Obfuscated servers are specialized VPN (Virtual Private Network) servers that make encrypted VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic to bypass restrictions, firewalls, and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).
Also called stealth VPN or undetectable VPN, obfuscated servers are helpful if you’re connecting from a place with heavy internet censorship. Obfuscation ensures that even your ISP (Internet Service Provider) will have a hard time identifying that you’re connected to a VPN.
VPNs can be detected by checking the digital makeup of your transmitted data. If the data looks like it’s been formatted by a VPN, your ISP, a firewall, or even an oppressive government can block it.
The obfuscation process is all about transforming VPN traffic. An obfuscated VPN server scrambles your data packets, so they won’t look like VPN traffic anymore and can bypass VPN-blocking firewalls.
Instead of using traditional obfuscated servers, Surfshark’s stealth VPN offers obfuscation via a modified version of the OpenVPN protocol.
If you live in a country that censors internet use, you might need obfuscated servers for your VPN to work. Obfuscation makes your encrypted connection harder to detect and helps you maintain your privacy.
Concerned that your ISP monitors and controls too much of what you do online? Obfuscation will hide the fact that you’re using a VPN from ISPs, websites, and more.
Some governments track their citizens more than others. If you want to ensure your privacy is intact, obfuscated servers can help by preventing any VPN activity detection.
Network administrators for places like schools or universities can block VPN traffic. In these cases, obfuscation hides the fact that you’re using privacy-protection tools.
Pick a Surfshark plan, install the app, and log in.
Go to Settings > VPN settings > Protocol.
Choose one of the OpenVPN options, and you’re all set.*
Generally, your ISP can tell you’re using a VPN by looking at your traffic patterns. All VPN services work similarly — they send your traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel, which involves multiple layers of protection.
Traffic covered by VPN security has specific patterns and looks different from regular online traffic. A VPN uses common ports for identification and initiates unencrypted handshakes that can be monitored via DPI. These differences indicate to your provider that you’re using a VPN.
Safeguard your data with AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20 and AEGIS-256X2 encryption, the same standards used by cybersecurity experts and governments worldwide.
Future-proof your security online with Surfshark’s advanced post-quantum implementation on WireGuard, designed to resist potential threats from future quantum computers.
Your browsing habits are your business, which is why Surfshark never tracks, collects, or shares your activity. Our no-logs policy has been independently verified by Deloitte, ensuring total transparency.
Based in the Netherlands, Surfshark operates in a favorable legal environment with no mandatory data retention laws. This jurisdiction allows us to uphold our strict no-logs policy with no interference.
Obfuscation hides your data and makes it much harder to identify that you’re using a VPN. This technology helps you browse freely even in places that highly restrict internet usage.
Surfshark’s entire network runs on diskless, RAM-only servers that automatically wipe all data with every reboot. This hardware-level security ensures that no information can ever be physically retrieved from our servers.
Protect your data from accidental exposure with a kill switch — an automatic safety net that cuts your internet if the VPN connection drops. This ensures no unencrypted data leaves your device.
Boost your protection online by routing your traffic through two different VPN servers at once with Multi Hop. This process encrypts your connection twice, making it virtually impossible for anyone to trace your digital footprint.
Experience a self-healing connection with Surfshark’s patented Everlink infrastructure that keeps your VPN stable. If a server requires maintenance, Everlink seamlessly switches you to a new one without interrupting your session.
Surfshark routes all your DNS (Domain Name System) requests through private, encrypted tunnels. This prevents Wi-Fi eavesdropping and your ISP from seeing which websites you visit, ensuring your browsing history stays private.
Use Bypasser, Surfshark’s VPN split tunneling feature, to choose which apps and websites need VPN protection and which can access the internet directly without encryption — perfect for IP-sensitive services. iOS users can also add websites to Bypasser directly from Safari without any manual entry.
Stay ahead of trackers by automatically changing your IP address every few minutes without disconnecting. This constant IP rotation makes it much harder for advertisers and data brokers to profile your online behavior.
Get a complete cybersecurity suite including a built-in ad blocker, antivirus, and identity masking tools. From blocking malware to generating an alternative persona, Surfshark takes protecting your digital presence to another level.
Check out what users and tech experts around the world have to say about Surfshark.
The reviews highlighted in this section were selected from publicly available posts on social media platforms. They reflect the opinions of individual users at the time of posting and may not represent the full range of our product features and qualities.
The reviews quoted on this page have been published by media outlets associated with Surfshark through affiliate partnerships. Their recommendations are based on their own independent research and insights to ensure value for the readers.
I have been using Surfshark since I got it and I love it!
When I am traveling, I use Surfshark to access the internet quickly and securely, works like a treat in China.
We love Surfshark because it is an easy-to-use app that you can download on all your devices.
The reviews quoted on this page have been published by media outlets associated with Surfshark through affiliate partnerships. Their recommendations are based on their own independent research and insights to ensure value for the readers.
“This is my first year and I absolutely love it. The fact I can have a good antivirus, great VPN, and incognito for like $120 a year is great.”
“I’ve been using Surfshark for 4 years on Android and ChromeOS with zero issues, it’s an absolute bargain”
“I’ve had it for 3 years and just renewed it for the next 2 years. I never have any issues with it and get my full internet speed…”
The reviews highlighted in this section were selected from publicly available posts on social media platforms. They reflect the opinions of individual users at the time of posting and may not represent the full range of our product features and qualities.
Yes, it’s possible to see that you’re using a VPN by looking at your traffic patterns. That doesn’t mean your activities are visible — only your VPN use is. You can use obfuscated servers to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN.
While obfuscated servers are essential to bypassing China’s firewalls, they alone can’t guarantee that your VPN provider will work in China.
It takes complicated algorithms, advanced technologies, and continuous maintenance to keep a VPN service up and running for users in China. However, if your VPN provider offers obfuscation as Surfshark does, it’s a step in the right direction.
A VPN blocker is a tool that governments, ISPs, or website administrators use to deny access to a particular service when you connect to the internet with a VPN. The most commonly used method for preventing VPN access is by blocking specific IP addresses. Another common way is blocking ports that VPN tunneling protocols use, e.g., PPTP and L2TP.
While a typical internet user can’t track you when you use a VPN, you’re never 100% anonymous online. That said, you’re much harder to track when you use a VPN.
A good VPN service encrypts your data and makes it unreadable to anyone else. Surfshark, for example, uses AEGIS-256X2, AES-256, and ChaCha20 encryption, which are considered the strongest encryption standards.
There’s no easy way to check if a VPN server is obfuscated. You’d first need to look into your traffic patterns, which have a specific footprint. If you can identify these patterns, and your traffic doesn’t show them when you turn on your VPN, you’re probably connected to an obfuscated server.
Keep in mind that this kind of inspection requires extensive technical knowledge. If you’re unsure where to start, you can ask your VPN provider’s customer support team for help.
Yes, connecting to obfuscated servers can affect your internet connection speed like any other VPN connection. If your ISP is restricting your internet access or throttling your speeds, however, connecting to obfuscated servers should actually improve speeds.
In most cases, the additional layer of encryption from obfuscation slows your internet connection a little more than a regular VPN connection. That said, advanced VPNs like Surfshark use the newest infrastructure and 10 Gbps servers to make that speed loss unnoticeable.
A double VPN routes your data through two VPN servers. Obfuscated servers only use a single server with a special stealth VPN protocol to hide VPN usage.
However, a double VPN — like Surfshark’s Multi Hop feature — also works on obfuscated servers.
Obfuscated servers aren’t necessarily better than traditional VPN servers, as the optimal choice depends on your specific needs.
Obfuscated servers hide your traffic to bypass censorship and enhance privacy, but they’re often slower due to the added encryption layer. On the other hand, standard servers are faster and simpler, but they don’t offer any traffic concealment.
Obfuscated servers can be better for you if privacy and censorship avoidance are priorities, but standard servers might be preferable for better performance and general browsing.
Obfuscated VPN servers can help VPN users by:
