Outside Source
As the internet – and the world of crypto – evolves, so do the risks associated with it. Cybercrime is on the rise, with data theft, security breaches, and hacking becoming serious threats to blockchain users. Many have lost not only personal data but also digital assets to malicious actors.
These growing threats underscore the need for robust cybersecurity. While many companies offer privacy tools, most fail to provide comprehensive protection, leaving crypto users and blockchain enthusiasts vulnerable.
Surfshark fixes all these with its all-in-one cybersecurity platform. The platform focuses on humanized privacy and security solutions, giving users complete control of their digital lives.
What is Surfshark?
Surfshark is a cybersecurity platform that offers users online security, privacy, and a virtual private network (VPN), protecting them from data breaches and other security exploits. It also provides over 3,200 RAM-only servers to users in over 100 countries globally.
Vytautas Kaziukonis founded Surfshark in 2018 and has since managed the cybersecurity firm as its CEO. Currently headquartered in the Netherlands, Surfshark boasts over 400 employees.
Through its app, Surfshark offers users its all-in-one services. These products include the Surfshark VPN, Surfshark Antivirus, Surfshark Alert, Surfshark Search, Alternative ID, and Incogni, where each service is tied to a specific pricing tier.
Surfshark boasts an intuitive user interface, allowing users of all expertise levels to access its products. Its app is accessible on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Apple TV, and Fire TV.
Surfshark has partnered with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-profit firms to spread awareness of censorship, data breaches, internet shutdowns, and other cybersecurity threats. These NGOs and non-profits include NetBlocks, Internet Society, Project Syndicate, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the European Digital Rights. The cybersecurity firm has also introduced research projects to educate the public about online cyber threats and ways to avoid them.
Surfshark Products
The cybersecurity platform enables access to six products. They are:
Surfshark VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) creates a secure, encrypted connection over the internet, protecting users’ online activity from being tracked and masking their location. This helps users access content that might be blocked in their country and keeps their data safe.
Surfshark provides a reliable VPN service with over 3,200 servers across different countries. It lets users browse, stream, and download safely. It also offers features like an ad and malware blocker, connects via two servers for extra privacy, and bypasses restrictions in censored regions.
Surfshark Antivirus
An antivirus protects users’ devices from malware, viruses, and other harmful software. It scans their system to detect and remove threats, keeping the device safe from cyberattacks.
Surfshark Antivirus provides real-time protection and scheduled scans to detect malicious software on users’ devices. It is easy to use and seamlessly integrates with Surfshark’s other security tools. It also scans and blocks malicious websites and downloads.
Surfshark Alert
This tool monitors whether the user’s personal data, such as email addresses, passwords, and credit card details, has been exposed to data breaches. It sends the user alerts to take action before their data is misused.
With Surfshark Alert, users are immediately notified that their data is compromised so they can change their passwords, cancel their credit cards, or take any action to safeguard funds and user data.
Surfshark Search
Private search engines ensure that users’ searches are anonymous and untraceable. Surfshark Search provides an ad-free search experience with no logs or tracking, ensuring users’ search queries and results stay private.
Alternative ID & Alternative Number
Surfshark’s Alternative ID is a privacy tool that generates temporary user email addresses. It protects their email addresses from spam exposure when signing up for newsletters and web registration. For the service to work, the disposable email address forwards messages to the user’s email account, keeping their primary email safe and private.
Surfshark also has an Alternative Number, a feature that provides users with temporary, virtual phone numbers, including United States phone numbers. It keeps their phone number private when making calls or signing up for services requiring a phone number. It also prevents unwanted calls to the user’s actual phone number.
Incogni
Data brokers are collecting and selling users’ data without their consent. Incogni contacts these brokers on customers’ behalf to request the deletion of their personal data from their databases. The service is available in the U.S., the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, and Switzerland.
Surfshark Pricing
Surfshark offers three pricing plans that open access to specific services. They are:
- Surfshark Starter: This plan unlocks the VPN and Alternative ID functions. Its monthly price is $15.45 (including taxes).
- Surfshark One: This plan unlocks the VPN, Antivirus, Alert, and Search services. Its monthly price is $15.95 (including taxes).
- Surfshark One+: This pricing tier enables access to VPN, Antivirus, Alert, Search, Alternative ID, and Incogni. The monthly price is $17.95 (including taxes).
NOTE: Incogni can be purchased separately with a one-month plan of $12.99 with tax.
Surfshark Security
Surfshark employs a series of security measures to ensure that user’s data are private and secure from prying eyes.
The platform offers the WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec, and OpenVPN VPN protocols known for their security, speed, and reliability.
Surfshark uses the AES-256 encryption algorithm, generally regarded as one of the best in the industry, to secure users’ internet traffic between their computers and the VPN server. 256-bit encryption refers to the length of the encryption key used to secure a file or stream of data.
When combined with secure protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec, this encryption feature ensures that users’ data is entirely safe from snooping and tampering. Even if hackers or other third parties were able to intercept data, it is designed to remain uncrackable.
Along with AES-256 encryption, Surfshark uses ChaCha20 encryption for the WireGuard protocol. Although similar, the main difference between both encryptions is that AES-256 divides data into blocks, whereas ChaCha20 ciphers each bit of data separately.
Surfshark also uses a 2048-bit version of the RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) encryption key. This feature has two keys, each used to encrypt and decrypt. The digit 2048 represents the number of bits in the mentioned RSA key itself.
Surfshark utilizes a private domain name system (DNS) on its servers, enabling users to add an extra layer of protection and prevent third parties from intercepting browsing sessions. For more protection, there is an option for multi-hop connections, which offers an added layer of security by passing users’ connections through multiple VPN servers instead of only one.
Another important security feature on Surfshark is the kill switch. It enables a user to disconnect from the internet automatically if it detects that the VPN connection is severed.
Surfshark boasts of being among the first providers in the VPN industry to upgrade its servers to RAM-only infrastructure. This means any information, usually on the hard drive, wipes off automatically whenever a server is turned off.
Surfshark also performs comprehensive checks to identify outdated firewalls and missing software patches that could be entry points for cyber threats. The cybersecurity platform provides webcam protection and anti-spyware technology to round out its defenses.
To demonstrate its commitment to reliability and better security practices, Surfshark initiated an independent security audit and introduced two-factor authentication to its products. The company’s Android mobile app has also passed security auditing by the App Defense Alliance, proving that it meets industry standards set by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWAP).
Why Use Surfshark
Here are reasons to use Surfshark:
Boost Anonymity
The open nature of the internet has made it difficult for users to maintain their privacy and protect their personal data. Surfshark changes the narrative by allowing users to boost their anonymity while accessing their preferred internet services. Using Surfshark’s suite of products encrypts users’ data, preventing them from being tracked by hackers, government agencies, or analytical firms. Users can also rest assured that their data is not susceptible to compromise by unauthorized entities.
Bypass Geographical Restrictions
For far too long, users in various regions globally have had to contend with regulatory bans on certain services and websites. Such bans often affect legal business activities, social interactions, and more. With Surfshark VPN, users do not need to worry about geographical restrictions as they seamlessly interact with their desired platforms.
Protection from Unsafe Crypto Trading
Over the past few years, the crypto industry has been the target of multiple hacks, sweeping billions from the market. Hackers commonly execute these exploits through phishing links, compromising SMS verifications, data breaches, and more. Even experienced crypto traders fall prey to these attacks. However, Surfshark protects users’ accounts and funds through its products designed to mask users’ digital footprint, and alert users against malicious links and platforms.
Other benefits of using Surfshark include:
- 24/7 customer support.
- No-logs policy.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Accessible on multiple devices.
- It brings multiple services into one app.
- Supports multiple devices.
Conclusion
Surfshark offers a cohort of tools themed around privacy and security to give crypto users complete control of their digital identity. This article highlighted all six primary tools Surfshark offers, including its pricing plans and security.
This article first appeared at CryptoPotato
