How To Watch CBS in Malaysia: Live Online and Stream For Free

If you live in Malaysia and want to watch movies or sport on CBS - one of the biggest broadcast television in US, you will encounter geo block. Here is how you can unblock CBS safely and watch the channels for free.

Charlotte Pho

July 27, 2021 | 16:14

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CBS Broadcasting Inc. (CBS) is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. It is the second largest broadcaster in the world behind the BBC. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of the company's logo. It has also been called the "Tiffany Network," which alludes to the perceived high quality of CBS programming during the tenure of its founder William S. Paley (1901–90). It can also refer to some of CBS's first demonstrations of color television, which were held in a former Tiffany & Co. building in New York City in 1950, thus earning it the name "Color broadcasting system" back when such a feat was innovative.

Why do we need VPN to watch CBS in Malaysia?

CBS All Access. Photo: Screenshot

Malaysia’s cyber landscape has worsened in the past couple of years with authorities clamping down on dissent by silencing the press and blocking websites that discussed corruption scandals. There have also been cases of bloggers and social media users being arrested for airing their views online.

We recommend you use a VPN to remain safe and secure on the Malaysian internet. Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all the traffic flowing to and from your device making it impossible for hackers or government authorities to determine your true location. Your data is tunneled via an intermediary server, keeping it safe and secure.

Quick Guide: 3 Simple Steps to Watch CBS From Malaysia

1. Download a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN since it has top speeds for watching CBS content with no buffering. You can also try ExpressVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. Connect to a server in the US. Both VPNs on the list can automatically find the fastest connection for you, so you’ll only have to select the right country.

3. Log in to CBS All Access and start watching your favorite programs! You’ll need a CBS cable subscription to log in.

Best VPN to watch CBS for free in Malaysia

A VPN is also an excellent choice for expatriates living in Malaysia wishing to access content like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, Sky Sports, or BeIN sports. Malaysian residents traveling abroad can also use a VPN to access channels like Astro.

Our list of the best VPNs for Malaysia is based on the following factors:

Speed and stability of service

Large network of servers across the world for expatriates to unblock content

Strong encryption parameters to minimize the chances of data loss

Ease of use

1. NordVPN

Photo: NordVPN

NordVPN has been in the VPN business for over a decade and is a popular choice with privacy advocates thanks to consistent service.

It continues with the baton of a zero-logs policy as it holds no data about user sessions, traffic, or timestamps of any nature. This policy has thwarted attempts by government agencies to sniff out its user data. So if it’s privacy you’re looking for, NordVPN has you covered.

The company operates 5,111 servers in 60 countries making it a robust choice for the entire gamut of web activity. Seven of these are located in Malaysia so local residents traveling abroad can use the service to watch content from back home if they’d like.

NordVPN is one of the few services that bifurcates servers according to specialty. It operates some specifically for anti-DDoS, video streaming, double VPN, Tor over VPN, and dedicated IP – this means that fast speeds and strong encryption are guaranteed.

The provider works with a whole bunch of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. It supports torrenting.

NordVPN encrypts internet traffic via the 256-bit AES protocol by default and uses 2,048-bit SSL keys. DNS leak protection is enabled. These are some of the strongest protocols out there today so you don’t need to worry about any data leaks.

2. Surfshark

Photo: PCMag

Surfshark has over 3,200 servers spread across 60+ countries, including Malaysia. It boasts strong unblocking ability, and has no problem accessing services like TV1, Netflix US, or Hulu from abroad. However, the thing that really sets this VPN apart is that it doesn’t restrict the number of connected devices you can have. As such, you’re free to secure every device you own with just one account.

This service puts major emphasis on your security. It keeps your activities hidden from snoopers using a kill switch, protection against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks, and 256-bit AES encryption. You can also blocks ads and malware automatically, or turn on NoBorders mode to bypass country-wide internet censorship. Surfshark doesn’t log any personally identifiable information although you can sign up almost completely anonymously by paying in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple. 24/7 customer support is on-hand over live chat in case of any problems.

Surfshark apps are available for MacOS, Android, Windows, iOS, and Linux systems. If you’d prefer, you can manually install it on your wireless router.

3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN - Fastest VPN service. Photo: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers a sturdy combination of military-grade encryption coupled with reliable speeds and efficient connections. The design is clean and minimalist and the service works without any fuss.

ExpressVPN offers possible connections to over 3,000 servers spread across 94 countries including some in Malaysia. It’s an ideal choice for foreign expatriates living in the country as well as local residents trying to unlock local content.

The company has a stated policy of not storing any traffic logs whatsoever. However, there is some metadata retention – specifically the date (not time) of connection, choice of server location, and total bandwidth used.

It’s important to note that your individual IP address won’t be logged so there’s no way of your web activity being traced back to you. At the same time, it’s possible to sign up via a burner email account and pay with Bitcoin to maintain anonymity.

Encryption protocols are similarly robust – the service leverages 256-bit AES-CBC, utilizing both HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy. An internet kill switch temporarily halts all web traffic if the connection drops unexpectedly.

4. CyberGhost

Photo: CNET

CyberGhost is a recommended choice for beginners looking for a fast, reliable connection with a simple interface and varied selection of servers.

The company is, however, going through some transitions which might affect its terms of use. At the moment it insists that it doesn’t store user logs or data but it was recently acquired by an Israeli company so that might change the scenario. We’ll update the article if we notice anything on this front.

There are over 5,700 servers spread across 90 countries including 10 servers in Malaysia.

Apps are available for both Android and iOS as well as desktop support for Windows, MacOS and Linux.

CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default along with 2,048-bit RSA keys and MD5 HMAC authentication. That means it passes the test of stringent encryption. There’s an internet kill switch included too which means web traffic will be halted if the connection drops.

5. IPVanish

Photo: XShare

IPVanish checks all the boxes when it comes to a speedy VPN that’s also mindful of maintaining user privacy and anonymity.

The only time it stores any details is when an account is registered for the first time. After that your activity will be hidden – this includes things like session history and choice of servers.

IPVanish uses 256-bit encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default, SHA512 authentication, and a DHE-RSA 2,048 key exchange with perfect forward secrecy. What this means is that even if your account is compromised, it’s impossible for hackers to decrypt past data to glean your internet history.

There’s an internet kill switch included which means the company will temporarily block all traffic to and from your device if the connection drops. Servers are optimized for speed and stability – there’s over 1,300 of them spread across 75 locations worldwide, including two in Malaysia. That means a suitable connection isn’t far from reach.

What about a free VPN?

There are a plethora of free VPNs on the internet but their speed and encryption standards aren’t up to scratch with paid options.

Free VPNs usually monetize by bombarding you with invasive advertisements, inserting tracking cookies and selling your data, or by unwittingly turning your computer into a massive botnet army. The threat of a malware infection is also real which can lead to widespread data loss.

Some of the VPNs listed in the article offer free trials which you can use in case you’re unsure about whether you need the service at all. But don’t settle for a random free one. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

How free is the internet in Malaysia?

There’s serious limits to content if you try to access the web from a Malaysian IP address. Several blogs, news sites, and social media accounts have been shut down after accusations of criticising the government and libelous speech.

Because of these facts, Malaysia’s internet has been ranked as “partly free” by advocacy body Freedom House in 2016. The same report adds that press freedoms are “not free”, pointing to the muzzling of bloggers and journalists for the reason behind this status.

In 2016, the Malaysian government reneged on pledges never to censor the web and proceeded to block a number of websites that had reported on Prime Minister Najib Razzak’s corruption scandals. Online news site The Malaysian Insider went out of business as a direct consequence of this decision. Access to publishing platform Medium was also restricted.

That’s despite the fact that internet users in Malaysia number a considerable 21.6 million, representing almost 70 percent of the population. The statistic puts it above other countries in the region such as Thailand and the Philippines, but a little behind Singapore.

Efforts by Malaysian authorities to expand internet access throughout the country have certainly borne fruit, with a focus on affordable smartphones in rural areas. But this has also lead to greater political awareness and criticism of public officials – developments that the Malaysian government is extremely wary of.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation says Malaysia’s internet censorship is worsening dramatically with authorities keen to stamp out any chatter of a corruption scandal that exposed those at the upper echelons of power.

At the same time, authorities are vying for even more sweeping powers of censorship. There are plans to strengthen both the Official Secret Act and the Communication & Multimedia Act to exert further control over news sites, ISPs, as well as ordinary users. It’s likely that there will be far more surveillance of the web than what is witnessed currently.