Review: Ghost Surf - Protecting Yourself Online

Every now and then, I discover a piece of software I wish I'd always had. Ghost Surf Platinum from AvanquestUSA is one of those. Ghost Surf is a suite of products designed to protect you on the Internet. The main feature is anonymous surfing - it allows you to go to web sites without leaving a trace behind of your presence. It does this by masking the IP address - something that all Internet users are assigned when they go online. It uses private proxy servers, which are safe and stable, and also allow you to encrypt your data transmission for an added layer of security. Do a lot of chatting? Ghost Surf even has a feature that will also mask your IM conversations.

It is highly customizable - and very user friendly - despite being a technical application, I thought it was easy enough for nearly anyone to install and customize. In reality, there are probably a number of sites you want to access, that you trust and you can give customized access to those. It takes some effort, over time, to tell it what you want to get access to which might be blocked, but once you're over the hump, it just runs along in the background, keeping you safe.

The other modules are pretty handy too, although some of them are redundant with other services I already use. There is an Ad module that will allow you to block pop up windows, not run scripts on web pages, block third party images from downloading and so on. During set up, you tell it what you want to see and the software documentation makes it very clear what every choice means.

Another neat feature of Ghost Surf is its anti-spyware capability. Spyware is code that downloads to your computer, without you knowing it, and tracks and reports what you're doing online back to it's provider. There are all sorts - some more creepy and sneaky than others - and Ghost Surf will scour your system and root it out. I was astonished that I had any on my computer - I usually am pretty safe and savvy - and I definitely wanted to know where it originated! I loved how it let me see a detailed assessment of the creepies it found - and tell me exactly what was known about the spyware it found.

A bonus to the suite is the password keeping application which lets you encrypt your passwords in a secure "vault." Again, I already have something I'm using for this so I didn't set it up.

Lastly, Ghost Surf Platinum has a module which will clean up your computer from incriminating stuff that lurks on your hard drive. You set the level of "wiping" you want, and let it go. With most of the modules, you can schedule a repeat performance at your preferred interval. Now, I don't personally need to wipe my computer - it's not like I have a boss watching my surfing action, nor am I up to anything. But hey - the feature is there if you want it. And, I got a laugh out of the "boss key" you can set up, so a single keystroke instantly hides whatever you're up to.

The only issues I came across, so far, with Ghost Surf is that if you're running other applications, there might be potential conflicts. For example, I've already got pop up blockers installed - so there were times I wasn't sure how to un-block things that I did want, or where it was being stopped. In doing my research, I read a number of complaints from people who said that they had conflicts with anti virus applications, and there seemed to be a lot of annoyance at the tech support that is, apparently, outsourced overseas. Unfortunately, these two issues can pop up with nearly any software you install nowadays. But don't worry - you can actually buy many of the modules independent of the entire suite, if you see something you need here.

When I think about all the little pieces of myself, my informational debris that litters the Internet, I know it might be a case of too little to late. But, perhaps it's really better late than never? I thought Ghost Surf was an excellent package for home or small business environment, for non technical folks to protect themselves.

Try Ghost Surf for yourself