Surfshark is a privacy-centric cybersecurity company based in the Netherlands, a country with strong data protection laws and no mandatory data retention requirements. The company is fully committed to user privacy and security, following a strict no-logs policy and collecting only the minimal data needed to operate its services.
Data Collected
Surfshark collects limited information for account management and service optimization. Here's what is collected:
Email address: Used for account creation and communication.
Password (encrypted): Secured for user login purposes.
Subscription details: Including plan type, activation date, and billing info (via third-party payment processors).
Device information: Required for services like antivirus to ensure compliance with device limits.
Smart DNS usage: Temporarily processes the user’s IP address when this feature is enabled.
Surfshark Search: Collects aggregate metrics on how many searches are performed—no individual queries are stored.
No-Logs Policy
Surfshark does not collect or store:
Browsing history
IP addresses (post-session)
Connection timestamps
Session data
Used bandwidth
Network traffic
This ensures that even Surfshark cannot identify what users do online. Their infrastructure is designed to support privacy by default.
Data Retention Practices
Temporary session data: Basic connection metadata (e.g., user ID and IP address) is used briefly during active sessions and automatically erased 15 minutes after the session ends.
No persistent logs: Surfshark never retains data that can identify users or their behavior online.
Legal Jurisdiction
Operating from the Netherlands allows Surfshark to maintain its privacy-first model, free from invasive data requests. This jurisdiction supports their no-logs claim, and the company has undergone independent third-party audits to confirm compliance with privacy best practices.
Third-Party Sharing
Surfshark does not sell or rent personal data. It only shares necessary information with trusted partners (e.g., payment processors) to complete transactions or fulfill services. These partners are bound by data protection agreements.
User Rights
Users have the right to:
Access their personal data
Correct or update account information
Request data deletion
Withdraw consent or cancel their account
Requests can be made through Surfshark's support team.