"AI means that scammers don't even have to be good at scamming anymore!": Surfshark's CEO speaks on the web's biggest threats, VPNs giving back, and an ethos of simplicity

Vytautas Kaziukonis: There are issues like censorship that aren't getting any better, and VPNs are very important for combating this. However, from a wider security company's perspective, the bigger issue is the huge increase in data breaches and data misuse happening globally, not just in specific countries. It's an issue that affects everyone on a much larger scale.

That's where Surfshark is focusing most right now. We're asking ourselves, "How can we make the biggest impact?"

Phishing attacks are a great example. The rise of AI is exponentially multiplying these attacks, and automating them. It used to be that a real person had to be behind the scam, but now AI has become so good – we know this because many companies use it for support agents now – it's the perfect tool for scammers.

Instead of an individual using a SIM card to call people in person, they can now buy a complete solution, upload a list of exposed phone numbers or emails, and just wait for the money to come in. There's no effort involved – AI means that scammers don't even have to be good at scamming anymore!

VK: We're always trying to innovate and create something new. As you know, the growing issue with AI and phishing is a massive concern, so we're working on a phishing prevention tool to help people detect malicious emails.

But on a broader level, my goal is for Surfshark to become a "super-app" – a go-to brand for all things security. Security is a very broad term and includes privacy, which is a crucial part of any security solution. If you don't have privacy, you're not secure.

VK: That's an excellent question, and a challenge that we've been facing. From the beginning, Surfshark was designed to be simple and approachable for everyone, whether you're an older person who doesn't use tech much, or a seasoned Linux user. Balancing those two can be difficult.

Being a single-purpose product would certainly make things easier – if we were just a VPN, it wouldn't be much of a challenge to make it simple. But, considering where we're headed, it's really an issue of user interface, not of the tools themselves being impossible to use.

Ultimately, it comes down to how you present the tools, onboard new users, and guide them in a way that helps them gradually learn to use all the features. I think we've done well with this in the past, and we'll continue to improve our user experience for everyone.

VK: In the early days of VPNs, it was common for companies to be based in places like the British Virgin Islands or Panama. But as Surfshark evolved into a broader security business, we wanted a more stable political and business environment that still offered favourable data retention laws – specifically, no laws that require data logging.

The Netherlands is home to many world-renowned businesses and NGOs, and it was a sensible choice. I know there's sometimes talk around the "Nine Eyes" alliance, but it's important to understand that local laws supersede any international data-sharing agreements.

Dutch law is very clear: companies are not required to retain user data. Therefore, even if we were sent a data-sharing request, we would have nothing to share. Our no-logs policy has been verified by independent audits, and we're always happy for any journalist to come and check everything to make sure for themselves.

VK: Well, it is, to an extent. There are certain countries that a consumer would be right to be wary of – but the Netherlands is definitely not one of them. It's one of the most established countries in the world in terms of its political, economic, and legal systems, and there's nothing to worry about in that regard.

I also think that a few years ago, being based in Panama and the like was much more of a "selling point" than it is now. Either way, Surfshark has a pristine reputation, and we've never been involved in any data scandals, so I don't see any problem.

VK: We support nearly a hundred different NGOs worldwide, including big organizations like Access Now, EDRi, the VPN Trust Initiative, and the Global Encryption Coalition. We also support smaller groups like the Open Observatory of Network Interference, Project Syndicate, Fight for the Future, and loads more – I'm sorry if I've forgotten any!

We also provide our products and consulting services for free to journalists around the world to help them in their work. For me, this is what makes our work so meaningful. Beyond being a business, we have the ability to help non-profit organizations and support their causes.

Of course, not all of these are my direct ideas – my job is to guide the broad agenda and make sure we're heading in the right direction. So many of our product innovations, as well as our initiatives like Surfshark's free DNS servers, come from the brilliant people working on the products day-to-day. I like to think that Surfshark offers an environment that allows the right people to develop what they think the world needs.

VK: And you – thank you!