CyberGhost VPN Review: Ultimate Guide

Cyberghost VPN Review

Cyberghost VPN

Cyberghost Features

When you sign up for a CyberGhost subscription, you can expect the following features:

• Zero log data policy: 

While this seems like a good feature on the surface (and it definitely has its perks) there are a couple of things about this policy that are a bit off-putting. CyberGhost will keep the standard stuff such as your name, address, email, username, and payment information.

But they also keep your IP address. The company claims this will be anonymized, only detailing your approximate location by country, as well as anonymous information on what browser you’re using, your devices, and the date and time of when you used the VPN.

CyberGhost considers this ‘non-personal’ data and is not associated with data within the encrypted tunnel. 

Still, it begs the question why this information is necessary to keep in the first place. Account information is necessary for your subscription, but there really isn’t any reason to keep information about what device you’re using or when you used the VPN. However, they don’t keep any information on your VPN traffic.

• A kill switch: 

CyberGhost has a kill switch which means that if anytime you lose connection to the VPN, your IP address will not be exposed. This feature goes as far as disconnecting your device from the internet and shutting down all the webpages you were connected to in order to protect your identity from your ISP and government agencies.

This may seem a drastic measure, but a surefire way to make sure you’re not snooped on even for a second.

However, if you’d like to disable this feature, unfortunately, you can’t. This makes the prospect of your internet connection unexpectedly dropping due to losing your VPN connection even more frustrating, especially if it drops when you’re in the middle of downloading a big file.

• Easy access to content on various versions of Netflix:

With CyberGhost, you can freely click through all content from Netflix US and certain localized versions.

However, there is a caveat to this. If you want to access content made exclusively for Netflix UK you may have to pay extra. This is because Netflix recently released new policies regarding streaming their content from different locations.

These new policies mean that content from Netflix UK can only be accessed through accounts that were purchased by UK IP addresses.

But you can still stream Netflix easily with CyberGhost as well as Hulu, Youtube Red, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN+, Crunchyroll, and other streaming services.

Other CyberGhost features include torrenting files (you can do this easily by clicking on the ‘Torrent Anonymously’ button), and anonymous, static, shared IP addresses.

CyberGhost also has apps available for download for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux and other routers so you can use it across different devices. You can also access the VPN via Wifi, 4G, 3G, and LTE connections.

You can even access a public and private network at the same time with CyberGhost. All you need to do is click on Smart Rules > Exceptions and you can access web pages in and out of your encrypted tunnel at the same time.

The Cyberghost App

Whatever VPN you use, the corresponding app is incredibly important especially when surfing the web on a mobile device. There is no point subscribing to a VPN service if the interface is bad and you can’t make the most out of it.

CyberGhost app is not only easy to navigate, but visually pleasing too. Their little ghost mascot is undeniably cute!

The app has a 4.6 rating on the Apple Store, and a slightly lower rating on Google Play Store with four out of five stars. Most users are satisfied with the app, although some reviews mentioned dissatisfaction with the app’s latest interface update.

Cyberghost Encryption

When analyzing a VPN’s tunnelling options, one very important layer to discuss is that of encryption.

Good quality encryption is like having a good quality lock on a door. You wouldn’t just give anyone the keys to your house, so why give them access to your web browser where valuable information is often stored? This is why good encryption is so important, because if the code can be easily cracked your information will be exposed.

CyberGhost uses AES-256 encryption, which is the highest standard that is most often used in VPNs today. CyberGhost uses AES-256 encryption and their own domain name server (DNS) and connects you to the server of your choice.

CyberGhost also does not give you your own, private IP address, but connects you to an anonymous, static IP address that you share with other CyberGhost users who chose the same server. This strategy has the same effect as blending into a crowd, it makes it very difficult for anyone to find your identity just by the IP addresses.

Cyberghost Protocols

Another important aspect to any VPN is its protocols. They determine how your data is routed from your computer to the VPN server. There are many types of protocols, and some are better suited to certain situations than others. Some protocols offer more security, while some give you faster internet speed.

Below, you will find the protocol options offered by CyberGhost. Take a look and see if they meet your needs.

• OpenVPN:

One of the most secure VPN options out there, OpenVPN is open source, meaning you can assess the source code yourself for vulnerabilities. OpenVPN is crowd-sourced by a community that is constantly updating and improving the code, making it less likely to be hijacked by surveillance agencies.

OpenVPN also lets you use AES-256 encryption to bypass firewalls, and works with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, and even Blackberries and Windows Phones.

OpenVPN is not only highly configurable, but a great option for speed and security. Overall, it’s an incredibly high-quality protocol.

• L2TP/IPSec: 

L2TP (or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) doesn’t offer a very secure connection by itself, and does not provide encryption or privacy. L2TP only has your back when combined with IPSec. A decent team, L2TP creates the tunnel while IPSec deals with the AES-256 encryption, data integrity checks, and channel security.

However, LSTP/IPSec can be blocked by firewalls and is slower than OpenVPN.