- Surfshark updates its browser extension with a new security feature
- The tool warns of malware, data breaches and phishing before you click
- The feature is available now via the Surfshark browser extension settings
Surfshark has rolled out a significant update to its browser extension that introduces a proactive security feature designed to flag malicious websites directly in Google search results.
While the best VPN services are primarily known for encrypting your connection and masking your IP address, providers are increasingly expanding their toolsets to cover broader cybersecurity threats. Surfshark’s new update focuses on the first point of contact with the web, the search engine, with the aim of preventing users from stumbling onto compromised websites.
The feature actively scans links that appear in your search results. If a site is known to harbor malware, has been involved in a data breach, or shows signs of phishing, the extension will display a warning icon next to the link. This allows users to avoid potential threats without having to click through to the page first.
Gabriele Sinkeviciute, product manager at Surfshark, emphasizes the necessity of this proactive approach in the current threat landscape.
“It’s hard to imagine a day without using a search engine like Google. But even seemingly harmless searches can lead to risks behind every link you click,” Sinkeviciute said, explaining that the team implemented the new tool to help people browse more safely “without any extra effort.”
A visual guard against invisible threats
The core benefit of this update is visibility. In the past, similar security tools might only have alerted a user after they landed on a suspicious page or required them to manually check a security sign. By integrating directly into the Google Search interface, Surfshark tries to cut off risk at the source.
The company states that the need for such tools is growing rapidly. Surfshark reports that in 2025 alone, it detected more than 141,000 new online threats. Furthermore, since 2022, the company has added over 25,000 websites to its database that are flagged as potentially harmful but “not easily identified as dangerous.”
“Protecting users from malicious search engine links is just as important as providing reliable online protection for their data,” Sinkeviciute said. “We aim to help users avoid the frustration of compromised accounts, device infections or stolen credentials when they visit a malicious site without even realizing it.”
This move brings Surfshark in line with a broader industry trend where VPNs are evolving into all-in-one security suites. Competitors like NordVPN (with Threat Protection) and ExpressVPN (with Threat Manager) have similarly invested in blocking malicious trackers and websites.
How to use Surfshark’s website security settings
Currently, this security feature is exclusive to Google Search and Google Chrome, and requires the Surfshark browser extension. If you are already a user, you may need to make sure your VPN extension is updated to the latest version.
Then navigate to Website security warnings section and turn both switches on Data breach warning and Malware warning.
For those looking to further expand their privacy toolkit, a Surfshark review can help you decide if the full suite, which includes antivirus and data leak detection, is right for you.
Users can also get even more out of the software as they can now get a dedicated IP on Surfshark’s browser extension, making it a robust option for secure, uninterrupted browsing.
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