88 MACWORLD AUGUST 2019
WORKINGMAC REVIEW: SURFSHARKSECURITY, SOFTWARE,
SERVERS, AND SPEED
Surfshark uses IKEv2/IPsec as its security
protocol. For encryption and
authentication it uses the following:
Data encryption: 256 bit AES-GCM
Data authentication: SHA-512
Handshake: Elliptic Curve Diffie-
Hellman 521
The company is based in the British
Virgin Islands in Road Town, which is on
the Island of Tortola. Surfshark’s CEO goes
by the name Par Kaz, and the CTO is
Magnus Steinberg.
Surfshark’s macOS app is available via
direct download from the company’s site,
or via the Mac App Store. For those
interested in getting the latest version with
all the newest features, direct download
from the company’s site is probably best. If
you’re more interested in using Apple’s
built-in security mechanisms to install apps,
stick with the App Store.
When you first open Surfshark you get
a very basic two-panel window. On the left
is a list of all the various country locations.
Click one, and the app connects
automatically. To disconnect, click the
button on the right panel.
Surfshark’s MultiHop feature is also
accessible from the left panel via a tab at
the top. MultiHop connects to two different
VPN locations before hitting the open
internet. There were eight different
MultiHop options at this writing.
Once you’re connected, the right-hand
panel doesn’t do much—it hosts a
Disconnect button and an animated
Surfshark logo. When you’re
connected the logo turns
green, and the panel
displays the country you’re
connected to and your new
IP address. That’s a lot of
wasted space if you ask
me, but at least it’s easy
to navigate.
Select the settings cog in
the upper-right of the
window to see the app’s
options. By default, the
internet kill switch is enabled
Surfshark with an active connection. so if the VPN connection