical location to provide the service or specific features. Some examples of such apps would be:

• Uber (finds your location so the driver would know where to pick you up)
• Google Maps (indicates your physical location as a starting point of your chosen route)
• Snapchat (shows your location on the map, so your friends know where you are)

This constant tracking may become inconvenient and frustrating, considering that VPN alone can not override your GPS location. That's why spoofing your GPS tracking might come in handy.

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Reverse Bypasser
As the name suggests, Reverse Bypasser is the opposite feature of Surfshark’s Bypasser, which means you can manually select apps and websites to send through the VPN tunnel, leaving the rest of your traffic VPN-free.


Pause VPN
Pause VPN is a convenient feature that allows you to stop VPN use for a limited time. You can put your VPN on hold for 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or 2 hours, and it will automatically resume after the selected time.

 

[jasonX]

Surfshark ADDITIONAL Products​

Surfshark Alert
Surfshark Alert is an identity protection tool that checks online databases if your data was ever stolen and sold by hackers. Surfshark Alert is a feature that helps you protects you from security breaches! Breaches which occur when your stored information is leaked. That might include your passwords, email addresses, card details, and other data that you have entered when registering at some particular website. Surfshark Alert scans the web for breaches and informs you about them so you can take specific actions immediately. Surfshark Alert will send you real-time alert messages if your data gets breached in the future. (Surfshark Alert is part of Surfshark One and is available on browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, etc.).

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With Surfshark Alert you can:

• Monitor your data
  
  Surfshark Alert can track if your email, national ID, or credit card data appears among newly leaked data.
  
• Know what was lost
  
  It’s not just your email address that leaks. Alert will tell you what other pieces of personal data tied to your account were exposed in a breach.
  
• Get notified of breaches

Surfshark Alert will email you as soon as your data is discovered in a leak. With his kind of warning, you can act fast to secure your accounts.

​

Surfshark Antivirus
Surfshark Antivirus is the new addition to the Surfshark featured products, offering malware detection through real-time protection, as well as an on-demand antivirus scanner that does a full or quick scan. This is Surfshark’s new security approach offering its antivirus software alongside the popular, tried-and-tested VPN as part of a bundle --Surfshark One. The Surfshark One bundle includes the VPN, Alternative ID, Surfshark Antivirus, as well as Surfshark Search engine and Surfshark Alert, which notifies you of any personal data leaks. Currently 'Surfshark Antivirus' cannot be installed as a 'standalone application' and can only be installed with the 'Surfshark One' bundle.

​

That said, 'Surfshark Antivirus' is a premium antivirus program that includes a lightweight malware scanner, basic security features, excellent customer support, and user-friendly Windows, macOS, and Android apps. Surfshark's Antivirus is an additional way to increase your internet privacy, and it will keep your devices safe from various viruses, malware, and other threats. It is easy-to-use and very light on system resources all the while protecting the user and his devices at all times. AV-Test.org, a leading independent antivirus testing company AV-test certified Surfshark Antivirus’ protection

Surfshark Antivirus requires Windows 10 or newer and 2GB of free disk space to run at full power. Installation is a breeze for both the desktop and mobile apps and it is very easy-to-use! Virus databases are updated regularly (essential for any antivirus) allows the user to update the database manually whenever he wishes. User can turn on antivirus notifications to stay informed about database updates and scan results.

Surfshark Antivirus has been retested and certified by the industry-leading antivirus testing establishment

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! The near-perfect scores of Surfshark Antivirus v5.7 gave the TOP Product badge for Surfshark Antivirus.

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Surfshark Search
Surfshark Search is an organic search engine that provides a safe and private search on the web. It has no ads or trackers and doesn't keep logs of your browsing activities.

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Surfshark Search offers the following benefits:

• Completely ad-free;
• Results displayed in the Surfshark Search are all organic yet relevant. That means result ranking will not be your search history, location, or preferences;
• Search doesn't keep any logs of your activity and is the real Incognito mode for searches you don't want anyone to see;
• With Search, you can sort trending results by country, while the usual search engines usually show you only your country's trending results;

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Alternative ID
Alternative ID is a new Surfshark product that generates a brand-new online identity and an email to use online. It allows you to create an alternative email address and link it to your real one to protect your identity when registering to websites.

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What are the benefits of Alternative ID?
If you need to create an account on a website, you will most likely need to expose your email. That’s where Alternative ID comes to help. With it, you can generate an alternative persona (name, date of birth, address), create an alternative email, and link it to your real email. After that, all of the login emails, 2FA, or verification emails will be forwarded to your inbox. This way, your personal details and real email address won’t be exposed if a website gets breached. Like this, you make sure your identity is better secured when you’re online.

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Incogni
Incogni is a personal data removal service that helps protect your privacy. On your behalf, Incogni contacts 420+ data brokers (individuals or businesses that gather and sell people's information to others) to ensure they delete any information they have about you and prevent them from selling your details to people search sites. Plus, you can easily track the progress of your data removal every step of the way. Incogni contacts data brokers on your behalf with requests to delete the data they have on you, helping you escape the clutches of online marketing.

What are data brokers?
Data brokers collect data on you from anywhere they can: public records, apps you use, services you log in to – the works. Such data can include names, ages, genders, phone numbers, as well as a wide variety of interests. All of that allows them to create an intrusive portrait of you – and then sell it to marketers or anyone else willing to pay for it. These third parties can then even use it for tailored marketing campaigns or other business decisions. The data broker business is booming, as the market was worth

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, and has only grown since.

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How do I get the brokers to delete my data?
There are two main laws that mandate the brokers to delete your data on request: the European GDPR and the Californian CCPA.

However, it’s not that easy. With money on the line, companies can sometimes try to avoid complying with data removal requests by making you jump through some hoops, which costs time.

Requesting data to be removed from each company individually is a wild goose chase. With hundreds of data brokers registered in the US alone, it would take dozens of well-placed opt-out requests to take a single person’s data off the market. Incogni estimates that it would take 304 hours to complete even a single round of opt-out requests.

Here’s where Surfshark and Incogni come in. The Incogni team, equipped with the legal experience you may not have, will speed this process up for you. Instead of having to read through reams of legalese and having to remember which brokers answered emails at all, you’ll be able to simply observe the process via our updates.

What data brokers does Incogni cover?
Incogni strives to continually improve its service by adding to the list of data brokers it covers. Currently, it removes data from 60+ people search sites and 120 other data brokers, making Incogni one of the market’s most comprehensive personal information removal services. It covers all broker types, including:

• Marketing data brokers;
• Recruitment data brokers;
• Financial information data brokers;
• Risk mitigation data brokers;
• People search sites.

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[jasonX]

Surfshark servers and locations

Surfshark has a great server infrastructure that includes 4500+ servers across 100 countries. If you’re looking for a specific IP address, you can find Surfshark server locations in the following countries:
​

Americas: Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela

Asia Pacific: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau SAR China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam

Eurasia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan

Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom

Middle East and Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates
Note that some of Surfshark’s server locations are virtual. This means the server could appear to be in a particular country, although the physical infrastructure is situated in another country. Surfshark has about 40 virtual servers in countries such as India, Ghana, Mexico, Monaco, and Laos.

The main challenge of using a virtual server is that you might face slower response times compared to physical servers.

10 Gbps server speed
By shifting the servers from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps, Surfshark VPN connection is faster and gives the new servers better throughput, which means they can transfer big chunks of data quicker. Since the data is throughput faster, the servers host more people, and the speeds are more stable. Moreover, the servers are less crowded.

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Surfshark PRICING

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​

 

[jasonX]

YouTube Videos















Surfshark Apps

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Social Media LINKS

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PERTINENT LINKS

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TOOLS

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​

Data and info derived / lifted from Sufshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

Can your ISP see you’re using a VPN? Here’s exactly what they see

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Can your ISP see you’re using a VPN?
Yes, definitely! Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) can detect that you’re using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) because they see a connection to a VPN server’s IP address. However, due to VPN encryption, they cannot see your specific online activities, such as websites visited or downloads.

All ISPs handles all internet traffic, so they notice when you connect to unfamiliar IP addresses. But while they know you’re using a VPN, the encryption prevents them from seeing what you actually do online. But yes, they can detect you when you're using a VPN.

What ISPs can and cannot see when you’re VPN-protected

What VPNs hide from ISPs and why it matters
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Some ISPs are

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. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, creating a secure tunnel that prevents ISPs from seeing your actual online activities.

1. Websites visited

What good VPNs do: ISPs cannot see which specific websites you visit, your browsing history, or website URLs and page content

Why it matters: Prevents ISPs from building detailed profiles of your interests and habits for commercial purposes or government surveillance


2. Search queries

What good VPNs do: Search terms remain encrypted and invisible to ISPs, along with which search engines you use

Why it matters: Your private searches, research topics, and personal interests stay completely confidential


3. Content downloads and uploads

What good VPNs do: ISPs cannot see what specific files you download or upload, including their content, types, or sources

Why it matters: Prevents ISPs from throttling your connection based on file-sharing activities or reporting download behavior


4. Streaming activity

What good VPNs do: ISPs cannot see which streaming services you use, content you watch, or streaming quality patterns

Why it matters: Helps avoid bandwidth throttling during peak streaming hours and prevents ISPs from blocking or prioritizing specific streaming services


5. Data entry information

What good VPNs do: Personal information entered on websites, login credentials, and financial data transfers are encrypted

Why it matters: Protects sensitive information from ISP monitoring and reduces data available in potential security breaches


6. Messaging content

What good VPNs do: Email content and recipients, messaging and social media activity, and video call participants remain private

Why it matters: Ensures private communications stay confidential and prevents ISPs from selling communication data to third parties

What can your ISP see when you’re using a VPN, and how?
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While a VPN provides significant privacy protection, your ISP still

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to some extent, including:

1. VPN connection status

Your ISP can identify that you’re using a

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because your traffic flows to an unfamiliar IP address (the VPN server) instead of directly to websites. This creates a recognizable pattern that indicates VPN usage.

What this means: Your ISP knows you’re using privacy tools, but cannot see what you’re doing with them.


2. VPN server IP address

When you connect to a VPN, your ISP sees all your traffic going to a single IP address — the

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. This is different from normal browsing where traffic would go to multiple different website servers.

What this means: ISPs can identify the VPN service you’re using by comparing destination IPs against VPN server databases.

Privacy impact: Low — only confirms VPN use, doesn’t reveal browsing activity.


3. VPN protocol information

Different

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use specific network ports, creating identifiable traffic patterns that ISPs can recognize:

• OpenVPN: 1194, 443, 80
• WireGuard: 51820
• IKEv2: 500, 4500

What this means: ISPs can identify which VPN technology you’re using by way of monitoring traffic on VPN-associated ports.

Privacy impact: Minimal — identifies VPN type but not content.


4. Connection timestamps and duration

Your ISP can see when you start and stop your VPN connection, plus how long you stay connected. This is the same information they collect about all your internet usage.

What this means: ISPs know your general usage patterns but cannot correlate this with specific online activities.


5. Bandwidth usage patterns

ISPs can monitor how much data you transfer and make educated guesses about your activities (streaming uses more data than browsing), but they cannot see the actual content.

What this means: ISPs might suspect you’re streaming or downloading large files, but they cannot identify specific content or sources.


6. VPN encryption fingerprints

ISPs can analyze the structure of your encrypted traffic to identify VPN usage, even when VPN traffic uses common ports like 443 (HTTPS)

What this means: Advanced ISPs use

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methods to analyze traffic patterns and identify encrypted VPN tunnels, even when using common ports like 443 (HTTPS).

Privacy impact: None for quality VPNs — content remains encrypted.

Maximizing your privacy: best practices
​

In order to ensure your VPN provides maximum protection from ISP surveillance:

Choose quality VPN providers

• No-logs policy verified by independent audits.
• Strong encryption (AES-256 or equivalent).
• Kill switch to prevent data leaks.
• DNS leak protection.
• Obfuscated servers for restricted regions. Surfshark includes this feature for the OpenVPN (UDP or TCP) protocol.

Optimal configuration

• Enable kill switch protection.
• Use secure protocols (WireGuard or OpenVPN).
• Activate DNS leak protection.
• Choose servers geographically close for better speed.

Additional privacy layers:

• Use HTTPS websites whenever possible.
• Enable two-factor authentication.
• Keep VPN software updated regularly.
• In regions where VPN use is restricted, protocols like Shadowsocks, Stunnel, or Obfs4 can help disguise VPN traffic.
• Using common ports (like 443 for HTTPS) can also make VPN traffic harder to distinguish from regular web browsing.

VPN alternatives: how they compare
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Other privacy tools can also improve your online safety, but the level of ISP protection they offer varies, and so do the trade-offs.

Tor Browser

How it works: Routes traffic through three encrypted relays before reaching destination websites.

ISP visibility: ISPs can see Tor usage but not destinations or content.

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Proxy servers

How it works: Routes traffic through a single proxy server without encryption.

ISP visibility: ISPs can typically see most proxy traffic and activities.

Free VPNs: why they’re not recommended
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Free VPNs seem attractive but, as we outline in the free VPNs vs. paid VPNs article, the free options come with significant privacy and security risks:

• Data logging and sales: free VPNs often sell user data to advertisers;
• Weak encryption: many don’t properly encrypt traffic, defeating the purpose;
• Malware risks: some free VPNs contain malicious software;
• Poor performance: slow speeds and frequent disconnections;
• Limited servers: overcrowded servers reduce reliability.

Paid VPN services like Surfshark invest in proper security, don’t sell user data, and provide reliable performance.

Regional considerations: when ISPs care about VPN use
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ISP attitudes toward VPN usage vary significantly by location and local regulations (see:

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).

VPN-friendly regions (the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia):

• ISPs generally don’t restrict VPN usage;
• Focus on network management rather than blocking;
• VPN use is legal and widely accepted.

Restricted regions (VPN in China, Russia, Iran, the UAE):

• ISPs may be required to
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  or VPN traffic;
• Government regulations mandate ISP cooperation;
• Obfuscated servers are often necessary for reliable access.

Troubleshooting ISP-related VPN issues
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When ISPs actively interfere with VPN connections, there are still things you can try to restore reliable access. Common problems and solutions include:

Connection blocking
If an ISP blocks known VPN server IP addresses:

• Switch to different VPN servers;
• Use obfuscated servers;
• Try different VPN protocols;
• Contact your VPN provider for updated server lists.

Speed throttling
If an ISP deliberately slows VPN traffic:

• Test multiple server locations;
• Switch VPN protocols (try WireGuard);
• Use servers during off-peak hours;
• Enable obfuscation features.

Connection instability
In case of frequent disconnections or unreliable VPN performance:

• Update VPN software;
• Change DNS settings;
• Disable antivirus VPN interference;
• Try a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi.

Round-up: what your ISP sees

Conclusion: Keep your data to yourself, not your ISP
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Your ISP can detect when you’re using a VPN, but that’s where their insight ends. The encrypted tunnel created by a quality VPN service effectively blinds your ISP to your actual online activities, protecting your browsing history, downloads, searches, and personal information.

In an era where ISPs can legally monitor, collect, and even sell your browsing data in many regions, a VPN provides essential protection. Choose a reputable provider with strong encryption, verified no-logs policies, and additional privacy features to ensure your online activities remain private from ISP surveillance.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

5-9-14 Eyes and VPNs: a legitimate threat or just marketing?

Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes alliances...a common assumption is that VPNs based in the 5-9-14 Eyes countries are inherently less private and that VPN's share data with them. In reality, a VPN’s privacy level is shaped by its infrastructure, internal privacy and data-logging policies, as well as national data protection laws. There are quite a few misconceptions surrounding the Eyes alliances, especially related to VPNs. -- Ms. Ema Pennell of Surfshark shares us some enlighting info. Read on below
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What are the Five-Nine-Fourteen Eyes?
The Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes are intelligence-sharing alliances that allow the allied countries to cooperate on signals intelligence (SIGINT).

It all started with the UKUSA Agreement — a secret pact signed in 1946 between the United States and the United Kingdom during the early Cold War — intended for sharing intercepted military and diplomatic communications to counter emerging global threats.

That agreement later added Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, forming what is now known as the Five Eyes alliance.

Over time, more allied countries were brought into this intelligence-sharing arrangement, giving rise to the Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes groups — although their access to shared data is generally more limited than that of the Five Eyes core.

​

Do the 5-9-14 Eyes alliances affect VPN users?
VPN safety depends on the provider, not the alliance membership. If a VPN provider is based in a country that is part of the Five, Nine, or Fourteen Eyes alliances, it doesn’t automatically make VPNs unsafe, but it does make factors like jurisdiction laws, provider’s logging practices, and infrastructure more important.

What actually matters for VPN users
Here are some things that VPN users need to take into account:

• Privacy laws of the jurisdiction — the country where a VPN provider is based determines which data protection and disclosure laws apply. When choosing a VPN, look for a privacy-friendly jurisdiction that limits mandatory data retention and has user-focused privacy laws — these privacy protections reduce how much information providers can or are required to collect and keep;
  
  
• No-logs VPNs have nothing to share — if a VPN provider doesn’t collect or store any logs, there’s no meaningful user data to hand over. This means that even if authorities request user information, the provider simply has nothing to share. That’s why you should be choosing a service with strict, independently audited no-logs policies;
  
  
• Modern infrastructure limits data retention — VPNs that use RAM-only servers don’t write data to physical hard drives and automatically wipe all data when servers are restarted. This eliminates the possibility of long-term storage and further reduces the risk of user data being retained or exposed.

Surfshark maintains a strict

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, meaning it does not track or store users’ browsing activity. This

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, adding an extra layer of transparency and accountability. Surfshark’s RAM-only infrastructure ensures no data is ever written to physical storage, and it’s wiped on every reboot, while strong encryption protects your data and prevents unauthorized access.

Additionally, the Netherlands operates under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), one of the world’s strongest — if not the strongest — data protection frameworks.

The Netherlands distinguishes itself as one of the most privacy-oriented countries in the world. Its data protection is governed by Dutch and EU law, including the GDPR — widely recognized as the global gold standard for user privacy and personal data protection.

Ms. Goda Sukackaitė, Senior Privacy Counsel at Surfshark

What this means is that VPN providers can offer strong privacy protections as long as their policies and infrastructure are designed with privacy in mind. Being based in a country that belongs to the 5-9-14 Eyes countries, in practice, plays no role in defining how secure and private your VPN is.



How VPNs protect you
A well-designed VPN can significantly improve your online privacy, regardless of where it is based. If a service provider combines strong policies with privacy-first infrastructure, a VPN can limit what information is available, even under legal pressure.

No-logs policy
A true no-logs VPN doesn’t track or store what you do online. Surfshark’s no-logs policy has been independently verified, meaning external experts found no usable data that can be handed over if authorities make a request.

RAM-only servers and diskless architecture
Using RAM-only or diskless architecture means no data is written to hard drives. Surfshark’s RAM-only servers ensure that everything runs in temporary memory and is automatically wiped whenever a server turns off or reboots. This reduces the risk of data retention — no user data can be physically stored or recovered — and makes physical server seizure meaningless.

Strong, modern encryption
VPN encryption prevents third parties from reading your internet traffic. Surfshark uses robust, industry-standard encryption like AES-256 and ChaCha20, and supports modern, secure VPN protocols, such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.

Kill switch and leak protection
Built-in safety features like a kill switch and DNS/IP leak protection help ensure your real IP (Internet Protocol) address isn’t accidentally exposed if the VPN connection drops. This adds an extra layer of protection, especially on public or unstable networks.

Unlimited devices for full-coverage privacy
Privacy shouldn’t be limited to one device. Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections, helping protect your phone, laptop, tablet, and other compatible devices under one account so that your privacy stays consistent.



Common misconceptions about the 5-9-14 Eyes
Discussions around the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes alliances often come with a lot of confusion and, sometimes, exaggeration. A lot of the information about these alliances is not fully public — most of what is available to our knowledge comes from leaked documents and investigative reporting done by media outlets.

However, we can address some of the most common myths regarding Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes VPNs:

• Being in a 5-9-14 Eyes country automatically makes a VPN unsafe. In reality, a VPN’s safety depends more on its logging policy and infrastructure than on its location. A VPN that doesn’t keep logs and uses privacy-focused technology can effectively protect users, even if it’s based in or operates within an Eyes country;
  
  
• Using a VPN in 5-9-14 Eyes countries is illegal. In actuality, VPNs are completely legal in all allied countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, and across most of Europe. VPNs here are widely used for everyday privacy, security on public Wi-Fi networks, and even remote work;
  
  
• Governments can see all VPN traffic. Connecting to a VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it unreadable to outside parties. So, while governments can request data from VPN providers under certain legal conditions, encrypted traffic itself isn’t visible. And if a VPN keeps no logs, there’s little to obtain.

Jurisdiction vs. server location
Another thing that people commonly confuse is the difference between where a VPN company is registered and where its servers are located:

• VPN jurisdiction refers to the country where the VPN company is legally based. This is what determines which laws apply for user data collection, retention, and sharing;
  
  
• Server location refers to the actual geographic location of individual VPN servers around the world. A VPN provider can operate servers in multiple countries across the globe, even if the company itself is headquartered in a single country.

This is an important distinction, as legal obligations typically apply to the company, not to every country where it operates servers.



Recent developments
In recent years, we’ve seen a shift toward clearer rules around data sharing, including the EU–US Data Privacy Framework in 2023 that aims to regulate how personal data moves between Europe and the United States.

At the same time, allied countries started focusing on tackling cybercrime and ransomware, as well as focusing on infrastructure security, not just traditional intelligence gathering. Despite these changes, VPN encryption remains a key user-level safeguard, helping protect personal data from interception, regardless of how governments cooperate behind the scenes.


Final thoughts: choose a privacy-first VPN
Choosing a privacy-first VPN ultimately comes down to what the provider does with your data, not just where it’s based. Strong internal privacy policies, a proven no-logs approach, and privacy-focused infrastructure matter far more than jurisdiction alone.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

Surfshark launches post-quantum protection on WireGuard

Post-quantum protection is now live on WireGuard!

This upgrade adds an extra layer of future-proof security, shielding you against potential quantum computing threats. Read on below to know how it works and why it matters
​

What is post-quantum protection?
Post-quantum protection is all about future-proofing your security. Today’s encryption relies on complex math problems that are nearly impossible for regular computers to solve, but quantum computers will one day crack them with ease. Post-quantum encryption replaces these vulnerable methods with new, quantum-resistant algorithms built on entirely different types of math. In short: it’s like upgrading your lock today, so it’s ready for the hackers of tomorrow.

Why does a VPN need post-quantum protection?
As quantum computing advances, traditional encryption may no longer be strong enough to keep data safe. VPNs, which rely heavily on encryption to safeguard user data, must evolve to stay ahead of these emerging threats. By adopting quantum-resistant encryption, VPNs can provide a stronger, future-proof layer of security. This ensures that sensitive information remains private and protected — even against the powerful capabilities of quantum computers that could one day break current cryptographic standards.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

What is post-quantum encryption, and why does it matter for your privacy?

Post-quantum encryption is a new kind of encryption designed to resist attacks from quantum computers — future machines that could crack today’s security systems much faster than any regular computer ever could.
-- Mr. Alek Furgal of Surfshark shares us some insights and important info. Read on below
​

What is post-quantum encryption?
Imagine if the super-powerful computers of the future could easily crack the security tools we rely on today. That’s the problem post-quantum encryption (PQE) is designed to solve.

Post-quantum encryption is a type of encryption that’s built to protect your data against attacks from quantum computers. Right now, traditional encryption protects most of what we do online, from shopping and chatting to logging into our bank accounts. But quantum computers could one day become strong enough to break those defenses in minutes, putting today’s sensitive data at risk. In fact, some attackers are already engaging in Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL) tactics — collecting encrypted data in hopes of cracking it once quantum technology matures. That’s why it’s important to adopt post-quantum encryption now.

The current situation is far from perfect. A recent analysis by Surfshark

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, focusing specifically on end-to-end encryption. The results were eye-opening: only two apps — Signal and iMessage — have already introduced post-quantum cryptographic protections. While this analysis targeted E2EE, it’s important to remember that quantum computing poses a threat to all widely used cryptographic systems — not just messaging security. Most apps, even those that promote strong encryption today, remain vulnerable to future quantum decryption methods.

​

How post-quantum encryption works
Because traditional encryption relies on traditional math problems, such as factoring large numbers or solving discrete logarithms, quantum computers could crack it quickly. Post-quantum encryption, however, is built around entirely different kinds of problems that are much trickier for quantum computers to figure out.

For example, many post-quantum methods use lattice-based cryptography, where breaking the encryption would require solving extremely complex geometric puzzles in high-dimensional spaces. Others use multivariate polynomial equations, hash-based cryptography, or code-based cryptography, all of which remain resistant to known quantum attacks.

Since quantum computers excel at some types of math but tend to struggle with others, these new techniques make it incredibly difficult — even impractical — for a quantum computer to break the encryption.



Post-quantum encryption vs. post-quantum cryptography
You’ll often see the terms post-quantum encryption and post-quantum cryptography used together, but they aren’t exactly the same thing.

Post-quantum encryption is specifically about protecting sensitive data, like secure messages and encrypted emails or online activity, against future quantum attacks.

Post-quantum cryptography, on the other hand, is the bigger picture. It covers everything related to building security tools that can survive the power of quantum computers, including encryption, digital signatures, and secure communication systems.

In simple terms:

• Post-quantum encryption = protecting what you send and receive;
• Post-quantum cryptography = building all the tools needed for a safer future internet.

(Not to be confused with “quantum cryptography,” which refers to theoretical systems that would run on quantum computers themselves — something that still lies in the future.)



How to protect yourself from future quantum threats
You don’t need to wait for quantum computers to go mainstream to start protecting your data. One of the smartest things you can do today is to use services that already have post-quantum encryption built in.

At Surfshark, we’ve integrated post-quantum protection into our app by upgrading how it handles the [b[WireGuard protocol[/b]. That means when you connect using the WireGuard protocol, your online activity gets an extra layer of future-proof security without you having to do anything extra.

​

Conclusion — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Quantum computers might sound like science fiction now, but the risks they bring to online privacy are very real — and getting closer every day.

Surfshark users don’t have to wait for the future to prepare. With Surfshark’s WireGuard protocol offering post-quantum encryption in-app, you’re already one step ahead. Protecting your personal information now means you’ll be ready for whatever comes next.

FAQ​

Why do quantum computers threaten today’s encryption?
Quantum computers process information in a completely different way, allowing them to break current encryption methods much faster than traditional computers. Because some organizations may be saving encrypted data now to crack it later, Surfshark is adopting post-quantum encryption early.

Why isn’t post-quantum encryption more widely adopted?
While quantum computers are theoretically capable of breaking widely used encryption methods, machines powerful enough to do that don’t exist yet — at least not in a publicly known, scalable form. But because the threat is still emerging, Surfshark adopts post-quantum encryption early, with the goal of helping future-proof user security.

How long until quantum computers break encryption?
It’s hard to estimate the exact timeline, as it constantly shifts as progress accelerates. The real concern isn’t just when quantum computers will be powerful enough but who will have access to them first. Sensitive data encrypted today could be harvested and stored for decryption once those capabilities arrive. That’s why starting the transition to quantum-safe solutions now is more important than ever.

Does Google use quantum computing?
Google is actively researching quantum computing and achieved a milestone called quantum supremacy in 2019.

What are NIST’s post-quantum cryptographic standards?
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) is leading the development of official standards for post-quantum cryptography — algorithms designed to resist attacks from quantum computers.

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, marking a major milestone in helping organizations begin transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission
​

Supplemental Information:

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[jasonX]

IKEv2 VPN Explained

​

IKEv2 is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) protocol that uses IPsec encryption to create secure connections between devices and VPN servers. Known for its excellent stability and built-in support across modern operating systems, IKEv2 excels at maintaining reliable connections, especially on mobile devices that frequently switch between networks. Mr. Alek Furgal of Surfshark shares with us a detailed explanation about IKEv2 protocol.

What are the Pros and cons of IKEv2 VPN?

​

Is IKEv2 VPN secure? What is it used for?
IKEv2 provides strong security through

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and is considered secure for most use cases. The protocol supports modern encryption standards and provides reliable protection for data transmission.

Why use IKEv2:

• Mobile connectivity: IKEv2 excels for users who frequently move between networks, such as commuters switching between Wi-Fi and cellular connections;
• Built-in convenience: ideal when you prefer native operating system support without installing additional VPN applications;
• Battery-conscious usage: suitable for mobile users who prioritize battery efficiency during extended VPN sessions;
• Stable connections: excellent for activities requiring consistent connectivity, such as voice calls or video conferences over VPN.

Why not to use IKEv2:

• Performance on restrictive networks: in heavily censored environments, IKEv2 may be easily blocked if used without additional obfuscation tools;
• Advanced customization needs: if you require extensive configuration options or specialized features, OpenVPN might be more suitable;
• Speed priority: while fast, IKEv2 may not match WireGuard’s performance for speed-critical applications.

IKEv2 and battery life on iOS/Android
IKEv2’s efficient design makes it particularly battery-friendly on mobile devices. The protocol’s ability to maintain connections without constant re-authentication reduces processor load, extending battery life compared to protocols that require frequent handshakes.


IPv6 support and limitations
IKEv2 supports IPv6 connectivity, but implementation varies by operating system and VPN provider. Some configurations may experience IPv6 leaks if not properly configured with appropriate firewall rules.


Why is IKEv2 popular among VPN protocols?
IKEv2’s popularity stems from its native integration across platforms, excellent mobile performance, and reliable stability. The protocol’s built-in support eliminates compatibility issues common with third-party VPN clients.


How IKEv2 works with IPsec
IKEv2 serves as the key exchange mechanism for IPsec, handling authentication and establishing secure tunnels. IPsec then encrypts and authenticates the actual data transmission, creating a comprehensive security framework.


How to set up IKEv2 VPN in 3 easy steps (for Surfshark users)
Setting up IKEv2 with Surfshark is straightforward, thanks to built-in platform support.

• Download the app: install the Surfshark app on your device from its official app store or our VPN download page.
• Select the IKEv2 protocol: navigate to Settings > VPN settings > Protocol and choose IKEv2.
• Select your preferred server location and conn3d5.

Setting up IKEv2 manually
Manual setup provides more control over configuration and works on devices without dedicated VPN apps.

Windows
Due to IKEv2’s dwindling popularity on Windows devices, Surfshark has decided to remove IKEv2 support for Windows and focus on more secure and efficient alternatives instead. That said, the general steps for setting up an IKEv2 connection on Windows devices are as follows:

• Open Settings > Network & Internet > VPN.
• Click Add VPN and select Windows (built-in).
• Enter your VPN server details and authentication credentials.
• Configure connection settings and save the profile.
• Connect through the VPN settings panel.

See,

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macOS
For more information, see our detailed IKEv2 setup guide for

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.

• Open System Preferences > Network.
• Click the + button and select VPN followed by IKEv2.
• Enter the server address and authentication information.
• Configure authentication settings in Advanced options.
• Apply settings and connect through Network preferences.

Android (via

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)
For more information, see our detailed IKEv2 setup guide for

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.

• Download the strongSwan VPN client from the Google Play Store.
• Import your VPN profile or configure it manually.
• Enter server details, certificates, and authentication credentials.
• Test connection and adjust settings as needed.
• Connect through the strongSwan interface.

iOS
For more information, see our detailed IKEv2 setup guide for

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.

• Open Settings > General > VPN & Device Management.
• Select Add VPN Configuration and choose IKEv2.
• Enter server details and authentication credentials.
• Configure additional settings like Always-on VPN if needed.
• Save and connect through iOS VPN settings.

Troubleshooting common IKEv2 VPN issues
While IKEv2 is generally reliable, connection issues can occasionally occur due to network configurations, firewall settings, or authentication problems. Here are solutions to the most common IKEv2 VPN problems:

Stuck on “connecting” or “negotiating security”
This typically indicates authentication or configuration issues. Verify server details, check certificate validity, and ensure your credentials are correct. Try different server locations or contact your VPN provider for updated configuration files.

No internet after connecting
DNS configuration problems often cause this issue. Manually set DNS servers (like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1) in your network settings, or disable IPv6 if experiencing conflicts.

Certificate errors
Expired or invalid certificates prevent successful connections. Download fresh certificates from your VPN provider, ensure the system date/time is correct, and verify certificate installation.

DNS or IP leak problems
Configure your device to use VPN-provided DNS servers, disable IPv6 if unsupported, and use built-in kill switch features when available to prevent leaks during disconnections.



IKEv2 compatibility: devices, networks, and firewalls
IKEv2 enjoys native support across modern platforms:

• macOS: OS X 10.11 and later (native support);
• iOS: iOS 8 and later (built-in support);
• Android: Android 4.0+ (via strongSwan or natively in newer versions);
• Linux: various distributions with strongSwan;
• Windows: Windows 7 and later (built-in support; not available with Surfshark).

Firewall and NAT traversal
IKEv2 includes

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(Network Address Translation) traversal capabilities, allowing connections through most home routers and firewalls. However, some corporate firewalls may block IKEv2 traffic on ports 500 and 4500.

Router compatibility
Many modern routers support IKEv2 configurations, allowing

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. Check your router’s firmware documentation for IKEv2 support and configuration options.

Mobile networks and carrier issues
Most mobile carriers support IKEv2 traffic, but some may throttle or restrict VPN connections. Connection stability may vary based on carrier network quality and roaming agreements.

IKEv2 in regions with strict internet censorship laws
IKEv2 faces significant challenges in heavily censored regions. Because the protocol’s handshake is distinct, it is relatively easy to detect, and it gets blocked by deep packet inspection (DPI) systems. Government firewalls often block IKEv2 traffic, making using it unreliable in regions with strict internet censorship laws.



IKEv2 vs. other VPN protocols
Understanding how IKEv2 compares to other VPN protocols helps you choose the best option for your specific needs. While all modern protocols offer strong security, each has distinct advantages depending on your priorities and use case.

IKEv2 vs. OpenVPN

IKEv2 vs. WireGuard

IKEv2 vs. L2TP/IPsec
L2TP/IPsec is an older, deprecated protocol that offers no practical advantages over IKEv2. IKEv2 provides better performance, security, and stability while maintaining similar compatibility.


IKEv2 vs. PPTP and SSTP
Both PPTP and SSTP are outdated protocols that should be avoided. IKEv2 offers superior security, performance, and compatibility compared to these legacy options.
​

Conclusion: should you use IKEv2 VPN in 2025?
IKEv2 remains a solid choice for users who prioritize built-in platform support and mobile stability. While WireGuard generally offers better performance and OpenVPN provides more flexibility, IKEv2 still excels in scenarios where native integration and reliable mobile connectivity are primary concerns.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

AI voice scams: what they are, how they work, & how to protect yoursel

AI voice scams use convincing voice clones to trick you into sending money or sharing sensitive information. Since all it takes is a short recording and free software, these scams are now easier than ever to pull off and increasingly common.

To protect yourself, it helps to understand the basics — the methods, the different types, and the warning signs. With that in mind, let’s start by looking at what AI voice scams actually involve. -- Mr. Jon Sidor of Surfshark shares us some info/tips to protect ourselves from AI voice scams.




What are AI voice scams, and how do they work?

​

AI voice scams involve criminals using artificial intelligence to clone a real person’s voice and make fake calls that sound real. They can seem like an elaborate, high-tech heist, but the idea behind them is actually rather straightforward. During these calls, scammers apply pressure, induce panic, or establish trust to push their target into acting fast. Whatever angle they take, the goal is usually the same: to s#000080 money or personal information.

How AI voice cloning works

​

At the heart of these scam calls that trick many into parting with their money or personal information is AI voice cloning. Simply put, AI voice cloning trains a computer to copy the unique traits of a person’s voice so that it can recreate the voice accurately.

Step 1
It all starts with feeding the AI audio clips of a person speaking. Longer samples are better, but even just a few seconds of audio can give the AI enough to work with.

Step 2
From these snippets, the AI identifies what makes the voice distinctive — picking up on characteristics like pitch and tone, rhythm and tempo, pronunciation, inflection, and more.

Step 3
Once it has learned these patterns, the AI can generate entirely new speech — using words, phrases, and expressions the person never actually said — while still sounding like the original voice.

Step 4
Scammers can then use the voice model to create fake messages or even make live calls that sound eerily real.

Why are AI voice scams rising?

​

Deepfake-related losses — including those linked to AI voice cloning scams — have surged to $1.56 billion. More than $1 billion of that happened in 2025 alone.

These scams are seemingly mushrooming, and here’s why:

• Free or cheap AI tools: low-cost or free online tools remove the need for sophisticated setups and expensive software;
• Ease of use: most modern voice-cloning programs are simple and user-friendly, allowing anyone to create a clone in minutes — no technical know-how necessary;
• More voice content available: criminals now have a much larger pool of material to work with as people constantly share voice notes, post videos, and use voice assistants;
• Realistic results: modern AI can replicate tone and emotion almost flawlessly, making manipulation more effective;
• Increased visibility: growing public awareness and media coverage push these scams into the spotlight, making each case more noticeable.

How scammers get your voice

​

With so much content and audio shared online these days, getting hold of your personal info — including your voice — is easier than you might think. Let’s run through some common methods scammers use to collect voice samples.

• Social media videos
  Social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are the most common hunting grounds for scammers looking for audio samples. Just 5-10 seconds of casual talk about your lunch or weekend plans can be enough to create a clone. Since these clips are natural and usually high quality, scammers can feed them straight into voice-cloning software.
• Voicemail greetings
  Scammers can also grab your voice from voicemail greetings, either through leaked data or by calling your number and recording it. These clips are pretty handy for bad actors since they capture natural speech and often include a name. Plus, since most people practice and record multiple takes before settling on one, the audio usually needs little to no cleanup.
• Interviews, podcasts, and webinars
  Public recordings like podcasts, interviews, panels, and webinars are easy for AI to clone. They provide high-quality speech, which helps the AI model to replicate your voice with little effort. These extended recordings also give the AI more material to work with than, say, a 15-second Instagram reel.
• Recorded calls from old data breaches
  Some bad actors may turn to leaked call center recordings or hacked apps to get voice samples. They buy these clips online, extract the audio, and use it to create clones. Since the recordings are from real calls, the cloned voice sounds natural in similar contexts, making the scam feel more believable.
• Direct manipulation
  If scammers can’t find your voice online, they go straight to the source and try to get you to speak. They may call while pretending to be a survey company, bank, or delivery service confirming an appointment. Often, they’ll ask questions that force you to answer in full sentences or repeat specific phrases.

Types of AI voice scams

​

Scammers often cycle through a range of tactics rather than stick to a single trick. Below are the most common types of AI voice scams you’ll see in the wild.

• Emergency impersonation (“help me!”) scams
  These scams use a cloned voice of someone close to you — a child, partner, parent, or sibling — to fake an emergency. The caller typically sounds frantic, cranking up Acting 101 theatrics with uncontrollable sobbing, shaky whispers, or background noises like sirens and yelling to push you into acting fast.
  
  The storyline is usually familiar as well: arrested, kidnapped, or in an accident. Others play it coy with the ever-vague “I can’t talk freely right now.” No matter the tale, it always ends with the scammer demanding fast payment and that you keep it quiet.
• Business and CEO impersonation scams
  In these scams, bad actors pretend to be a company executive — usually a CEO, CFO, or senior manager — to trick employees into carrying out “pressing” tasks. The caller usually sounds calm and authoritative while making routine-sounding requests like approving payments, moving funds, sharing login credentials, or sending confidential documents.
  
  The sneakier scammers do their homework and name-drop or slip in internal information scraped from company websites, press releases, LinkedIn, or past breaches to make the request less suspicious. Since the task is framed as top-priority and coming from higher-ups, employees often comply immediately.
• Financial, crypto, and investment scams
  Scammers clone the voice of someone you’re likely to trust, such as a bank officer, financial advisor, or a public-facing figure like a crypto influencer, in these scams. They might claim there’s an urgent issue with your account, offer “exclusive” investment opportunities, or pitch time-sensitive deals.
  
  To sell the story, they often throw in jargon, fake case numbers, or bogus statistics — painting the situation as urgent or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The goal is to push you into transferring funds, moving crypto, sharing credentials, or approving account changes.
• Voice-authentication bypass attempts
  Unlike other AI voice cloning scams that target victims directly, these ones go after banks, customer support hotlines, or account recovery services — pretending to be the victim. Here, scammers use cloned voices to answer security prompts, repeat passphrases, or even chat with a human agent to bypass voice-based identity verification.
  
  Since voice checks are rarely used on their own, scammers typically turn to voice cloning only after s#000080ing other personal information, such as usernames and passwords. The cloned voice is the last step that helps them cruise through voice-based security checks.
• AI phone-call scams
  These scams are entirely fake phone calls where the caller’s voice is fully AI-generated to sound human. You might expect stilted, robotic speech, but modern AI-synthesized voices can be surprisingly natural and conversational. The AI can pause, shift tone, or add filler words just like a real person.

Common angles include claims of unpaid taxes, tech support issues, suspicious account activity, or mounting debts. From the scammer’s side, AI audio makes mass calling easy and flexible. They can make hundreds of calls, and each one can be tailored to its target.

How AI voice scams unfold step-by-step

​

Different AI voice scams may use different tricks and tactics, but they usually still follow the same basic playbook. Here’s how they typically look in action.

Step 2: They clone the voice using AI tools

Next, scammers feed the audio into voice-cloning software. The AI model then analyzes your vocal patterns like pitch, cadence, pronunciation, and inflection — essentially everything that makes you sound like you. From there, it generates a realistic synthetic version of your voice.

Step 3: They create a believable story

With the cloned voice in hand, scammers move on to designing the scenario and scripting the call — usually something urgent, dramatic, and distressing. Some classic angles include being stranded in a foreign country, arrested for a minor offense, involved in a car accident, or even kidnapped.

Step 4: They call or send a voice message

The message is then delivered via a live phone call, voicemail, or voice note on platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram. Real-time calls crank up the pressure and cut down thinking time while voice messages give the victim the chance to replay the audio, driving the point home. Either way, the familiar voice lowers suspicion and makes the message feel authentic.

Step 5: They ask for urgent money or sensitive data

The final stretch is the info or money extraction. This is when scammers push for immediate action like transferring funds, sharing login credentials, or sending confidential files. Urgency is the secret sauce at this stage, with victims told there’s no time to verify, call back, or even think things through.

Signs that a call might be AI-generated

​

AI-generated voice calls aren’t always easy to sniff out, but they do tend to have subtle inconsistencies that give them away.

Here are some signs a call may be AI-generated:

• Strange pauses or unnatural rhythm: pauses or start-stops that feel abrupt, misplaced, or calculated;
• Perfect pronunciation without emotion: the voice remains impeccably clear with little to no trembling or breathiness in supposedly emotional moments;
• Overly formal or robotic tone: the caller avoids slang and contractions, giving the impression of trying a little too hard to sound normal;
• Mismatched background noise: crackling static, looped audio, or total silence, even as the caller claims to be moving around;
• Delayed replies: short, consistent delays before each reply, even when the speech is otherwise fluent;
• Pressure, urgency, or secrecy: the caller demands immediate action, discourages any form of verification, and insists on secrecy;
• Refusal to switch to video: the caller dodges live video, refuses call-back verification, or balks at third-party confirmation with creative excuses like a broken camera.

How to protect yourself from AI voice scams

​

AI voice scams count on you acting fast and without thinking things through. The best defense is to stay calm, verify requests, and make full use of security tools.

• Create a family safe word
  A simple but effective way to verify identity is to use a shared safe word known only to close family members. If someone calls claiming to be in trouble, they must provide the secret word before you jump into action. Make sure to choose a word or phrase that’s hard to guess and not publicly available online — obvious choices like street names or pet names won’t cut it.
• Verify through another channel
  Don’t just go off a single call or voice message, even if the voice sounds familiar. Instead, take a moment to actually cross-check and verify the caller’s identity. Take a deep breath and hang up, then text, video call, or phone the person directly to confirm the call is genuine. Even the most urgent request will survive a quick check.
• Limit how much of your voice you post online
  Be selective about what you share on TikTok, Instagram, and similar platforms. Clear, uninterrupted speech — like long monologues or Q&As — is prime material for fraudsters. That said, even short clips, stories, and reels can be scraped, manipulated, and reused. It’s safest to assume anything public can be copied, so set your profiles to private or limit followers to those you know.
• Don’t answer unknown calls with long greetings
  Don’t open your call with scripted introductions like “Hello, this is [your name] from XYZ company speaking.” Better yet, let unknown callers make the first move and speak before you. Otherwise, malicious actors could record these openings and reuse them to train or fine-tune voice clones.
• Strengthen your account security
  You might not be able to completely prevent fraudsters from copying your voice, but you can reduce the potential damage a cloned or misused voice can cause by shoring up your account security.

Start with these basic steps:

• Enable MFA (Multi-factor Authentication) — especially for vital accounts like email, banking, and cloud services — to add another layer of verification;
• Avoid voice-based authentication whenever possible or add an extra verification step to confirm identity;
• Use strong, unique passwords by combining upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and use a
  password manager to store them securely.

Use security tools for extra protection

​

No tools can block AI voice scams entirely, but the right ones can help minimize potential fallout. For an all-in-one security and privacy solution, check out Surfshark One.

Here’s how it can provide an extra layer of protection:

• Surfshark Alert: notifies you if your personal info appears in data breaches or leaks, helping you stay on guard against voice scams that might exploit your data to sound believable;
• Surfshark Antivirus: helps block malware, phishing links, and spyware that scammers might use alongside AI voice scams to s#000080 your accounts or personal info;
• Surfshark VPN (Virtual Private Network): encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP (Internet Protocol) address, making it harder for scammers to target you or abuse your data to seem more convincing.

What to do if you’ve been targeted

​

If you suspect you’re dealing with an AI voice scam, act fast to shut it down and minimize the damage.

• Stop communicating
  First, end the call or stop replying immediately, even if the person sounds urgent or desperate. Don’t bother explaining, arguing, or testing them — scammers count on keeping you engaged so they can pile on the pressure and extract more information or money. Any extra interaction only gives them more opportunities to exploit you.
• Verify the person’s identity
  If something sounds even slightly off, take it as a sign that you should go to the source directly. Verify through a separate, trusted channel: call the person on a number you already have, message them through an existing chat, or use the official website or app. For banks or similar institutions, a quick in-person visit is the safest.
• Report the scam attempt
  Let the platform where the scam occurred know — whether that’s your phone carrier, messaging app, social network, or email provider. For scams involving financial information, threats, or impersonation, contact your local law enforcement or consumer protection agency. In the US, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and the FBI’s IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) handle these reports.
• Change security settings if needed
  If you shared any info — even minor details like names — during a suspicious interaction, assume it could be used against you. Take the initiative to secure your accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA (Two-factor Authentication), review recent login activity, and remove any unfamiliar devices. If banking or payment details came up, contact your bank to flag potential fraud.
• Activate breach monitoring tools
  Tools like Surfshark Alert let you know if your personal information ends up online after a data leak incident. This means you can promptly take necessary actions like changing compromised passwords or enabling 2FA. It also helps you stay ahead of AI voice scams that might try to use your leaked info to pass off as the real deal.

AI voice scams in the news

​

From real-world cases to artificial intelligence experts raising alarms, AI voice scams are a regular fixture in the news.

Let’s run through some ways AI voice scams made headlines recently.

• Colorado parent scam
  A woman in Colorado, US,
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  . The caller, claiming her daughter had been abducted, demanded $2,000 for her release. After sending the money, the mother learned that the daughter was safe at home all along.
• US officials alert
  The FBI has issued an alert about
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  using AI-generated voice and text messages. These fraudsters try to build trust first before persuading victims to share access to their personal or official accounts.
• Italian ransom scam
  
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  to call prominent business figures, claiming kidnapped journalists in the Middle East needed urgent ransom payments. Massimo Moratti, former owner of soccer club Inter Milan, reportedly sent nearly €1 million across two transactions.
• Industry concern
  OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has
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  . He highlighted a growing “fraud crisis” as AI makes it incredibly easy for malicious actors to impersonate others.

Tips to reduce your digital voice footprint

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Once your voice is online, you have very little say over where it ends up and how it’s used. That’s why the best move is to limit how much of your voice is publicly available.

A few simple habits can help:

• Limit audio content on social media: avoid posting videos where your voice is clearly isolated, and opt for captions or background music instead
• Simplify voicemail recordings: switch to a generic greeting or keep custom messages short, neutral, and free of emotional cues or identifying details;
• Clean up old content: check past uploads on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube and delete, archive, or restrict anything with clear, uninterrupted audio;
• Tighten privacy settings on social apps: limit who can view, download, share, or remix your content and disable search engine indexing.

Don’t fall for a fake voice

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AI voice scams are extremely tricky as scammers can imitate real voices with shocking accuracy with just a few seconds of samples and free online tools. That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay cautious and keep an eye out for warning signs.

Better yet, take extra precautions to protect yourself and minimize potential damage. Use safe words, keep your voice off public sites, and double-check calls from unknown numbers. For added protection, consider Surfshark One — which includes Surfshark Alert, Antivirus, VPN, and more.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission

 

[jasonX]

How can generative AI be used in cybersecurity?

Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence), also referred to as GenAI, has quickly become one of the most influential technologies of the decade. From instant content creation to generating intelligent code, its potential keeps growing. However, when it comes to cybersecurity, field experts are calling GenAI a double-edged sword — while it allows security teams to streamline threat detection and prevention, it also enables cybercriminals to launch complex, convincing, and speedy attacks.

"The risk of generative AI doesn’t come only from external threats. When implemented without proper oversight, these handy tools can become a Trojan horse, introducing vulnerabilities from inside out"

– Vytautas Kaziukonis, Founder and CEO of Surfshark

As both cyber attackers and defenders resort to GenAI increasingly more, let’s look into its advantages, potential risks, and what the future may hold.
-- Ms. Ema Pennell of Surfshark shares us some insights and important info. Read on below
​

What is generative AI in cybersecurity?
Generative AI is one of the

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capable of producing new content, such as code, text, images, and more, based on learned data and patterns. It is creative and can generate original outputs that resemble real-world data according to your prompts.

In the cybersecurity context, generative AI can simulate attacks, generate synthetic data, or model complex behaviors.

For example, it can create thousands of realistic phishing emails to train a detection system or simulate malware versions to test how defenses handle new attack methods. This can help security professionals foresee and prepare for cyberthreats before they happen.

Another aspect of generative AI that’s useful in cybersecurity is its ability to learn continuously from new data. It doesn’t just identify known issues — by imitating cyberattackers and their creativity, it can help uncover previously unknown vulnerabilities.

In short, GenAI is changing how cybersecurity works — from reacting to attacks after they have already happened to predicting threats to strengthen defenses.

On the other hand, these very same generative AI capabilities have changed the magnitude of cyberattacks. In a matter of seconds, threat actors can now generate convincing phishing messages, create malware that bypasses traditional firewalls, and launch hyper-realistic social engineering attacks by simulating the likeness of people’s faces and voices. More on this later.

​

Key benefits of generative AI for cyberdefense
While posing some serious threats, generative AI also helps organizations move faster, smarter, and more strategically.

Here are some of the key advantages:

1. Faster and more accurate threat detection
Malicious activity often looks like normal behavior, so threat detection has long been a challenge for cybersecurity teams. Generative AI can effectively speed up detection by scanning huge amounts of data and identifying subtle signs and patterns that traditional rule-based systems might miss.

Generative AI models are trained on massive amounts of data like network logs, code, and user behavior. That’s why they’re really good at flagging anomalies that indicate breaches or malicious actions — like unusual command sequences or traffic patterns.

Generative AI also improves over time by simulating new threats and types of attacks. Training on these synthetic scenarios, alongside real data, improves the likelihood of systems catching more sophisticated threats, including zero-day attacks.


2. Predictive analysis and proactive defense
One of generative AI’s biggest advantages is predicting potential vulnerabilities and future attack paths. Previously, cybersecurity operated mostly in a reactive mode — fixing issues after a breach. However, GenAI shifts this to a proactive defense.

By simulating attacks based on existing patterns, threat intelligence, and system weaknesses, generative models can reveal security flaws before attackers exploit them. They can also forecast how malware may evolve, predict which systems are most likely to be targeted, and model chain reactions an attack could trigger.

This helps cybersecurity teams to patch vulnerabilities earlier and prepare defenses for emerging threats.


3. Automated incident response
In incident response, speed is everything: the faster you contain a threat, the less damage it can do. Generative AI helps speed the response by automating work that used to demand hours of manual analysis.

Built into many modern incident response tools, GenAI models can summarize and interpret security alerts, suggest remediation steps, automatically isolate compromised accounts or devices, and generate clear reports for security teams in seconds. Thus, while generative AI tools handle the tedious tasks, analysts can focus on higher-level decision-making.


4. Enhanced security modeling and scenario planning
Cybersecurity isn’t only about stopping active attacks, but also about preparing for potential ones. With generative AI, teams can better prepare with more realistic modeling and scenario planning.

For example, security teams can generate simulated attacks, tailored to the company’s exact infrastructure. These targeted attack scenarios can include synthetic malware, deepfake credentials, or social engineering attempts, imitating real-world threats.

Running these safe drills helps organizations understand their weak spots, test their response plans, and strengthen their readiness without risking real assets.



Practical use cases of generative AI in cybersecurity
Generative AI is already being widely used to mitigate various cybersecurity threats. Here are some impactful use cases:

• Advanced phishing detection and prevention
  
  
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  is still one of the most common and dangerous cyberthreats. Arguably, with the rise of generative AI, it’s even more prominent and threatening.
  
  However, GenAI models can also analyze metadata, tone, linguistic markers, and patterns to distinguish legitimate messages from malicious ones. It can detect even subtle cues in highly sophisticated phishing attempts. Additionally, it can generate phishing mockups to train detection systems and help strengthen them.
  
  
• Malware simulation
  
  Traditionally, security researchers rely on known
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  to train detection systems. However, as criminals find new ways to evolve their attacks, signature-based defenses get outdated quickly.
  
  This is where GenAI can come in handy — it can simulate brand new malware variants based on existing ones, helping teams prepare for threats they haven’t encountered yet.
  
  
• Vulnerability identification and penetration testing
  
  Penetration testing helps organizations identify weak spots in their security. Generative AI can help boost this process by creating realistic attack paths, probing system logic for misconfigurations, or modeling how an attacker might act to gain higher-level access inside a system. It can also generate synthetic exploits in safe environments to test and validate patches and mitigations. This allows for a more thorough and dynamic vulnerability assessment.
  
  
• Cybersecurity system training
  
  Generative AI is great for training both cybersecurity specialists and automated systems. Especially when real data is limited or sensitive, AI-generated data ensures privacy while still allowing for robust training.
  
  For example, GenAI can create realistic scenarios, imitating dynamic cyberattack situations, and help challenge and examine teams’ responses. It can also generate variations of past security incidents, allowing analysts to practice decision-making under pressure. Generative AI can also be used to simulate network traffic for training intrusion detection systems.
  
  
• Fraud detection and behavioral modeling
  
  In sectors like finance and e-commerce, generative AI can learn what normal looks like across millions of logins, devices, and transactions. By modeling these patterns, it can spot small deviations that indicate fraud in real time. This can help with earlier detection of account takeovers, payment fraud, and identity abuse.

What are the security risks of generative AI?
While generative AI brings significant advantages for cyberdefenders, it also introduces new risks and magnifies existing ones. So, understanding those risks and planning controls around them is essential.

1. AI-generated cyberattacks
The same tools that help cybersecurity teams train and prepare can also help bad actors to supercharge their attacks. What were once easy indicators of an attack — like bad grammar in social engineering scenarios — with the help of GenAI are now gone. What once required high coding knowledge can now be done in one well-formulated prompt.

Generative AI can help attackers develop more advanced, automated exploits:

• Writing malware faster;
• Crafting highly targeted phishing attacks;
• Automating social engineering at scale;
• Generating polymorphic code that changes during execution;
• Producing scripts to exploit vulnerabilities.

This sophisticated automation increases both the volume and complexity of threats while simultaneously lowering the skill bar needed to accomplish an attack.


2. Data leaks and privacy concerns
Generative AI models are trained on massive datasets that may include sensitive or proprietary information. If not properly managed, these models can accidentally reveal private data in their outputs, or it could be exposed in a breach.

But these risks aren’t only about exposure. They also include regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and potential legal action. That’s why companies need to implement strong access controls, encryption, and data minimization and anonymization. And of course, raise awareness and train their employees on how to safely use these AI tools.


3. Deepfakes and identity fraud
With each update, generative AI tools are able to create more and more realistic image, audio, and video outputs. This enables new forms of identity fraud and misinformation-based attacks.

Cybercriminals may use deepfakes to:

• Impersonate executives to authorize fraudulent transactions;
• Imitate voices to trick call-center systems;
• Forge “evidence” in social engineering attacks.

These GenAI advancements keep further blurring the lines between reality and fabrication, taking this class of cyberthreats to a whole new level.

​

4. Overreliance on automated systems
Automated defense can create a false sense of security. If security teams rely on generative models too much without proper oversight, it might open blind spots that attackers can exploit.

Key risks include:

• AI model becoming less accurate or reliable over time;
• Misinterpreting or over-trusting AI-generated alerts;
• Bias and errors carried over from training data;
• Difficulty understanding why an advanced AI model made a specific decision.

That’s why human oversight and continuous monitoring remain essential.


5. Ethical and regulatory challenges
Generative AI in cybersecurity raises some tough questions. Governments and industries are still working on frameworks and regulations, but for now, the landscape remains uncertain:

• Who is accountable if AI-generated outputs cause harm?
• How should synthetic malware be created, stored, and controlled?
• What level of transparency should AI systems provide?
• Should offensive AI tools be restricted or licensed?

So, while rules are still being made and the legal side of the field is catching up, organizations need clear internal policies and safeguards.



The future of generative AI in cybersecurity
Generative AI is already transforming cybersecurity in more ways than one could’ve ever imagined. But what does the future of GenAI in cybersecurity look like?

To answer this question, I consulted with Balys Rutkauskas, a Cyber Security Engineer at Surfshark. Here’s what he had to say:

“AI is the biggest trend and buzzword nowadays, but only a few predict that it will change the way we work as fundamentally as computers and mobile phones did.”

Balys Rutkauskas, a Cyber Security Engineer at Surfshark

And while, in the grand scheme of things, GenAI may not be the printing press or the steam engine of our times, it is significantly shifting day-to-day life in the majority of sectors.

Balys notes that “AI definitely has a dark side,” and that’s why the EU initiated the first-ever regulatory and legal framework for AI usage in the European Union —

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. And more regulations around AI safety and transparency, model training data requirements, and ethical limits should follow globally.

On the other hand, Balys also argues that generative AI in cybersecurity “clearly has a bright future” thanks to its ability to sift massive amounts of logs and accelerate incident response, and emphasizes that AI is rapidly evolving from “a glorified text generator” into autonomous agents capable of executing complex security tasks.

The cybersecurity expert also stresses a culture of caution, reminding teams to “trust, but verify” and avoid feeding confidential data into AI systems.


Final thoughts: a new era of cyberdefense
Generative AI is reshaping cybersecurity fast. Its ability to create realistic simulations, predict threats, and automate complex tasks gives security teams more powerful tools than ever. However, the same technology that strengthens security can also fuel deepfakes, smarter attacks, and new privacy and ethical challenges.

So, while GenAI might not erase cyberthreats, it can help defenders anticipate, test, and counter them more effectively. Used wisely, it won’t just enhance cybersecurity — it will redefine it.

FAQ​

Can human cybersecurity experts be replaced by generative AI?
No, human cybersecurity experts cannot — and probably won’t ever be — completely replaced by generative AI. GenAI can automate tasks, analyze huge amounts of data, and simulate threats, but it cannot replace human judgment, ethics, intuition, or strategic decision-making. The strongest cybersecurity comes from AI working with human experts, not instead of them.

What are some examples of AI in cybersecurity?
AI is widely used across security operations, including:

• Threat detection;
• Malware analysis;
• Phishing detection;
• Automated incident response;
• Vulnerability scanning.

What are the main types of generative AI?
The main categories of generative AI include:

• Large language models (LLMs): e.g, GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformers) models, used for text generation and reasoning;
• Diffusion models: used for generating images, video, and audio;
• Generative adversarial networks (GANs): often used for realistic images, deepfakes, and data synthesis.

Is AI a benefit or threat to cybersecurity?
AI is both a benefit and a threat to cybersecurity. It strengthens cybersecurity by improving detection, prediction, and response. At the same time, attackers can misuse AI to automate attacks, create deepfakes, or bypass traditional security measures. The overall impact depends on responsible use, strong governance, and combining AI with skilled human oversight.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission
​

Supplemental Information:

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[jasonX]

GPS spoofing: what is it, and how to avoid it

GPS (Global Positioning System) spoofing involves sending false GPS signals to fool a receiver into believing it’s in a different location. While some use it for harmless and sound reasons, like gaming or privacy protection, others exploit it to mislead people or divert goods maliciously.

If this sounds a bit complicated, don’t worry. Below, Ms. Silvija Danauskaitė, of Surfshark breaks down how GPS spoofing works, the threats it poses, and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself.



What is GPS spoofing?​

GPS spoofing tricks your device into thinking it’s in a different location than it actually is by sending phony GPS signals. When your phone, car navigation system, or other devices rely on these signals, they calculate incorrectly and show the wrong location. When misused, GPS spoofing can be a menace to both everyday users and businesses, disrupting navigation, tracking, and location-based services.

How does GPS spoofing work?​

To protect yourself, it’s helpful to understand how GPS spoofing works. This means getting just a slight bit technical about how it operates.

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that pinpoints your exact location on Earth using signals from satellites orbiting the planet. A GPS receiver — like the one in your phone, watch, or car — picks up these signals from multiple satellites to calculate your position based on the time it takes for each signal to reach you.

However, by the time these signals get to your device, they can be pretty weak. GPS spoofing exploits this vulnerability by transmitting fake signals that mimic real ones. These fake signals are often set to the same frequencies as GPS satellites and can match their structure and timing. They’re also usually stronger or closer, effectively drowning out the genuine signals.

If your device doesn’t have safeguards in place, it might have a hard time distinguishing between real and fake signals. It will end up latching on to the stronger fake signals and displaying a completely different location, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of miles off.

Think of it this way: GPS satellites are lighthouses guiding a ship toward a harbor. If someone beams a brighter, fake light closer to the ship, it’s easy to be led astray and end up at the wrong destination.

What threats does GPS spoofing pose?​

Once reserved for warfare and espionage due to its high cost, GPS spoofing is now more accessible and affordable, even for everyday cybercriminals. This makes it one of the more common types of hacks to watch out for because of its potential dangers. Let’s go through some of them.

• Compromises navigation systems
  
  As vehicles, ships, and aircraft rely heavily on GPS for safe navigation, GPS spoofing can have life-threatening consequences.
  
  In vehicles, spoofing can steer drivers off course into dangerous areas or unsafe routes, increasing the risk of accidents. For vessels, it may cause collision, deviation, or grounding. Planes aren’t safe either — they could easily stray from their flight path into no-fly zones.
  
  Take, for example, what happened in 2023. The aviation advisory body OPSGROUP reported a spike in
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  . Some planes found themselves heading toward restricted areas or entering airspace without necessary clearance.
  
  
• Impacts personal devices
  
  GPS spoofing can mess with the functionality of your personal devices by disrupting location-dependent services and apps.
  
  For instance, it can mislead your ride-sharing service, causing the system to assume you’re in a different location, which can lead to delays, penalties, or canceled rides. It can also interfere with your fitness tracker, throwing off your training and performance stats.
  
  On a more serious note, wrong location data can slow down or hinder emergency response efforts. In critical situations, such as getting lost in the mountains, you could find yourself in dangerous circumstances due to inaccurate location information.
  
  
• Jeopardizes GPS-reliant industries
  
  Many industries count on accurate GPS data to keep things running smoothly. GPS spoofing can cause major headaches for these sectors.
  
  For a dramatic example, modern pirates are using GPS spoofing to hijack vessels that depend on GPS coordinates for navigation. At the same time, security services that rely on GPS to trigger alarms, send alerts or track locations are undermined when spoofing is involved.
  
  On a more subtle level, shipping companies using GPS-enabled locks to ensure cargo remains sealed until reaching its destination find their security measure foiled by spoofing. Builders keeping tabs on their expensive equipment through GPS face similar challenges.

How to protect yourself from GPS spoofing​

Unless you’re the one using GPS spoofing to protect privacy, prevent tracking, or play games, it can cause some serious damage. That’s why it’s crucial to protect yourself from GPS spoofing attacks. Here’s how you do it:

• Use encrypted GPS devices or systems
  
  Spoofing works by falsifying unencrypted signals. Switching to devices and systems that encrypt the signals they receive makes it difficult for bad actors to create valid-seeming signals. If they can’t imitate the real signals, they’ll have a hard time sending false info.
  
  For instance, the US military uses encrypted GPS to prevent spoofing attacks that could put their operations at risk. For regular folks like you and me, opting for GPS devices or apps with encryption — when available — can help mitigate the risks of GPS spoofing.

• Employ multi-factor location verification
  
  This verification method pulls info from multiple sources to confirm your location. So, instead of relying solely on GPS, your device cross-checks data from other sources like phone towers, Wi-Fi networks, and Bluetooth.
  
  Bad actors would need to manipulate several independent sources at the same time to pull it off. Otherwise, any GPS signal that appears suspicious or doesn’t match other location data will be flagged.
  
  Many smartphones and apps already use this method for improved accuracy. For instance, ride-sharing services combine GPS with Wi-Fi and cell tower signals to triangulate your location.

• Keep software up to date
  
  Regularly check and install updates for your GPS-enabled devices, like your phone, fitness tracker, or car navigation system. If there are any weak spots in the software or operating system, developers usually roll out patches to fix them, preventing hackers from exploiting the vulnerabilities for spoofing.
  
  Over time, hackers may also come up with new tricks to interfere with GPS signals. Software updates address these evolving threats and may even introduce stronger encryption, making it harder for spoofers to fake those signals. By keeping your devices up to date, you close security gaps and reduce the chances of spoofing.

• Use a VPN to mask your location data
  
  A VPN (Virtual Private Network) like Surfshark masks your IP (Internet Protocol) address, a unique digital identifier used by apps, services, and even cybercriminals to determine your whereabouts. When you connect to Surfshark, it swaps out your actual IP for one from its server, making it harder for spoofers to pinpoint your location and alter your GPS data.
  
  Hackers also often use IP addresses to zero in on your location before attempting to spoof your GPS. By concealing your IP with Surfshark, you significantly reduce the risk of being targeted. Additionally, Surfshark’s
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  changes your IP address periodically, further complicating coordinated attacks.

Fake locations, real risk — protect yourself from GPS spoofing​

By altering your location data, GPS spoofing can cause all sorts of trouble, including faulty navigation, compromised personal devices, and disruptions in GPS-dependent industries such as transportation, logistics, and agriculture. That’s why it’s crucial to take steps to protect yourself from GPS spoofing.

Where possible, use encrypted GPS devices and systems. Enable multi-factor location verification if it’s available. Most importantly, stay vigilant and practice good security hygiene by regularly updating software and using a VPN to mask your location.

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission
​