CyberGhost VPN is a fully featured-packed VPN provider and is one of the most preferred users’ choices. It works on the mission to protect users’ activities from alPIAl snooping eyes and guarantees a top-notch level of online security. But, the debate on its parent company makes people think CyberGhost is honest with its claims. The VPN’s parent company owners are accused of spreading adware and malware on other users’ devices. Moreover, the company hasn’t undergone a third-party log-audit process since 2012. All this raises significant doubts among the users.
At a glance, CyberGhost VPN looks like a great VPN that uses robust encryption, operates from a safe jurisdiction, and offers a range of features that are vital for a safe and secure user experience. Before getting into details, have a quick overview of the VPN. The following table gives a quick review of the VPN features, so have a look:
Security and Privacy:
Encryption
- SHA-256 authentication key
- 4096 bit RSA key
- AES-256 bit encryption
Jurisdiction
- Romania
Log Policy
- Follows a no-log policy but does keep a minimum of information
Security Features
- Kill switch
- Split tunneling
- VPN leak protection
- Wi-Fi protection
- Dedicated IP address
- Security Suite
- Password Manager
- Private browser
- Content Blocker
Streaming and Torrenting
List of Compatible Streaming Platforms
- Amazon Prime Video
- Disney Plus
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- Netflix
- BBC iPlayer
List of Torrenting Features
- Split tunneling
- Torrent IP leak protection
User-friendliness
No. of Servers
- 7000+ servers in 90+ countries. Five specialty servers too
Pricing
- $2.29/m on 3 years and 3 months plans
- $2.03/m on 2-year plans
- $6.99/m on a monthly plan
Customer Support
- Live chat support
- Online resources
Compatible Devices
- Android
- iOS
- macOS
- Windows
- Smart TV
- Linux
- Routers
- Fire Stick and Tv
- Apple TV
- Samsung TV
- Roku
- PS4
- Xbox One/360
- AndroidTV
The following CyberGhost VPN review looks into their service, privacy policy, and features to give you a clear answer. So, let’s dive into it:
Security and Privacy
A safe and trusted VPN provider uses strong encryption ciphers and tunneling protocols to protect your data. It maintains maximum online security by protecting from VPN leaks. Moreover, it doesn’t record and share your activities and thus making you more anonymous on the web.
What type of Encryption does CyberGhost VPN Use
CyberGhost uses a top-notch level of encryption to safeguard your data traffic from all snooping eyes. The VPN provider uses state-of-the-art AES-256-bit encryption, a 4096-bit RSA key, and an SHA-256 authentication key.
Many top-rated VPN providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN use the SHA-512 authentication key. But it doesn’t mean that CyberGhost is anyhow less. The SHA-256 key is secure and doesn’t leak internet traffic to anyone.
Jurisdiction of CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost has its headquarters in Romania. The country falls outside the jurisdiction of the global surveillance alliance, meaning your data won’t be shared with international intelligence agencies. But, Romania is a member of the European Union, so the data retention laws of the EU and the Romanian regional laws might apply to the users.
However, the mandatory data retention laws pushed by the EU are unconstitutional in Romania. In addition, it is a free country ranked in the Global Freedom Index 2021, so the users are subjected to no anti-privacy or data logging laws. Therefore, it is a safe jurisdiction for operating a VPN company and won’t log and share your data.
Logging Policy – Does it Keep Logs?
CyberGhost is a private VPN provider that keeps all your activities and browsing data private. It follows a strict no-log policy that doesn’t log your traffic and connection logs. According to the privacy policy:
However, the VPN provider does collect and keeps some amount of data like:
- Transaction location
- Approximate location
- Connection attempts with the IP address are stored in an anonymized manner.
This might put the users in doubt, mainly when the VPN provider hasn’t audited its logging policy. CyberGhost audited its log policy in 2012 by QSCERT. After that, the company issues annual transparency reports. These reports reveal the number of requests the company receives for providing the users’ data. But since they don’t record anything, they have nothing to show.
CyberGhost is a truly no-log VPN that doesn’t record any data logs. But to gain more trust from the users, the company must undergo a third-party log audit process.
Which tunneling protocols does it Offer?
Besides using military-grade encryption, CyberGhost VPN also uses a range of secure tunneling protocols to maintain the utmost level of online security. The VPN uses:
- WireGuard
- OpenVPN
- IKEv2 protocols.
The WireGuard protocol is the latest next-generation protocol that’s safe and fast. The OpenVPN protocol is also a popular open-source protocol that supports TCP and UDP ports and provides a perfect balance of reliability and security. Besides this, the IKEv2 is best for mobile devices and offers excellent compatibility with other devices.
OpenVPN is the default protocol in all CyberGhost apps. But you can also manually switch the protocols depending on your activity.
How good is CyberGhost VPN at bypassing censorship?
Though CyberGhost doesn’t offer any obfuscation technology like the other top-tier VPNs, you can still use it to bypass censorship. The VPN provides advanced features like the NoSpy servers and the dedicated IP address servers that work simultaneously. They guarantee maximum anonymity and protection and allow you to circumvent censorship. As a result, you can use CyberGhost to access any blocked website, service, or platform. You can also use it in restrictive states like UAE, Turkey, RSA, and Iran.
In addition, CyberGhost offers servers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and other countries neighboring China. Connecting to these servers allows you to circumvent censorship and access the web without restrictions.
Past history of CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost started its operation in 2011 under a German IT expert. In 2017, an Israeli firm, Crossrider, bought the company for $9.2 million. The company later changed its name and is now popularly known as Kape Technologies. The same company also owns Zenmate, PIA, and ExpressVPN.
However, the company has not a good privacy track record among the users. It’s accused of distributing adware and malware through fake Adobe Flash updates and infected software bundles. Furthermore, Kape Technologies is registered in the UK, meaning the UK data retention laws are applicable. Also, it’s a member of the five eyes alliance and, thus, is a less privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
Extra privacy and security features by CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN provides every VPN provider’s basic security and privacy features. These features include a kill switch, split tunneling, VPN leak protection, and Smart Rules. Besides this, it provides a range of extra privacy and security-boosting features that many other top-tier VPNs lack. Here’s a quick overview of these features:
WiFi protection
Public Wi-Fi networks are notorious because hackers always monitor the network for potential targets. Anyone accessing unsecured Wi-Fi can fall easy victim to various cyber-attacks. CyberGhost VPN enables users to stay safe and secure on public Wi-Fi networks. You can enable the Wi-Fi protection feature by navigating to the settings option and increasing your Wi-Fi security. You can choose the activity from the given options: ask, always connect, never connect, or terminate the connection.
Content blocker
CyberGhost offers an impressive content blocker feature on Windows devices to protect users’ privacy and security. It returns the IP address of the unwanted domain names as the address that can’t be routed over the public internet. Moreover, it blocks ads and potential malware and viruses that aim to infect your device.
Dedicated IP address
To enable users to protect their online identity and browse the web anonymously without any restrictions, CyberGhost VPN offers a dedicated IP address feature. Unlike the shared IP address, the dedicated IP address exclusively belongs to you and remains the same whenever you connect to a server. CyberGhost assigns you a dedicated IP address via a token-based system. After receiving the token, you must redeem it in your account and validate it within your VPN apps.
With CyberGhost’s dedicated IP address feature, you will likely see fewer CAPTCHAs, secure your accounts and IoT devices, and get off the blacklist. The VPN offers dedicated IP address servers in five locations: the UK, the US, Canada, France, and Germany. Since it is an add-on feature, you must pay an extra $5/m to get the dedicated IP address.
Password manager
Besides offering robust security and privacy, CyberGhost VPN offers a password manager feature that allows users to secure and organize their passwords in an encrypted vault. The company collaborates with Passcamp to introduce a reliable password manager to create strong and unique passwords for your accounts. It uses two-factor authentication and a secure SRP 6A authentication protocol to restrict your password access. Also, your credentials are encrypted by using the AES-256 bit encryption and RSA-4096 key.
Another benefit of using CyberGhost password manager is that you can store unlimited passwords and can automatically fill in your credentials. Get the CyberGhost password manager feature for $3.49 monthly on Android and iOS devices, and keep your passwords safe.
Security suite
Though VPNs are excellent tools for online anonymity, they aren’t very effective in protecting you against malware and other device threats. But you can improve your security with CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows devices. The security suite includes an Intego antivirus and a security updater to boost digital privacy.
The VPN company partnered with Intego to bring the antivirus feature into the VPN apps. It provides 24/7 protection against malware, viruses, Trojans, and other threats. Similarly, the security updater performs multi-functions such as detecting and updating outdated apps, getting an overview of the software security, and even seeing the security impact of each program. This ensures that your apps are not vulnerable or become an easy entry point for the threat actors. If you want to protect your Windows devices with a security suite, get it now for $5.99 monthly.
Private browser
To ensure an anonymous browsing experience, CyberGhost also offers a free private browser that runs off DuckDuckGo and is compatible with Windows, iOS, and MacOS platforms. It consists of a built-in ad/malware blocker that wipes out all intrusive ads and ensures a smoother browsing experience. The browser has zero Google integration and guarantees no data is recorded or shared with third parties.
Moreover, it deletes all trackers, cookies, browsing data, and passwords, giving you more control over your online privacy. The CyberGhost private browser is available for all major search engines like Google, Bing, DuckDuckGO, and Yahoo.
Streaming and Torrenting
CyberGhost comes with unlimited bandwidth and data caps and, thus, is best suited for streaming and torrenting. You can use it on a range of streaming and torrent downloading sites. The VPN guarantees a fantastic user experience without compromising your security.
Compatible streaming platforms
CyberGhost works on all streaming platforms and hence ensures the best streaming experience. The VPN offers specialized servers for streaming, so it’s easy to access the blocked content. You can use CyberGhost to unblock streaming content from all popular services like:
- Amazon Prime
- BBC iPlayer
- Disney Plus
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- Netflix
CyberGhost is also a good option for bypassing the Netflix block. It unblocks nine different Netflix libraries and lets you enjoy your favorite streaming content. Since the VPN offers reliable and fast streaming speed, you won’t experience much buffering and connection lags. You should use the WireGuard protocol while streaming because it’s faster than OpenVPN and IkEv2.
To sum up, CyberGhost is a good VPN for streaming and never fails to impress users.
Is CyberGhost VPN good for Torrenting?
CyberGhost is an ideal option for downloading torrents. Its dedicated P2P servers, fast speed, and torrent-specific features make it a good choice for torrenting. The VPN works perfectly well on popular torrent clients like:
- BitTorrent
- uTorrent
- Deluge
- qBitTorrent
You must connect to the P2P optimized servers and download torrents from anywhere with maximum anonymity and protection. It also doesn’t leak your Torrent IP address or store torrent activity records. Moreover, the VPN also offers an advanced split tunneling feature that boosts your downloading experience.
CyberGhost NoSpy and dedicated IP address servers can also be used for additional security and privacy. However, despite offering maximum security while torrenting, the user still gets warnings from the ISP over piracy while using CyberGhost VPN, which puts the users in doubt.
How fast is CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost is not the fastest, but the speeds are more than fast. It provides reliable and consistently fast connection speeds that are enough for streaming, gaming, and downloading. The VPN speeds are the fastest on the local servers, but you might experience connection drops as the distance increases.
By switching your protocols, you can easily overcome this issue. The WireGuard protocol is the fastest to use for uninterrupted connections. Meanwhile, OpenVPN and IKEv2 also offer stable and above-average connection speeds.
As a whole, CyberGhost offers pretty stable internet speed, but on remote servers, you can encounter minimum connection lagging. But you can avoid this problem by switching the protocols and servers.
User-Friendliness
Another impressive thing about CyberGhost is that it is easy to use. All the apps have a clean and intuitive user interface that’s easy to navigate and won’t cause any trouble. You can find the solution in the customer support category if you encounter issues while downloading or setting up the app on your device. It has various videos and troubleshooting that might help you.
Moreover, the CyberGhost apps offer customizable options that enhance your user experience.
The number of servers CyberGhost VPN provides
CyberGhost is among the few VPN providers that offer an extensive server network. The VPN consists of 7000+ servers in 90+ countries and constantly updates its server network. There are 117 locations where you can find CyberGhost servers, including Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, and the US.
In addition, CyberGhost also offers various servers optimized for specific activities like:
- P2P Servers: These servers help fast torrent downloading and work with all popular torrent clients.
- Gaming Servers: These servers have low latency and ensure a fast and hassle-free gaming experience.
- Streaming Servers: You can connect to these servers to access the blocked streaming content anywhere.
- Dedicated IP Address Servers: To reduce the risk of static IP addresses, you can connect to the dedicated IP address servers and enjoy maximum anonymity on the web. The VPN offers these servers in nine countries: the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, and Singapore.
- NoSpy Servers: These servers are owned by the CyberGhost data center in Romania and come with extra bandwidth and ensure more anonymity.
If you can’t find a server in your desired location, you can even request a server location.
How good is CyberGhost VPN customer support
Another best thing about CyberGhost is its effective customer support. The VPN offers various options to get connected with the customer support team. It has a 24/7 live chat feature, email support, and detailed online resources to help users. You can start the live chat if you want an instant reply. Enter your query, and the related support post will appear. But you can also opt to chat with a live agent. The chat agents are pretty professional and respond promptly.
You can also create an email ticket to connect with the support team member to resolve the query. Besides this, the CyberGhost website has a separate page for customer support. You can find a range of FAQs, troubleshooting, video tutorials, FAQs, and blogs that prove very useful to the users.
As a whole, CyberGhost provides excellent customer support options to users. Their customer team is well-informed and knowledgeable and gives timely responses.
What devices is CyberGhost VPN compatible with
CyberGhost VPN’s excellent device compatibility feature also makes it the most preferred choice of users. The VPN is available for all platforms and devices, such as:
- Android
- iOS
- MacOS
- Linux
- Routers
- Windows
In addition, you can also download and install the CyberGhost VPN on a range of streaming devices and gaming consoles, such as:
- Smart TV
- Android TV
- Fire Stick and Tv
- Apple TV
- Samsung TV
- Roku
- PS4
- Xbox One/360
The VPN offers native and well-designed apps for each platform and device; download them and enjoy an excellent user experience. However, the availability of features varies from device to device. For instance, the kill switch feature is available on all devices except for Linux, while you can use the split tunneling feature only on Android devices. Hence, the Android app gives the best performance.
Conclusion
CyberGhost is a reliable VPN provider offering everything a user might want in a VPN. The VPN provides dedicated streaming, torrenting, and gaming servers and works on most devices and operating systems. It uses strong AES-256-bit encryption and WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN protocol to protect your internet traffic.
Besides this, the VPN offers advanced features like a dedicated IP address, NoSpy servers, and an ad blocker that further boosts online security. The prices are also affordable, with good discounts on extended subscription plans. However, CyberGhost should improve its reputation by undergoing an independent third-party log audit process.
FAQs
How useful was this post?
Share this article
About the Author
Rebecca James is an IT consultant with forward thinking approach toward developing IT infrastructures of SMEs. She writes to engage with individuals and raise awareness of digital security, privacy, and better IT infrastructure.
More from Rebecca JamesRelated Posts
ExtremeVPN Review (2024): Fast, Affordable, User-friendly
ExtremeVPN is a modern VPN with some of the most fantastic privacy, security, streaming, and torrent...
StrongVPN Review: Is It Strong Enough to Use In 2024?
StrongVPN is one of the oldest yet most overlooked VPN service providers, giving the impression that...
How TorGuard VPN Really Guards Your Privacy? Detailed Review
TorGuard VPN emerges as a strong product that provides an anonymous VPN, a business VPN, and a priva...
Does Bitdefender VPN Provide Enough Defence? Detailed Review
Bitdefender is a trustworthy brand that offers cybersecurity solutions for homes and businesses, inc...
Does FastestVPN Provide Fastest VPN Service? Detailed Review
FastestVPN marked its way in the industry in 2016. The VPN claims to have the jam-packed features re...
PrivadoVPN Review: Is It Fast, Secure, and Private to Use In 2024?
PrivadoVPN is a small yet mighty VPN provider that offers free and premium plans. The paid version p...
