A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, protects you from threats on public networks, and it can also shield you wherever you are from the probing of governments, companies, or your internet service provider itself. It encrypts your data before it even leaves your computer, making your presence online anonymous and untraceable.
You could compare a VPN to a secret tunnel for your internet traffic, where only you know where the entryways are. Your encrypted information is sent to a server that could be located anywhere in the world. The server then sends the data on anonymously, with no link whatsoever to you.
If you want to protect your right to privacy, your assets, and your information while online, a VPN is a must. But you have lots of services to choose from. This CyberGhost VPN review will explore what to look for in terms of VPNs’ privacy features, as well as the ins and outs of CyberGhost VPN, a premium provider with over 30 million users worldwide.
Choosing the right VPN for privacy
One absolute rule of thumb is to avoid free services. Running a VPN service costs money, so if it’s offered free with no strings attached, something doesn’t add up. These VPNs are often just thinly masked ploys to collect your data or even inject malware into your device. The last thing you want is to funnel all your traffic through an unreliable third party that’s keeping tabs on you.
This leads us to one of CyberGhost VPN’s main strengths: the service’s no log policy.
With CyberGhost VPN, you can be the ghost in the machine, but the service has no records to haunt you. It can’t reveal your data to anyone because it simply doesn’t keep it.
This commitment to no logs dates back to the company’s inception and is made possible by the unique regulatory environment in Romania, where the company is headquartered. Romania’s highest court has thrown out data retention legislation twice.
The country is also outside of the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance of Western countries that exchange data and intelligence. There is less of a chance the government authorities will force VPN providers to turn over customer data, as has happened in the past in the U.S. and other nations.
All these factors combine to give CyberGhost VPN an inherent advantage in terms of its ability to protect your privacy.
CyberGhost’s commitment to privacy is reinforced by the VPN’s transparency report yearly publication. It was the first company in the VPN industry to publish such a report back in 2011.
One further step that CyberGhost VPN could take would be to subject itself to an external audit, but it’s frank disclosures of what it does and does not do coupled with no logging make it very strong on this front.
Encryption Protocols
Policies are essential, but having the tech to back them up is vital. There are several different ways for VPNs to put their information into secret codes as they are sent over the internet, and some are more secure than others. CyberGhost VPN offers the AES-256 encryption protocol, a military-grade standard that is even used by government agencies to transmit confidential information.
This protocol does not necessarily set CyberGhost VPN apart from its competitors since most premium VPNs have this encryption standard. But it does mean that your data will be invulnerable. CyberGhost does offer a choice of other protocols such as PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, and OpenVPN if you have a different preference.
Other specs and features
Though privacy and security are paramount for VPNs, it’s also essential to look at other features such as speed, ease of use, and extras that provide added value. The strongest encryption in the world isn’t worth much if it’s hard to use!
In the speed department, CyberGhost VPN offers unlimited bandwidth and velocities in line with its competitors.
Its interface, however, is the crème de la crème. You can connect with just one click and select an optimized server for your needs (streaming or torrenting).
You also have 24/7 Customer Support services offered in English, German, French, and Romanian.
CyberGhost VPN also comes with an ad blocker, although it does not filter ads based on DNS requests like many other ad-blocking services do. This means it does not block ads from HTTPS versions of websites.
One CyberGhost VPN subscription can be used on up to 7 devices simultaneously.
CyberGhost VPN also dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Linux, and even routers.
What’s the Price tag?
Considering that a VPN could protect you from a significant financial attack, a few dollars a month is nothing to be balked at.
CyberGhost’s shorter plans are not particularly competitive, at $12.99 for one month. But you can get it for a reasonable $2.75 per month with the 3-year plan.
Also, there is an exclusive Cyberghost offer that gives you a 1-year
plus 6-months bonus i.e., 18 months at just $2.75 per month.
It’s more affordable than NordVPN, at $2.99 per month for the 3-year plan, or ExpressVPN, which costs a whopping $8.32 per month for a 1-year plan (it doesn’t offer an extended version).
The maturity of a company is a concern to weigh when considering long-term VPN options. CyberGhost VPN is a well-established company that has been experiencing steady growth in recent years.
The verdict on CyberGhost VPN
| Upsides Strict No logs policy to protect your privacy. Strong encryption with multiple protocol choices. Easy-to-use interface including automatic server selection. Round-the-clock Customer Support via email or live chat. Competitively priced long-term plans. | Downsides No Customer Support over the phone. |
Though not the most affordable solution if you’re looking for a short-term VPN, CyberGhost VPN is no lightweight when it comes to the most important reason to use a VPN: privacy.
Its strong encryption and strict no logs policy, combined with very well-designed client apps with excellent customer support, place it among the top choices for a premium VPN service to protect you from prying eyes online.
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