Surfshark kill switch issue

Security
1

Hi everyone.

I’m using a mobile phone with version Android 11, I’m also using Surfshark VPN version 3.3.0 with the kill switch active. My issue is that I do like to leave my phone on overnight with the data switched off. In the morning I find that surfshark has disabled itself yet my phone is connected to the internet, this suggests that the kill switch function isn’t working. Does anyone else experience this issue and if I need to roll back can you assist where I can source the earlier version please. Thanks guys

2

Once SS disables itself. Then it cannot disconnect you from the internet. Therefore, without an active Surfshark running, it can no longer do anything. SS needs to be running to do anything. You need to find out why SS turns itself off.

3

you might try the native android kill switch found within the vpn settings. Ive never needed to use it but it is an option. I suspect the issue is android/google more so than surfsharks.

1 Like
4

Thanks for your update I must have misunderstood but I thought the purpose of the kill switch was to disable the internet connection in the advent that the VPN switches itself off. I think I’ll use my alternative VPN for now. Thanks again

5

Cheers TXRon appreciated

6

It does, but if the VPN is not running. Then it is not able to do anything. What device is SS on and why does it turn itself off?

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying? But your VPN service needs to be on and running for it to do anything.

Does this mean the SS has turned off or that SS is still running but did not disconnect?

Also, do you have any apps that are whitelisted to bypass?

7

Good morning

I leave SS connected all the time the phone is on. The only features I have enabled are the kill switch and the clean web. In the morning I find that SS has disabled itself despite the kill switch being enabled. I also have the data switched off yet the phone is still connecting to the internet.
I was under the impression that if SS disables itself that it would kill the internet connection.

What I also can confirm is that once I reconnect SS and leave the house as soon as I’m out of range of my WiFi SS kills the internet for what reason I’m not sure as it’s lost the coolest. Like I said the data is off, if I enable the data SS reconnects. I’m using Proton for now but will have a look for an earlier variant of SS. I guess it’s a conflict between my Android 11 phone and SS. Thanks for your help

8

You are correct. The kill switch feature in surf shark is intended to block internet traffic on the device that it’s running on in the event that surf shark is disconnected.

Having kill switch enabled do not ensure that the vpn is connected all the time automatically. It serves as a effective nudge for you to check your VPN’s connectivity.

Internet traffic should be restored once surfshark is reconnected and actively tunneling.

9

Thanks for your help I appreciate it from everyone in this community. What I’ll do when I get a bit more time is I will look and hopefully find the previous level to 3.3.0. If I can get this I’ll load it and see how it goes. But for now the free Proton VPN is working well. Thanks to you all and have a great weekend :grin: