With government programs surveilling our web surfing habits making news lately, a new product launched by a Toronto start-up designed to keep our online activities a little more confidential couldn’t be timelier.
SurfEasy Inc. has announced the availability of SurfEasy VPN, which uses military grade encryption to secure your web data and activity from hackers, web sites and anyone else trying to monitor your online activities. The tool shields your IP address and physical location so you can browse anonymously, by sending your online information securely across the SurfEasy Private Network. It also allows users to access geo-restricted and censored content.
“Whether it is web sites selling our online data for profit, big brother monitoring our online activity or hackers trolling Wi-Fi hotspots to steal credit card information, we’ve all become aware of just how vulnerable and profitable our online information has become,” said Chris Houston, founder and CEO of SurfEasy, in a statement. “SurfEasy VPN offers military grade security in an affordable and easy-to-use application so anyone can control how much they share online. We also give users the key to unlock full access to their favorite sites and online videos, letting them surf the web freely and without restrictions.”
The software is compatible with Android, iOS, Mac and Windows devices, and SurfEasy also offers a portable USB-based Private Browser. A free Starter VPN plan is available for a limited time, offering 500MB/month of encrypted browsing across five devices. The Total VPN plan with unlimited data is $4.99/month or $49.99/year for any five devices, while a Mobile VPN plan for one smartphone or tablet is $2.99/month or $29.99/year.
“Our online privacy is threatened by hackers and large companies that profit from the misuse or sale of our online data, taking advantage of those who are not comfortable using advanced encryption tools typically reserved for governments, corporations and the more tech-savvy crowd,” said Michael Geist, a digital privacy expert at the University of Ottawa and a member of the vendor’s board of directors. “With SurfEasy VPN, the average user finally has access to simple, one-touch applications that let them take control of their online privacy.”
Launched in 2011, SurfEasy has raised $3 million in funding, led by led by Mantella Venture Partners, and crowdfunding through Kickstarter. It was also one of five businesses chosen for the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund.