Surfshark is a name synonymous with offering one of the best VPNs on the market, but that's not all it has to offer. Subscribers to its Surfshark One plan also get access to (among other things) Surfshark Antivirus, a system that is now celebrating some serious recognition.
That's right, Surfshark Antivirus has backed up its credentials with performance. It has been put through its paces by the independent organization AV-Test and has been judged a "top product".
With the obvious privacy benefits of VPN providers providing your computer's antivirus system, these VPN and antivirus bundles are becoming more common. The antivirus tools aren't just afterthoughts either. Earlier this year NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro tool was recognised as a certified anti-phishing tool. But how has Surfshark proven its antivirus credentials?
How was Surfshark Antivirus tested?
Surfshark Antivirus was tested and scored (on Windows devices) in three main criteria.
Protection – how well it fared off attacks and malware.
Performance – how the product affected the performance of the device it was installed on.
Usability – measuring any unwanted side-effects like false alarms and unnecessary internet restrictions.
With each category scored out of six, Surfshark Antivirus received perfect scores for Protection and Usability with a 5.6/6 for Performance. Very impressive.
These aren't just lab results either, according to AV-Test, Surdfshark was tested in an environment applicable to the real world "We focused on realistic test scenarios and challenged the products against real-world threats."
What is AV-Test?
Not what but who. AV-Test is an established independent research institute for IT security. Based in Germany, it has over 20 years of experience and "tests on an internationally recognized level and at the current state of the art."
How to get Surfshark Antivirus
Surfshark Antivirus is included as part of select Surfshark subscriptions. The bad news is that the cheapest Surfshark subscription won't get you access to its antivirus but the good news is that Surfshark One plans start at just $2.69 a month. For that you get access to a top-tier VPN, Surfshark Antivirus and a host of other privacy tools.
If you want to go beyond you can opt for a Surfshark One+ plan, which also includes access to Incogni, a service that removes your private information from online databases.
