Dausos is Surfshark’s proprietary VPN protocol designed specifically for everyday VPN use. Unlike traditional VPN protocols that were adapted from enterprise technologies, Dausos was built from the ground up with individual users in mind.
Its main goal is to combine high speeds, strong privacy, and efficient use of device and server resources in a single protocol.
NOTE: Dausos is currently available only in the macOS App Store app.
How does Dausos work?
Most VPN protocols route multiple users’ traffic through shared tunnels. This approach is common and generally secure, but it can introduce unnecessary overhead.
Dausos works differently. Each user connection is assigned a separate, dedicated data tunnel, keeping traffic isolated from others. This helps improve connection speed and reduces the chance of interference between users on the same server.
What are the key capabilities of the Dausos protocol?
Dausos introduces several features not commonly found together in consumer VPN protocols:
- Dedicated user tunnels. Every connection uses its own private tunnel instead of sharing traffic paths with other users.
- AEGIS‑256X2 encryption. A modern encryption algorithm optimized for high performance while maintaining strong, quantum‑resistant security.
- Post‑quantum security. The protocol is designed to remain secure even against future quantum computing threats.
- Adaptive performance. Dausos adjusts to changes in network quality and device capabilities to maintain stable performance.
- Independent security audit. The protocol has been audited by Cure53, an independent cybersecurity firm.
Dausos is one of several VPN protocols available in Surfshark. Learn more about other protocols and how they differ.
What are the benefits of using Dausos?
Using Dausos may result in:
- Faster and more consistent VPN speeds. Dausos can deliver up to 30% faster connection speeds compared to industry‑standard VPN protocols
- Improved privacy through traffic isolation
- Stronger long‑term protection with quantum‑secure cryptography
- More efficient use of battery and system resources
- These improvements are especially noticeable on modern devices and high‑speed networks.
How can I enable the Dausos protocol?
NOTE: Dausos is currently available only in the macOS App Store app. Support for additional platforms is planned.
To enable it:
- Open the Surfshark app on macOS.
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Go to Settings:
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Select VPN Settings:
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Open Protocol:
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Choose Dausos:
- Connect to a VPN server.
How to troubleshoot Dausos-related issues?
Dausos is currently available on macOS and is released as a beta protocol, meaning some connectivity, performance, or feature‑related issues may occur.
Note for macOS users: If you decide to switch from the DMG version to the App Store version, uninstall the DMG version first to avoid potential conflicts.
If you experience issues such as connection failures, unstable connections, or features not working as expected while using Dausos, try the following:
- Switch to a different VPN protocol (for example, WireGuard® or OpenVPN) and reconnect
- Restart the Surfshark app if the connection doesn’t establish
If the issue only occurs while Dausos is selected and is resolved after changing the protocol, you can continue using another protocol for now.
To help us improve Dausos, we’d appreciate it if you could collect and report diagnostics while the Dausos protocol is selected in the app.
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