• NordVPN found a malware campaign impersonating 65 brands
• It tricks victims into clicking on messages requesting urgent action
• If you use an Android phone, it’s worth checking your apps

Summer is still in full swing with many people out enjoying their holidays. Unfortunately, cybercriminals never stop trying to steal money by tricking people into believing they are on trustworthy websites or using legitimate apps — especially when our attention is more likely to wander.

That’s what NordVPN, the pinnacle of the best VPNs, recently investigated, issuing an alert urging caution over a widespread and sophisticated malware campaign targeting Android users through highly convincing phishing schemes.

The malware is posing as over 65 well-known brands, including Ryanair, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, as well as tax authorities, registry offices, and social security systems that lure you into downloading their apps.

The dangerous trojan tracks your messages and logins, spies on you through your camera, records your voice, and bypasses two-factor authentication before ultimately draining your bank account.

The campaign has targeted users in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

What the research found

NordVPN spent the last 12 months investigating the malware campaign — including its infrastructure and impersonation targets — analysing malware clusters and mapping more than 100 domains linked to the campaign.

It discovered that the campaign tricks users into installing an app that grants full access to their Android phones or computers by impersonating highly trustworthy companies — brands people are accustomed to providing their personal data without questioning it.

Victims are lured by a variety of requests via SMS, WhatsApp, or social media that look totally innocuous, like a job opening at an airline, a cheap flight, or a tax refund.

Once installed, the Trojan runs quietly in the background and stays active even if the phone is restarted, accessing your messages and call logs, capturing the screen, recording audio, and accessing the camera.

Attackers can even log into the victim's banking app and approve transactions themselves by using SMS interception to steal your money, as most banks implement two-factor authentication through one-time codes sent by text.

Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, says: "One install, and the phone is no longer yours. The attacker sees your screen, reads your SMS codes, and empties your accounts from the inside."

Trusted brands are often the most spoofed brands in phishing scams, alongside other malware 'tricks' to gain trust, such as multi-platform PR campaigns promoting malware as legitimate software, or even Chrome extensions impersonating VPNs.

However, unlike many opportunistic phishing attempts, these attacks have been particularly hard to spot, featuring extremely accurate replicas of legitimate websites, meticulously copied and professionally translated.

How to stay safe

Briedis advises Android users to be very careful not to install apps from links received via text message. "Real airlines, banks and government bodies distribute apps through Google Play, not SMS or WhatsApp," he stresses.

As with other AI impersonating scams, users should treat any urgent request as a warning sign: whenever there is mention of a refund or an account being blocked, check the source carefully before clicking on anything or taking any action.

Checking that a website is legitimate and does not operate from domains ending in .cc, .lol, .xyz, .mom, or .pw will be a clear safety indicator.

Furthermore, do not rely on 'the padlock icon': an HTTPS connection merely indicates that the connection is encrypted, not that the site is genuine.

If you suspect that a suspicious app is already on your phone, disconnect your phone from the internet, uninstall the app, change your password from another device, and contact your bank: this will ensure you’re back in the clear.

And remember that if even the current UK Prime Minister can be a scam target, perhaps you should remain vigilant too.

• Crystal Palace has named NordVPN as its Official VPN Partner
• The partnership will feature digital activations to educate fans
• It marks NordVPN's second major Premier League sponsorship in a week

The cybersecurity world's ongoing push into top-flight English football shows no signs of slowing down. Just days after securing a spot at Villa Park, NordVPN has announced it is teaming up with Crystal Palace Football Club as its new Official VPN Partner.

The latest deal marks a growing trend of tech giants partnering with major sports clubs to bring digital privacy tools into the mainstream. For Crystal Palace, the focus is squarely on helping supporters navigate the hidden dangers of the web, particularly when logging onto unsecured public Wi-Fi networks on matchdays.

By linking up with one of the top providers on the market — currently topping our guide to the best VPN software — the club aims to educate fans on how to proactively defend against phishing, scams, malware, and online trackers.

As part of the announcement, the two brands confirmed they will collaborate on a series of digital activations. These campaigns will offer Eagles fans practical guidance on securing their personal devices and encrypting their internet connections, whether they are cheering from Selhurst Park, relaxing at home, or travelling abroad.

Educating fans on the digital pitch

A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic, hiding your IP address and shielding your data from prying eyes. This is especially crucial in crowded environments like football stadiums, where thousands of supporters often connect to the same vulnerable public Wi-Fi networks to check live scores, place bets, or message friends.

According to the club, equipping fans with the right tools to stay safe online has become an urgent priority.

"The way supporters engage with the club and with one another is increasingly digital, making online privacy and security more important than ever," said Paul O'Brien, Chief Commercial Officer at Crystal Palace. "Through this partnership, we hope to provide our supporters with useful and accessible information that helps them better understand online risks and take straightforward steps to protect themselves and their personal information."

The move represents a rapid expansion for NordVPN within the Premier League. The provider recently made headlines by securing a partnership with Aston Villa to similarly protect matchday browsing.

Bob Brinklow, NordVPN Country Manager for the UK, echoed the importance of integrating digital education into these sporting deals.

"Crystal Palace's close relationship with its supporters makes the club an excellent partner for us," Brinklow explained. "Together, we aim to help fans better understand online security through digital activations and partnership initiatives, while supporting the club and its ambitions for success on the pitch."

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A growing playbook for tech partnerships

The broader cybersecurity industry is increasingly targeting sports fans. With major football stadiums serving as hubs for thousands of connected devices, educating users about digital safety is a logical and highly visible strategy.

Fans eager to secure their digital footprint can take advantage of the new partnership immediately, with Crystal Palace noting that supporters can claim four months free on a two-year NordVPN plan.

As football becomes more digitally connected than ever, it seems inevitable that more top-flight clubs will soon draft cybersecurity heavyweights into their starting lineups.

• Socket's Threat Research Team found 737 fake VPN and proxy extensions on the Chrome Web Store, with more than 75,000 combined installs
• The add-ons pose as trusted names like Proton VPN and NordVPN while routing your entire browser session through proxies run by one operator
• Hundreds are still live, so it's worth checking your browser now and removing anything suspicious

A new investigation has exposed a huge cluster of counterfeit VPN extensions that promise privacy while rerouting your traffic.

Socket's Threat Research Team said it identified 737 free VPN and proxy extensions published across at least 40 Chrome Web Store developer accounts. More than 27o of these impersonate 66 of the best VPN services and privacy brands, including big names like NordVPN and Proton VPN.

Between them, the extensions racked up more than 75,000 installs, mostly among Russian-speaking users hunting for ways to reach blocked services.

If you use Chrome and rely on a browser add-on to stay private, it's worth making sure the one you installed is a genuine product from a real provider rather than one of these lookalikes.

What the researchers found

Socket's team traced the whole network back to a single Russian VPN subscription business trading as Myxa VPN.

The researchers linked the extensions using a shared analytics account, clustered domain registrations, common hosting, and leaked Windows build paths pointing to one project folder. The free extensions appear to act as a funnel, nudging users toward a paid subscription.

Some of the paid promises were pure fiction. Socket says the premium tiers advertised servers in countries like Japan, Singapore, and Australia, but when it tested 200 premium hostnames across 40 domains, none returned an A record, meaning those servers simply did not exist.

The core trick is the same across nearly every extension. Once you press Connect, everything you browse gets pushed through a server the operator controls, with no per-site exceptions.

It adds no encryption, so it isn't doing the protective work a real VPN would. Worse, 104 extensions resolved their proxy addresses through Cloudflare or Google DNS-over-HTTPS and handed Chrome a raw IP, a technique that makes the operator's servers harder to block or spot.

Why fake VPN are dangerous, and how to stay safe

Sitting in the middle of your traffic gives the operator a clear view. Socket says the setup lets whoever runs the proxy observe the websites you visit, TLS SNI metadata, your source IP address, and any data sent over unencrypted HTTP. That means anything you type into a non-HTTPS page, including logins, could be exposed.

Socket doesn't know whether this data has actually been collected or misused, but the fact that it can be is the problem. It's the same pattern behind earlier warnings about fake VPN extensions in the Chrome Web Store and Google's own alerts about spyware posing as VPN apps.

Google has already acted, but not completely. By the time Socket collected its data, 221 of the 737 extensions had been removed, while 516 remained listed, so the threat hasn't fully gone away.

If you think you installed one, the advice from Socket is straightforward. Remove the extension immediately, then check that Chrome's proxy configuration has returned to normal and change any credentials you entered on non-HTTPS sites while it was active. You can review your proxy settings by heading to your browser settings and searching for "proxy."

• NordVPN is now Aston Villa's Official Digital Security Partner
• The deal aims to protect fans using public Wi-Fi on matchdays at Villa Park
• It echoes a broader trend of top VPNs securing major sports partnerships

Aston Villa has officially named NordVPN as its new Official Digital Security Partner. The deal is designed to enhance data security for supporters attending matches at Villa Park, ensuring fans have access to safer internet browsing when connecting to crowded, public networks.

If you have ever tried to check live football scores, stream highlights, or message friends from a packed stadium, you know that public Wi-Fi can be incredibly vulnerable to snooping. By teaming up with the best VPN provider on the market, Aston Villa hopes to mitigate these everyday cybersecurity risks. A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic, actively keeping your personal data safe from prying eyes when connected to unsecured stadium networks.

According to a statement released by Aston Villa, securing fan data is becoming a growing priority for the club. "In the modern age, where internet usage is such a cornerstone of everyday life, online security is paramount, and this exciting partnership allows our supporters to engage with the club and with each other on matchdays in a fast and protected environment," an Aston Villa spokesperson explained.

Expanding the sporting footprint

This latest partnership is not just about selling software; it is heavily focused on digital education. Bob Brinklow, UK Country Manager for NordVPN, noted that the company's goal is to help fans better understand online privacy through dedicated digital activations.

"At NordVPN, we believe that strong partnerships are built around shared values, trust, and meaningful connections with communities," said Brinklow. "Together, we aim to help fans better understand online security through digital activations and partnership initiatives, while supporting the club and its ambitions for success on the pitch."

NordVPN has been highly active in the English football pyramid this month. Just days prior to the Villa announcement, NordVPN became the Official Cyber Security Partner for the National League, aiming to boost cyber resilience across all 72 clubs in the division.

The cybersecurity industry is clearly seeing the immense value in football sponsorships, though these high-profile deals can sometimes cause a stir.

Rival provider ExpressVPN inked major deals of its own, becoming the official partner of Tottenham Hotspur and making headlines as an official supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026. That latter move actually sparked fury from major European broadcasters over piracy concerns, highlighting the occasionally complex relationship between football broadcasting rights and VPN software.

A string of high-profile partnerships

It isn't just sports stadiums where VPN brands are eager to tap into passionate, highly engaged fanbases.

NordVPN has also teamed up with cybersecurity heavyweight CrowdStrike to bolster its Threat Protection Pro suite, delivering enterprise-level security to everyday users.

Over the past few months, the provider has also announced that Klarna members can claim a free NordVPN subscription, while Mastercard integrated the VPN into its lifestyle perks. The company even found time to partner with Marvel on a digital comic book to teach younger audiences about online safety.

As technology brands increasingly seek to normalize everyday privacy tools, expect to see more VPN logos popping up on pitch-side advertising boards. For now, Aston Villa fans can rest a little easier knowing their matchday browsing is being taken seriously.

• NordVPN's antivirus blocked 99.1% malware in latest West Coast Labs test
• Artifact Security ranked NordVPN first out of five providers for performance
• The tests confirm connection times of just 1.8 seconds and zero data leaks

Users looking for the best VPN want the perfect balance of security and speed. According to two newly released independent evaluations, NordVPN is currently delivering exactly that on a global scale.

Over the summer, testing firm West Coast Labs (WCL) awarded NordVPN's built-in antivirus tool its highest AAA certification. Back in June, London-based Artifact Security crowned the vendor as the fastest and most reliable provider in a comprehensive global performance test, proving NordVPN continues to score all-positive results on independent audits.

For everyday users, these results are incredibly reassuring. It means you don't have to sacrifice your browsing speeds to stay safe online. The evaluations simulated real-world conditions, proving the app can swiftly block malicious sites and high-severity threats and handle high-speed downloads without breaking a sweat or leaking your personal data.

Top-tier malware protection

Under its WCL Validated methodology, West Coast Labs threw 934 malware samples at NordVPN's next-gen antivirus. The software successfully detected 926 of them, achieving an impressive 99.1% detection rate, well above the 95% threshold required for certification.

This latest achievement builds on the tool's previous successes, having already aced independent testing for its high phishing block rate in past assessments.

Crucially, the testing evaluated the product using its default configuration, meaning no custom tuning or vendor-supplied exclusions were used to artificially boost the score. NordVPN passed all 22 Core and 12 Augment lifecycle requirements across six stages, including deployment, functionality, and removal.

Because a single Core failure results in instant disqualification, this sweep earned NordVPN the highest available AAA certification rating.

"These results tell us the product is doing its job where it matters," said Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN. "What we’re most proud of is that this was tested under default configuration with no exclusions applied. That’s how most users actually run it, and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to."

Unmatched speed and reliability

Security is only half the battle; a VPN must also be fast. Artifact Security's 2026 VPN Performance World Tour evaluated five major VPN providers (NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and Mullvad) across five origin regions (Germany, Singapore, US West, US East, and the UK) spanning 55 route-pinned highways.

NordVPN dominated the field, finishing first with an overall score of 91 and taking home the test's only Platinum award. On its Windows VPN, the provider led the pack with an average download speed of 271.9 Mbps and a peak download median of 568.4 Mbps. It also proved highly responsive, averaging just 1.8 seconds to establish a working tunnel with a 98% success rate.

Most importantly for privacy advocates, all tested providers, including NordVPN, passed every standard and advanced leak scenario. Across IP, DNS, IPv6, WebRTC, server-switch, and split-tunneling tests, no traffic escaped the encrypted tunnel.

"Performance testing at this scale is a much harder standard to meet than a single-location benchmark," said Briedis. "Coming out first overall and winning three regions outright gives us confidence that the infrastructure improvements we’ve been making are translating into something users can actually feel, regardless of where they connect from."

• Klarna has partnered with NordVPN to include a free VPN subscription
• Only Klarna Premium and Max members can redeem one NordVPN plan
• The perk is bundled into existing memberships

Buy now, pay later giant Klarna has a new perk for its paying members, and this one is all about your privacy.

The company has partnered with NordVPN to add encrypted connectivity as an included benefit for Klarna Memberships subscribers, folding a digital security tool into a subscription that was previously focused on cashback, travel protection, and lifestyle rewards.

It's the latest example of a payments company bundling in one of the best VPN services as a membership sweetener, and it follows hot on the heels of NordVPN's tie-up with Mastercard earlier this year, as well as other collaborations with companies such as CrowdStrike and Marvel.

The idea is simple. If you already have a Klarna membership, you can now activate a NordVPN subscription at no extra cost. Which tier you get depends on your membership level.

What the Klarna and NordVPN partnership involves

The structure is tied directly to Klarna's membership tiers.

Klarna Premium members will receive access to NordVPN Basic, while Klarna Max members will receive access to NordVPN Standard, both included within their existing membership subscription.

It's worth mentioning that NordVPN Standard — which Klarna's membership page described as "secure VPN access with enhanced security features" — doesn't exist within NordVPN's usual offering. A company spokesperson clarifies to TechRadar that this is an offering tailored only for certain partners.

Regarding the partnership, NordVPN argues that VPN protection has become relevant infrastructure for both professionals and consumers, supporting secure connections on public and shared networks, such as those found in coffee shops, airports, and hotels.

Klarna describes the move as part of a strategy focused on offering tangible, valuable benefits at scale, giving members more control over aspects of their digital activity, and positioning its memberships to compete on overall value.

How to claim your free NordVPN subscription

Because the VPN is bundled into your Klarna membership, the first step is simply making sure you're on an eligible tier (Premium or Max).

With NordVPN's comparable Mastercard partnership, once users activate their NordVPN subscription, the service asks them to set up their Nord account and download the NordVPN app. We can likely expect the Klarna flow to follow the same rough path: confirm eligibility, activate the benefit, create or sign in to a Nord Account, then install the app on your devices.

If you're unsure whether your specific plan includes the perk, it's worth checking directly with Klarna, since availability can vary by region and membership level. Once it's live, you'll have the full NordVPN app to set up across your phone, laptop, and other devices.

NordVPN Basic vs NordVPN Standard: what's included

While users can use both plans on up to 10 devices simultaneously, features offered slightly differ.

As the name suggests, NordVPN Basic is the entry-level tier, and the main feature is the virtual private network (VPN) itself, using the same core software found across every NordVPN plan.

You get access to all NordVPN's server network — 211 locations in 135 countries— which TechRadar's reviewers found to be larger than any rival we test. You also get NordVPN's fast, secure NordLynx protocol, a reliable kill switch, and post-quantum encryption already baked in.

NordVPN Standard expands on the Basic offering by adding Threat Protection — now known as NordVPN's next-gen antivirus suite. The tool filters your traffic through NordVPN's DNS servers to block ads and malicious sites, while blocking malware before reaching your device in real-time.

• NordVPN 5.3.0 for Linux automatically installs the GUI app alongside the command-line daemon
• A new NordVPN diagnostics command bundles troubleshooting info into a single shareable file
• CLI commands are now case-insensitive, and older operating systems like Ubuntu 20.04 are no longer supported

NordVPN has rolled out version 5.3.0 of its Linux app, marking a notable shift in how the provider approaches the notoriously command-line-heavy operating system. Starting with this August 2026 release, the provider’s graphical user interface (GUI) will now install automatically alongside the standard daemon.

The best VPN on the market according to TechRadar's testing, NordVPN has spent the last couple of years steadily improving its Linux offerings. While the company first launched a full GUI for Linux to make securing open-source systems as simple as clicking a button, it previously required a separate installation step.

Now, by making it part of the default setup process, NordVPN aims to increase its usage among Linux users who may have skipped or missed the extra package entirely.

"The GUI app now installs automatically alongside the daemon," the provider noted in its latest release notes. "It's been around for a while, but we figured it deserved a little more visibility."

This change ensures that all Linux users immediately benefit from visual features like light and dark mode, server maps, and easy toggles for post-quantum encryption, without ever having to touch the terminal. The integration comes just a year after NordVPN made its Linux GUI app open-source, allowing the community to inspect the code for complete transparency.

Simpler troubleshooting and broader changes

While the automatic GUI installation is the most visible change, version 5.3.0 brings several major quality-of-life improvements to the Nord's Linux VPN.

First is a brand-new diagnostics command. In the past, Linux users troubleshooting connection issues had to manually run a series of complex commands to pull network information, system specs, and firewall rules.

The new tool consolidates this process, gathering all necessary data into a single file that can be securely shared with the support team. However, NordVPN clarifies that "this command is not yet available for Snap package installations."

The command-line interface (CLI) has also received an overdue tweak: commands are now case-insensitive. As the company jokingly explained in the notes, users can "feel free to shout in ALL CAPS if the need ever arises."

Additionally, the NordVPN pause command has officially made its CLI debut, and the system tray app now includes a highly requested “Open NordVPN app” button. As the provider states, it "does exactly what the label suggests, which is always reassuring."

Under the hood, a few technical adjustments were made to improve networking. For users struggling to find local devices, mDNS traffic is now allowed by default when LAN discovery is turned on, meaning printers and local servers will no longer remain "impressively undiscoverable."

However, users running older setups should take note before upgrading. To keep up with modern standards, NordVPN has raised the minimum glibc version to 2.35. As a result, the 5.3.0 update officially deprecates support for older operating systems, including Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 11, and Fedora 32 through 42.

• NordVPN has launched HangUp, a free anti-scam call Android app
• HangUp needs just a free Nord account to get started
• The app is built upon NordVPN's existing Call Protection technology

NordVPN has released HangUp, a standalone Android app designed to identify and block unwanted calls that's completely free to use.

HangUp identifies and categorizes incoming calls, displays caller information, and lets users block entire categories such as scam or telemarketing calls. It's a notable move from a company better known for topping best VPN lists, and it signals another step in NordVPN's shift toward becoming an all-in-one security brand.

NordVPN research says that 2 in 5 Americans feel unsafe because of scam calls, and for many people, dodging fraudulent numbers has become a daily chore rather than an occasional annoyance.

"Scam calls are a basic digital safety problem at this point, and we felt that basic protection shouldn't be behind a paywall," NordVPN's spokesperson told TechRadar, explaining the reason why the company decided to build a free app.

The app is available worldwide on the Google Play Store, and NordVPN confirms to TechRadar that they are working on making it available for iOS soon.

Why a free call-blocking app is needed

The state of spam calls varies depending on where you live, but according to NordVPN's survey, nearly two in five Americans say they feel unsafe because of scam calls.

Plus, according to Hiya's State of the Call 2026 report, Americans receive an average of 10 unwanted calls a week, and nearly 30 million lost money to a phone scam in the past year, with an average loss of $682.

How HangUp works

HangUp is powered by NordVPN and uses caller reputation data to flag potentially harmful numbers before you decide whether to pick up. When a call comes in, the app checks the number, warns you if it looks like spam or a telemarketing attempt, and can sort callers by type so you know what you're dealing with at a glance.

The blocking works at the category level, so rather than blacklisting numbers one by one, you can choose to automatically block entire groups such as scam or telemarketing calls.

HangUp can also handle that blocking for you automatically, and it keeps weekly, monthly, and yearly stats so you can see how many unwanted calls it has stopped.

The provider already offers a Call Protection feature built into the main NordVPN app, which flags suspected scam calls before you answer and requires a premium subscription. That feature was developed in partnership with Hiya and has been rolling out to Android and iPhone users across a growing list of countries.

HangUp, by contrast, is a separate, standalone app that doesn't need a paid NordVPN plan at all. It brings the same core idea, warning you about and blocking dodgy callers, to anyone willing to sign up for a free Nord account.

Getting up and running is straightforward.

Download HangUp from the Google Play Store on your Android phone, sign in with a free Nord account (or create one on Nord’s website if you don't have one), and grant the app the caller ID and spam permissions it needs to screen your calls.

• NordVPN has begun a server-by-server upgrade until the end of 2026
• Every machine gets a newer Linux distribution, kernel, and IP address
• App users should notice little beyond the occasional reconnection

NordVPN has kicked off a months-long overhaul of the software running its VPN servers, a rollout that started in July and will continue, one server at a time, until the end of 2026.

Despite the scale, this isn't a feature update. TechRadar's best VPN pick is replacing the foundations beneath its network: every standard VPN server is moving to a newer Linux distribution, picking up an updated kernel, and getting a reworked software stack.

The one change users can actually see is the addressing. Every upgraded server is issued a new IP, which is harmless if you use the NordVPN app, but a headache if you don't.

A new Linux base for every server

NordVPN frames the work as maintenance rather than a redesign, and is explicit that it won't add features or change how the service behaves. The stated payoff is a more flexible environment for its engineers to automate, maintain, and scale.

Four things are changing: a newer Linux distribution carrying current security fixes, newer kernels, an optimised software stack aimed at server efficiency, and a different IP address on every upgraded machine.

Each server needs a brief reboot to get there, which is less disruptive than it sounds given NordVPN runs a diskless, RAM-only fleet on hardware it owns and colocates in third-party data centres. That architecture has been examined repeatedly in the provider's Deloitte no-logs audits.

What you'll actually notice

Very little, for most people. NordVPN says app users don't need to do anything, and the client will reconnect automatically if the server you're on drops out mid-session. Expect a short interruption while that happens.

Recent releases were built with this in mind. The provider's July Linux release notes describe the app switching you to another server in the same country, city, or group when yours goes offline, with the kill switch standing guard during the handover.

There should be an upside once the dust settles: steadier performance at peak times, more traffic capacity per server, and fewer disruptions down the line.

That builds on April's milestone, when the network passed 100 Tbps of aggregate capacity across 211 locations in 135 countries, with servers deliberately run at roughly a third of their limit to leave headroom.

The exception: manual setups

If you connect manually, using OpenVPN config files on a router, a NAS, or a bare Linux box, your setup will stop working once the server it points at has been upgraded.

The fix is easy but not automatic — download replacement config files from the manual setup area of your Nord Account once the server is back online, then swap out the old ones. NordVPN says the new files carry a "Verified" badge so you can tell which are current.

• NordVPN releases a free-to-use AI tool that evaluates suspicious content
• NordBot aims to stop users from falling victim to social media scams
• It integrates directly with WhatsApp, Telegram, X, Instagram, Messenger

We all know the feeling of receiving a text about a missed delivery fee or a bizarre link from a friend's hacked Instagram account. As phishing tactics grow increasingly sophisticated, the maker of TechRadar's top-rated best VPN has launched a new tool to give you a much-needed second opinion before you click.

Today, NordVPN announced the launch of NordBot, an AI-powered agent designed to detect suspicious content across social media and messaging apps.

Developed by NordLabs, the company's experimental innovation hub, the tool allows users to quickly verify messages, URLs, and images directly within their favorite platforms.

Attackers constantly impersonate brands, support teams, recruiters, and even friends, often relying on urgency to push victims into sending money or clicking malicious links. The goal is to intercept scams where they are most prevalent.

"Scams follow you everywhere now, and they blend right into places you already trust. They show up in your DMs, your group chats, and the comments under a post you were just scrolling past," says Domininkas Virbickas, Product Director at NordVPN.

By evaluating content on the fly, NordBot aims to stop users from falling victim to fake giveaways and AI-generated imagery.

How NordBot works

Unlike standalone security apps that require you to copy and paste the suspicious content into a separate browser window, NordBot is designed to live where the conversations happen.

It currently supports Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, X, and WhatsApp (via the number +1 940-616-6302), with Reddit integration reportedly coming soon.

Using the tool is straightforward. Whenever you spot a suspicious delivery notice or an unfamiliar link, you simply share the content with NordBot via a direct message or tag it under a public post — depending on the platform.

NordBot only checks the specific content you send it — analyzing the data before replying with a quick safety verdict — to return one of four clear signals.

Safe if the content shows no clear signs of danger. Suspicious means it contains elements that deserve caution. Dangerous when it appears likely to be harmful or deceptive. AI-generated is reserved for content that looks created or heavily altered by AI.

However, the company warns that the bot isn't foolproof.

Because any AI tool can occasionally miss risky content or flag harmless messages, NordBot should act as an extra safety signal rather than a total replacement for good digital hygiene or NordVPN’s built-in next-gen antivirus.

Users are still urged to never share sensitive information, such as passwords, payment details, or one-time codes, with unknown senders.

NordLabs' trackrecord in fighting scams

NordBot is the latest project to emerge from the NordLabs initiative. Other releases include experimental tools like an AI voice checker to spot audio deepfakes and a dedicated link-checking tool.

Virbickas confirmed to TechRadar that NordBot is built on the same scam-detection technology and link-checking engines that power its existing NordLabs tools. What's new is NordBot's capability of detecting AI-generated images, which works by extracting and analyzing any text found in images.

"So, it's a combination of proven, battle-tested detection technology and new capabilities, delivered where people need it most," added Virbickas.

As with any other NordLabs release, NordBot is also completely free for anyone to use and does not require an active NordVPN subscription.

"We decided not to limit VPNs." These six words from Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan ended months of tension on Wednesday, confirming the government's U-turn on age-gating privacy tools.

VPN services are popular software that millions of people in the UK use every day to encrypt their online activities for better privacy and security. Yet, their ability to grant access to geo-blocked content has also been making enemies among democratic countries lately, as age verification laws spread across the world.

This friction has led some British lawmakers to dub VPNs a "loophole that needed to be closed," prompting a national consultation to investigate how kids use this technology.

The announcement of an upcoming UK teen social media ban has made this process even more crucial. Since then, many have speculated that it would have helped to tip the scales towards new VPN restrictions. And yet, that didn't happen.

"This is the right call, and a welcome recognition that VPNs play a crucial role in everyday cybersecurity," Justas Pukys, Senior Product Manager at Surfshark, told TechRadar, adding that protecting children online and preserving strong cybersecurity tools "can, and should, go hand in hand."

But why did the UK government choose to leave VPNs alone after all? And can this bold decision pave the way for a similar response in the rest of Europe?

Why the UK government will not age-gate VPNs

As the UK Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, explains in a parliamentary statement, VPNs have legitimate privacy and security uses. The reason why, she explains, "we will therefore not age-gate or ban them."

Independent research conducted by Kendall's department has indeed found that privacy is the top reason UK children use a VPN. Only a small minority of them — between 7% and 10% — do so to bypass mandatory age checks.

The latest Ofcom report on the use of age assurance — which was also published on Wednesday — paints a similar picture. While confirming that VPN usage doubled in the UK following the enforcement of mandatory age verification, only "a relatively small minority of children" use these tools to access restricted content or features.

These findings mirror separate YouGov research commissioned by the VPN Trust Initiative, which revealed that a mere 1.4% of surveyed minors use a VPN specifically to access platforms meant for older demographics. Before that, a May 2026 study conducted by Internet Matters also found that only 7% used a VPN to circumvent age restrictions.

This evidence doesn't necessarily mean that children aren't trying to evade controls. Yet, they show how most young people do so simply by entering a fake birthdate or using a parent's login.

So, the onus to prevent kids from evading controls is now back on the platforms. But the government also shared the intention to "engage with VPN providers on voluntary action and strengthen guidance and support for parents."

NordVPN's Privacy Advocate, Laura Tyrylyte, welcomes the prospect of working with lawmakers to find a balanced solution, praising Kendall's decision.

"The Government is right to recognise the important role that VPNs play and to adopt an evidence-led approach," Tyrylyte told TechRadar.

And while arguing that "it should have been obvious from the start," Windscribe's CEO, Yegor Sak, explains that this move reassures VPN users in the UK that they can continue using VPNs. "Without worrying that a legal privacy tool is about to be treated as suspicious by default," he added.

Will other countries follow the UK?

UK wasn't alone in toying with the idea of age-restricting VPN apps.

The EU is also considering something similar following the release of its age verification app. On a national level, France is also evaluating VPN use as it gets ready to enforce its under-15 social media ban.

That's why Mozilla Product Policy Manager, Svea Windwehr, urges European governments to follow the UK's lead.

"We urge policymakers everywhere to address the root causes of online harms, and follow the UK's evidence-based approach in keeping VPNs accessible for everyone," Windwehr told TechRadar.

And while the wider industry is now hopeful that VPN restrictions will ultimately disappear from politicians' agendas, the tensions between children's safety and people's privacy have not been defused yet.

"If an online safety regime only works when everyone's location and identity are easy to verify, the problem is the regime. Not the tool that prevents constant identification," Sak from Windiscribe told TechRadar.

NymVPN's CEO, Harry Halpin, agrees with Sak on this, warning that UK lawmakers' action could still impact VPN users in the country.

"The problem is that the UK government is still pursuing its idea of connecting your passport to your internet usage," Halpin told TechRadar, arguing that this still "hinders free access to the internet even if VPNs are usable."

The road to ensuring age verification systems don't hurt our digital freedoms may still be long. But protecting the integrity of the VPN is certainly a step in the right direction that we hope more politicians will replicate.

In the past year I've spent tens of hours streaming with VPNs, and one thing is consistently problematic for even the best VPNs — live events.

So, if you're traveling and keen to catch the World Cup final this weekend, you might think you're stuck. Thankfully, NordVPN proved to be the one streaming VPN I tested that consistently performed well in these scenarios.

Over the past year, I've used NordVPN with Peacock, BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports, ITVX, and 7Plus. And compared to any other VPN, it's proved the most effective.

I experienced the least delayed streams, the least buffering, and, most importantly, the fewest complete connection dropouts when using NordVPN. So, while cheaper alternatives such as Norton VPN and Surfshark exist, if you want the most reliable performance, this is where I'd put my money.

If you don't want a long term commitment, you could always choose to pick a monthly plan. For $15, you can watch the rest of the tournament and gain all the additional security benefits that come with a VPN.

You don't need NordVPN's most advanced features to watch the World Cup with a VPN. That's a good thing, as right now its premium plans are considerably more expensive than many other providers.

With long-term plans, Surfshark plans start at $2.49/month, a full dollar cheaper per month; the same goes for Norton VPN. If you're really budget-focused, both PIA and Cyberghost are less than $1.60 per month right now, too.

But, should you choose a NordVPN Plus plan or above, you do get some great perks. NordPass, the best password manager we've tested, cloud storage, dark web monitoring, and more are on offer.

It's worth mentioning that buying the more premium plans monthly will set you back at least $20, so I'd recommend signing up for a longer duration if you prefer these extra features.

• The UK government confirmed it will not limit VPNs
• Data reveals only 7-10% of teenagers use a VPN to bypass age checks
• Social media curfews, autoplay restrictions were also announced

The UK government has officially scrapped the idea of restricting virtual private networks (VPNs) to enforce its impending social media bans, delivering a massive victory for digital privacy advocates.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast today, the government confirmed a major U-turn on the subject, with Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan stating: "We decided not to limit VPNs."

This was further cemented in a written parliamentary statement by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, who clarified that the government will not age-gate or ban the best VPN software because "VPNs have legitimate privacy and security uses."

The announcement ends fears that sweeping age verification laws could inadvertently break online privacy for millions of adults.

Cybersecurity experts and privacy groups previously warned that restricting these tools would be a disaster waiting to happen, prompting an open letter from the industry urging lawmakers to leave everyday privacy tools alone.

Privacy wins, but platforms face new rules

While VPNs are safe from a blanket government ban, the social media ban loophole hasn't been completely ignored.

Kendall confirmed the onus will now fall on social media platforms "to take robust steps to detect and prevent attempts by underage users to circumvent age assurance measures."

To achieve this, the government has tasked Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to report by October on how platforms can better detect and prevent VPN use for age-check circumvention. The government also plans to engage directly with VPN providers regarding voluntary actions.

This shift in responsibility aligns with newly released government research.

A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) report revealed that while 26% of 11- to 17-year-olds use a VPN, findings show they do so primarily for privacy.

Only 7-10% use them to bypass age checks, whereas 45% simply enter a false date of birth.

Midnight curfews and AI limits

While everyday privacy tools have been spared, the government is pressing forward with strict new rules to combat digital addiction — that online commentators already deemed "ineffective and useless" — with the first regulations coming into effect in early 2027.

Following the upcoming blanket ban on social media for under-16s, new measures will ensure 16- and 17-year-olds don't face a sudden "cliff edge" of addictive features. Government consultation revealed that nearly one in three children actively want help managing their screen time.

Under the new rules, older teens will face default social media curfews from midnight to 6 am. Additionally, persuasive features like autoplaying videos and personalized infinite feeds will be switched off by default to make logging off easier.

"This is about giving these older children more choice and control over the feeds and reducing that sense that they can never switch off being online," Kendall stated.

The protections also extend to artificial intelligence.

The government will require mandatory breaks for under-18s using AI chatbots to prevent emotional dependency. Furthermore, lawmakers are working with health regulators, including the MHRA and DHSC, to consider banning therapy chatbots entirely if they provide dangerous or unverified mental health advice to minors.

• 20+ digital rights groups and tech firms urge the UK not to restrict VPNs
• Age-gating VPNs would undermine the online privacy of millions, they warn
• Signatories believe VPN restrictions are ineffective, technically unfeasible

The UK government's ongoing debate around tightening online safety rules to protect kids has drawn fierce pushback from the global cybersecurity sector.

On July 9, a coalition of 24 major digital rights organizations and top VPN providers, including Amnesty International, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mozilla, issued a stark warning to the UK government: leave VPNs alone.

In an open letter to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, the group stressed that while keeping kids safe is a shared goal, it must not come at the cost of breaking the internet's fundamental privacy infrastructure.

As lawmakers weigh up potential restrictions ahead of an expected online safety consultation update this month, the stakes for your digital privacy have never been higher.

If you currently use the best VPN to protect your personal data on public Wi-Fi or secure your connection while working remotely, new regulations could fundamentally alter how these tools work. Any move to force VPN providers into verifying the age of their users would require you to hand over sensitive personal data, effectively destroying the anonymity you pay to protect.

"Restricting VPNs would undercut security"

The heart of the coalition's argument is that virtual private networks (VPNs) are, first and foremost, essential security software.

"The challenge is ensuring measures strengthen child safety without weakening the privacy and security millions of people rely on every day, including children," the letter explains.

Beyond everyday consumers, the coalition notes that VPNs provide critical protection for vulnerable groups.

The open letter emphasizes that these tools are a lifeline for "human rights defenders and journalists, domestic abuse survivors, the LGBTQ+ community, and others at heightened risk online." As rights groups have noted previously, weakening this protection could actively infringe human rights.

Addressing the reality check of age verification head-on, the group didn't mince words about the dangers of ID checks.

"Age-gating VPNs would require everyone to surrender sensitive personal information simply to access tools designed to protect privacy," the letter states.

A technically unfeasible approach

Critics of the UK's proposed teen social media ban have repeatedly pointed out that restricting privacy tools is a flawed approach to child safety. The letter backs this up with hard data, pointing to Ofcom research which "found that only around 3% of children had used VPNs to access content meant for older audiences."

The coalition also highlights that teenagers will simply find other, lower-tech ways to bypass rules. "Evidence from Australia shows children are much more likely to get around age checks by not being asked, giving false information, or even drawing on a moustache," the letter adds.

Ultimately, the cybersecurity industry is warning that while restricting privacy tools is failing to protect kids, it will succeed in punishing regular users. "Blocking VPN traffic reliably is technically unfeasible," the letter warns, noting that it risks locking employers and schools out of the web, while pushing regular citizens toward "unregulated, data-exploiting services that are harder to oversee, leaving them less secure."

Rather than breaking encrypted tools, the coalition urges the government to focus its upcoming policies on the root causes of online harms, suggesting investments in "strong enforcement of platform obligations, better parental controls, investment in digital literacy, and safety- and privacy-by-design obligations."

• West Coast Labs found that the VPN battery drain is just a myth
• Leaving NordVPN on for 24 hours drains just up to 1.8% of battery
• NordVPN's NordLynx uses up to 31% less battery than OpenVPN

One of the biggest reasons people turn off their cybersecurity apps is the fear of a dead smartphone. For years, the conventional wisdom has been that running a virtual private network (VPN) in the background will relentlessly chew through your daily charge.

However, new independent research commissioned by NordVPN reveals that this long-held belief is actually a massive misunderstanding. If you've been avoiding firing up the best VPN to save a few precious battery percentage points, your phone has probably been lying to you.

West Coast Labs carried out an evaluation across flagship Apple, Samsung, and Google devices. Testing showed that running NordVPN continuously for a full 24 hours added a mere 1.4% to daily battery use on Android and just 1.8% on iOS.

To put that into perspective, leaving the VPN active all day on a premium Android device means you would only need to charge it roughly half a day earlier over the course of an entire month.

Why your phone's battery screen is lying to you

"Battery drain is one of the biggest reasons people avoid using a VPN," says Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer (CTO) at NordVPN. "We wanted to know if that myth holds up, and it turns out it largely doesn’t. Your phone makes VPN battery use look a lot scarier than it actually is."

The confusion stems from how Android and iOS calculate power consumption. When a VPN is active, your device routes all its internet traffic through that encrypted tunnel. Because of this, your smartphone's operating system labels all that transferred data as belonging to the VPN app.

If you stream a video or browse the web, your battery usage screen blames the VPN for the power drop. During an hour of streaming, West Coast Labs found that phones attributed an average of 49% of the session's battery drop to NordVPN.

However, when researchers used hardware instruments to measure the actual electrical current draw, the real VPN overhead was just 1.6% to 2.1%. Essentially, your phone's battery screen is simply counting data volume, not actual power loss. When idle, the background overhead is less than 0.5% of battery capacity per hour.

The commuter test and modern protocols

Another scenario notorious for eating up battery life is the daily commute. Phones rapidly switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data networks can force apps to constantly reconnect, draining juice in the process.

West Coast Labs simulated a two-hour commute with automated network switches every nine minutes. Even under this stress, NordVPN's transition overhead stayed at just 5.1% on Android and 6.8% on iOS. The app also successfully reconnected after more than 99 out of every 100 network switches.

So, where did the battery-draining myth come from? The report points the finger at older technology, specifically OpenVPN. Built in 2001, OpenVPN was designed long before mobile battery efficiency was a priority.

In contrast, NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx protocol — which is built on the much lighter WireGuard standard — uses modern cryptography requiring significantly less processing power. Benchmarking tests showed NordLynx uses 31% less battery per unit of data than OpenVPN on Android, and 24% less on iOS.

“People deserve to make informed choices about their online security. If battery drain was the reason someone wasn’t using a VPN, we hope this report puts that concern to rest for good," says Briedis.

• Some Mastercard’s users can install NordVPN for free
• The VPN now offers its services as part of the credit card’s perks
• This move indicates that digital awareness is growing among consumers

Do you have a Mastercard? If so, you'll be happy to know that you may be eligible to use NordVPN's services for free.

These days, we know that using a VPN has become crucial for protecting one's digital identity. But when a major payment service provider enables its cardholder to access one of the best VPNs for free as part of the benefits included in their package, you realize that digital security has truly become an integral part of everyday life.

Indeed, Mastercard cardholders can now redeem a NordVPN subscription in exactly the same way they currently access airport lounges, fast-track services, and other lifestyle perks included in Mastercard's list of exclusive benefits.

How to get your VPN

Depending on your bank or Mastercard issuer and the country where you live, your Mastercard payment plan may now include NordVPN Basic and NordVPN Standard.

The basic version is already packed with features and serves as a golden ticket to digital security, thanks to its excellent unblocking capabilities, servers in 126 countries, 10 simultaneous connections, and the ability to block ads and malicious domains.

The luckiest users will be able to take advantage of NordVPN Standard, which exceeds all expectations, especially thanks to its next-gen antivirus digital suite.

The service helps protect your device from ads, trackers, malware, and malicious websites or downloads, and was previously ranked by the cybersecurity specialist AV-TEST and West Coast Labs (WCL) as the best tool for blocking malicious websites and anti-malware evaluation. We also tested it and can confidently confirm that it outperformed most other VPNs.

Mastercard cardholders can redeem their NordVPN subscription by checking their eligibility at https://nordvpn.com/partners/mastercard.

Customers are advised to contact their bank or card issuer to ensure that NordVPN’s digital benefits are included in their plan. Once they activate their NordVPN subscription, the service will ask them to set up their Nord account and download the NordVPN app.

A huge lifestyle plus

The partnership between NordVPN and Mastercard reflects a growing focus on privacy protection within financial services, particularly in industries where digital security is critical because sensitive data is constantly being shared.

In fact, virtual private networks (VPNs) allow cardholders to boost privacy by encrypting their browsing data and masking IP addresses. This provides solid protection against the risks associated with transactions made on public Wi-Fi networks, offering a defense against hackers who might intercept sensitive data.

The fact that a VPN is included among the lifestyle benefits offered by a payment giant shows that customers are paying closer attention to the digital world and view VPNs as an essential tool in their lives — just like vacations or entertainment.

"Digital security is becoming an essential part of everyday life, especially as people increasingly manage their finances, shop, and access important services online," stressed Kestas Saulis, Head of Payments at NordVPN.

Indeed, we might expect an ever-growing demand for digital security among payment services customers as they become increasingly aware of the real risks they face every time they conduct online transactions and share personal data.

• NordVPN has launched Message Protection for Android users worldwide, adding SMS screening to its Call and Message Protection suite.
• The tool checks incoming texts from unknown senders and pushes a notification when a message looks malicious or suspicious.
• Flagged texts open in a safe view that stops links being tapped by accident, and NordVPN says it never stores message content.

NordVPN is rolling out a Message Protection feature to Android users worldwide, giving people a way to catch fraudulent texts before they become a threat. The tool automatically screens incoming SMS messages and flags anything that looks like a scam.

The feature, which was already made available to iPhone users at the beginning of June, joins existing Call Protection on a single screen, so there is now one place to manage defenses against both suspicious calls and malicious texts.

NordVPN has long been a front-runner for the title of best VPN, but this update is another step in its shift toward an all-in-one privacy and security app, rather than a service that simply encrypts your traffic.

Why text scams keep climbing

According to GASA's Global State of Scams 2025 report, text and SMS rank as the second most common channel used by fraudsters. The same research, which surveyed 46,000 adults across 42 markets, found that 57% had been scammed in the past year, with global losses reaching an estimated $442 billion.

Citing the US Federal Trade Commission, NordVPN says text scam losses hit $639 million in 2025, a 36% jump compared to the previous year. Fake package deliveries, bogus bank alerts, and unpaid toll notices remain some of the most common lures.

"Text messages have always been one of the easiest ways for scammers to reach people at scale," says Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN. "Message protection is about breaking that chain before it starts."

How Message Protection works

The feature screens every incoming SMS from an unknown sender, checking it against phone reputation data, URL analysis, and content categorization. When a message is judged malicious or suspicious, users get an instant push notification naming the threat type and the recommended action.

If you want to view a flagged message, you can do so in a safe viewer that prevents links from opening, and you can track how many messages and calls get flagged in the unified dashboard.

The feature runs quietly in the background, even when the VPN is switched off, and NordVPN says it doesn't store the content of any of the calls or texts.

How to switch it on

On a fresh install, you can enable Message Protection during the onboarding steps. Existing users can go from the Home screen to Call and Message Protection under the Product hub, then follow the permission setup.

NordVPN has also launched Prompt Guard, a separate Chrome and Edge extension that warns you before you paste sensitive data, such as passwords or card numbers, into AI tools.

Are you a Google user living in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, or Switzerland? If so, you have probably received a message from the tech giant informing you that it will soon start using your IP address for advertising measurement purposes.

Google has so far only used IP addresses to route traffic and display adverts in these regions. However, as reported by Bleeping Computer, from 4 August, it will allow third parties to show you more personalised adverts by tracking your activity via your IP address.

The move raises questions about compliance with the GDPR in the EU and UK, which classifies IP addresses as personal data. Under current regulations, companies must obtain users’ consent before tracking IP addresses for the purpose of personalising adverts.

Indeed, the tracking of IP addresses in the EU is regarded as 'fingerprinting' — an invasive profiling practice that tracks an individual and their devices to link their digital activities. IP addresses can help identify your device, making it much easier for third parties to build a profile and bombard you with targeted ads while potentially exposing your data to hackers.

Google has stated that it is now shifting the burden of complying with the regulations in these regions onto advertisers, reminding them to adhere to its EU User Consent Policy and to obtain valid consent from users in the regions concerned, thereby placing much of the responsibility for managing and tracking IP addresses directly on these companies.

The days when the tech giant promoted a privacy-friendly digital environment now seem a distant memory. However, the best VPNs can help you retain control over your IP address.

What Google’s IP-tracking means for your privacy

Google's new initiative could mark a significant turning point in terms of consent. Above all, it involves the creation of persistent profiles based on users' activities.

By placing the responsibility for obtaining consent on advertisers, while at the same time making it impossible for users to delete their own 'digital footprint' themselves, the Big Tech giant heavily impacts users’ online privacy.

Additionally, advertisers may implement consent banners in ways that are unclear or designed to encourage users to click 'accept', leading regulators to question whether the new system truly respects users' choices.

Although users might soon be able to manage IP-based personalisation, current opt-out options are limited to existing cookies and ad personalisation settings — meaning that, at present, users have little control over this new form of profiling.

It is particularly clarifying that Google itself was previously against the move, having completely U-turned from 2019, when it recognised fingerprinting as 'wrong', claiming it undermines users’ freedom of choice.

However, in 2024, the platform backtracked on its pro-privacy stance and lifted the ban on advertisers' use of fingerprinting, almost immediately raising concerns at the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which described the reversal as 'irresponsible'.

Awkwardly for Google, new developments come just one month after the ICO published its 2026 guidance, where it reiterated that tracking a person's digital activity across different websites to build a behavioural profile will continue to require users' explicit consent.

How can a VPN help?

A virtual private network (VPN) gives you control back over these issues, as it spoofs users' IP addresses to minimise tracking — routing your traffic through remote servers and fooling websites you visit into thinking you’re somewhere else.

Leading providers, including NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN, offer services such as ThreatProtection, CleanWeb and NetShield, which provide both shared and dedicated, static IP addresses, as well as blocking trackers, reducing cookie pop-ups and using alternative IDs, making IP-based identification harder.

A handful of secure free VPNs, including ProtonVPN Free, Windscribe Free, and Privado VPN Free, are also worth the game. However, these solutions usually have limitations, often a limited number of servers, which can slow down connection speeds and cause traffic congestion.

In recent years, some top VPNs have also integrated anti-fingerprinting technologies. Windscribe, for example, has added such a feature on its Chrome and Edge browser extensions, while Mullvad VPN developed the Mullvad browser with fingerprinting resistance.

Finally, using a privacy-first browser like Mozilla Firefox, which incorporates an ad-blocker, free proxy, and fingerprinting protections, will help minimise IP-tracking for ad personalisation, making unpleasant ads a distant memory.

• India is reportedly working on new VPN regulations
• Companies could be forced to establish an office in the country
• VPNs found workaround to previous restrictions

India is working on an expansive new legal framework to clamp down on virtual private networks (VPNs), with proposals reportedly including mandatory local offices, designated compliance officers, and even prison terms for non-compliance.

According to The Indian Express, the upcoming rules aim to make VPN providers legally liable when citizens use their tools to circumvent government-mandated content blocks.

"In the last few months, we have been observing that users are able to bypass content, accounts, and online services that have been blocked by the government on various grounds by using VPN services," an anonymous senior government official told reporters.

This new set of rules is also seen as necessary, officials admitted, as the controversial data retention law enforced in 2022 by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has proved to be unsuccessful.

The directive legally requires VPN firms, data centers, and cloud providers to log sensitive user information — including real names, verified IP addresses, and usage patterns — for up to five years, and surrender it to authorities upon request.

Yet, major VPN companies, including the likes of ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Hide.me, Surfshark, and Proton VPN, found a simple way to avoid compliance — removing their physical servers from the country.

"They have simply refused to comply. So, the need for a full-fledged law is being felt," the senior official told The Indian Express.

What's at stake for India's VPN users?

Beyond encrypting user data to boost privacy and security, virtual private networks (VPNs) spoof IP addresses, allowing users to bypass local, state-enforced geo-restrictions.

This capability has become critical for local internet users. Last month, India experienced a massive spike in VPN downloads after the government temporarily blocked the messaging app Telegram due to concerns over exam fraud.

Just weeks earlier, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered VPN firms to actively block access to the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket, threatening legal repercussions if they refused.

The proposed framework aims to hand New Delhi the necessary legal teeth to force VPN providers into enforcing these content bans on the government's behalf. Digital rights groups frequently criticize India's aggressive approach to censorship; according to data trackers, the country consistently leads the world in government-imposed internet shutdowns.

While specific details of the draft framework remain scarce, leaked proposals suggest that offshore VPN companies will be required to establish a physical corporate presence in India and appoint local compliance officers to act as direct government liaisons.

Criminal penalties for non-compliance are also on the table, including potential prison sentences for local employees if an order is ignored.

However, serious questions remain over how authorities plan to enforce these rules. For many global VPN providers, simply keeping their physical servers outside of Indian borders has previously been enough to circumvent local jurisdiction.

It is also unlikely that premium, strict no-logs services will fundamentally alter their server infrastructure to comply with New Delhi's demands — especially after resisting a similar ultimatum four years ago.

Dr. Pete Membrey, Chief Research Officer at ExpressVPN, pointed back to the company's 2022 decision to become the first major provider to pull its physical servers from India, confirming that its stance remains.

"We’ll evaluate when a proposal is published," Membrey told TechRadar, adding that "ExpressVPN will continue to work hard to keep users connected to the open and free internet, no matter where they are located."

A Surfshark spokesperson also said that the company remains committed to upholding the privacy of its users.

TechRadar reached out to India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and CERT-In for further clarification on the draft framework and an expected enforcement timeline. Neither agency responded prior to publication.

• NordVPN moved obfuscation from OpenVPN to the NordWhisper protocol
• The move promises faster connections and a wider range of locations
• The change is already live on iOS, with the rest of the apps set to follow soon

Keeping ahead of network filters is now a permanent job for any provider hoping to rank among the best VPN services, and NordVPN has just made a change that shows how quickly the ground is shifting.

Tucked away in the release notes of a fresh iOS app update, the provider has revealed that its obfuscated servers no longer run on OpenVPN. Instead, they are now powered by NordWhisper, the censorship-resistant protocol NordVPN built in-house and launched at the start of 2025.

The reason for the change, according to NordVPN, is simple: better speed and more places to connect from.

Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN, also told TechRadar that NordWhisper is designed to work just as well, if not better than OpenVPN for overcoming restrictive networks. "In many cases, users should see improvements thanks to better speeds and a wider range of available server locations," he added.

The update is rolling out gradually, so not every user will see it straight away. Vriedis confirms that while the change is already live on the iOS VPN app, the team plans to roll it out to Android, Windows, and macOS within the following weeks.

What has actually changed, and why it matters

Obfuscated servers are a specialty category designed to hide the fact that you are using a VPN at all, letting your traffic slip past firewalls and deep packet inspection on networks that would otherwise block it. For years, connecting to them meant switching your protocol to OpenVPN, since obfuscation was tied to OpenVPN's TCP and UDP variants.

That is the part NordVPN has reworked. The obfuscated server category now runs on NordWhisper under the hood, and this is only the newest step in a busy stretch for the provider.

The biggest benefit for users is speed. Obfuscated OpenVPN connections carry extra overhead because the VPN traffic is wrapped in an additional disguising layer, which tends to drag performance down. NordWhisper was designed from the ground up to blend in with normal web traffic, so shifting obfuscation onto it should ease that penalty and deliver a smoother connection.

The second benefit is reach. NordVPN's obfuscated server pool has historically been limited to a modest list of countries, far smaller than its full fleet. Moving obfuscation onto NordWhisper opens the door to a broader set of locations, which is exactly what censored and heavily filtered users need most.

Crucially, none of this comes at the expense of security. NordWhisper follows the same encryption and privacy standards as NordVPN's other protocols, so users get the stealth without giving anything up in terms of protection.

How does NordWhisper work?

NordWhisper is NordVPN's proprietary, censorship-resistant protocol, first launched in January 2025 as a response to the growing sophistication of network filtering around the world.

NordWhisper uses web tunnel technology to disguise VPN traffic as ordinary internet activity, which makes it far harder for filters and deep packet inspection to single out and block.

The protocol is best suited to networks that actively block VPNs, such as some workplaces, schools, public Wi-Fi, and heavily censored regions. On open, unrestricted networks, faster options like NordLynx remain the better everyday pick.

NordVPN has also signalled where it wants to take the technology next, moving NordWhisper toward a fully TLS-based design and exploring the QUIC protocol to stay ahead of increasingly capable censorship tools. It is a direction the company frames as "the future" of VPN protocols.

• NordVPN discovered adware campaign operating across 50,000 websites
• The malware collects highly specific device data to profile and track you
• The adware can detect and bypass ad blockers with domains that change daily

Who doesn't love a free movie? Unfortunately, a recently uncovered cyber threat is proving the old adage true: if the product is free, you are the product. NordVPN’s Threat Intelligence team has exposed a highly sophisticated adware campaign that has successfully infected at least 50,000 active websites, turning the hunt for free content into a cybersecurity minefield.

The campaign is specifically targeting high-risk corners of the internet, including illegal streaming platforms, torrent portals, underground forums, and adult websites.

Once a user lands on an infected page, the adware — a type of malware that hides behind online ads — deploys invasive tracking scripts to build a persistent profile of the user's device, harvesting data that ranges from their hardware specs to whether they use a crypto wallet.

"If you’re not paying for a product, you are often the product," says Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN, explaining that what looks like a free stream or download can quickly become a gateway to tracking, scams, and malware.

According to NordVPN, the scale of the threat is immense. Every single month, hundreds of thousands of the company's users encounter infection attempts tied directly to this specific adware kit.

How the adware campaign works

The operation works by loading a hidden JavaScript tag the moment a real person visits an infected website. To ensure maximum profit, the adware utilizes a fingerprinting module to build a persistent visitor ID stored directly on your device, allowing operators to track you even without using traditional cookies.

The sheer volume of data collected by this script is staggering. It scopes out your CPU cores, RAM, operating system, and installed plugins.

But it goes further than standard tracking. The adware actively hunts for browser-injected crypto wallet tools like MetaMask, checks for motion signals like accelerometer and gyroscope availability, and even uses favicon checks to figure out if you are logged into YouTube.

This highly specific profile is then likely sold to third parties or used to target you with customized scams.

"This campaign shows how cybercriminals turn user attention, personal data, and risky browsing habits into revenue at industrial scale," said Briedis.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this adware is how aggressively it hijacks your browsing experience.

You don't even need to click on a visible advertisement to fall victim. Simply clicking on an ordinary, non-advertising part of the infected webpage can trigger a redirect, immediately sending you to phishing campaigns, malware download sites, or push-subscription traps.

If you think your current ad blocker is enough to keep you safe, think again. The adware actively detects when filtering protections are running in your browser. If it spots an ad blocker, it switches to a proxy bypass mechanism, dubbed "adblock-proxy-super-secret" by its creators, which generates at least three brand new domains every 24 hours.

This constant shifting allows the malware to effortlessly dodge standard security blocklists. It even hides its malicious behavior if it detects a search engine bot, ensuring the infected pirate sites look completely harmless to Google.

How to stay safe

To protect your digital life, NordVPN's CTO Marijus Briedis recommends taking the following precautions:

• Avoid "free" premium content: Stay away from piracy and illegal streaming sites, as these environments are hotbeds for adware and phishing.
• Use tracker protections: Employing reputable ad and tracker blockers limits malicious scripts from executing in your browser.
• Reject push notifications: If a sketchy website asks for permission to send you notifications, deny the request immediately.
• Update your software: Keep your browser and security tools up to date to ensure they can catch the latest malicious scripts and deceptive redirects.

• Fake GTA VI beta keys are already draining cryptocurrency wallets worldwide
• AI-generated scam websites now imitate Rockstar branding with alarming accuracy
• Malware hidden inside fake game downloads can expose banking credentials instantly

Grand Theft Auto VI is not due on consoles until November 19 2026, but official preorders open soon, and cybersecurity researchers have warned criminals are already exploiting the wait with a coordinated wave of fraudulent websites.

Malwarebytes and NordVPN have both flagged sites promising "VIP early access" or exclusive beta keys to one of gaming's most anticipated releases.

The schemes ask victims to hand over money, personal information, or both, often before any real product changes hands.

How the scam works

Some fraudulent sites ask players to pay a few hundred dollars in cryptocurrency for a so-called VIP beta key. This method makes refunds or fraud reports practically impossible once the payment clears.

According to Stefan Dasic of Malwarebytes, GTA VI is "the perfect bait" that can be used by cybercriminals.

The franchise sold hundreds of millions of copies and went 13 years without a new entry — conditions that make hype, and therefore impatience, unusually intense.

Gerald Kasulis of NordVPN said scammers now use AI to mimic Rockstar's official branding so convincingly that polished emails and websites slip past a gamer's usual scepticism.

Some pages invoke the phrase "help us build Vice City," a reference to the game's fictional setting, to create a false sense of insider access.

Victims are sometimes directed to download software branded as an early build, including one fake file called GTA Mobile 6.

According to researchers, this file contains malware capable of letting fraudsters remotely access the victim's device, often bypassing antivirus software.

NordVPN has separately traced some of these fraudulent domains to a wider network with a documented history of spreading banking trojans, infostealers, and ransomware.

Other variants simply harvest names, addresses, dates of birth, or existing GTA login credentials, data that can then be resold.

Several of these scam sites even target PC and Android users, despite Rockstar never confirming that those versions exist yet.

Who is being targeted?

The typical victim tends to be someone too young, too eager, or simply underinformed, and primarily driven by a desire to be first in line for the game.

However, Malwarebytes' assessment of the scam wave reveals that the trick itself is rarely sophisticated, yet it consistently fools people regardless of age.

The character of those falling for these scams goes beyond simple naivety, since urgency and curiosity are what scammers are really exploiting across these campaigns.

Younger players and newcomers to online gaming appear especially exposed, given their relative unfamiliarity with how official preorder and beta access processes normally function.

Neither company has data on exactly how many people have visited these sites or lost money so far.

Rockstar Games has not responded to requests for comment on the ongoing scam wave or its impact on players.

Security researchers are urging anyone tempted by claims of early GTA VI access to pause and verify the source before entering any personal or financial details.

Players who have already entered credentials or payment information are advised to change their passwords immediately.

They should also contact their bank without delay, since cryptocurrency payments in particular cannot be reversed once sent.

Via PCGAMER

It's big game time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Scotland take on Brazil on a night which could see the Tartan Army seal qualification to the knockouts – and just because you're a UK expat it doesn't mean that you can't still enjoy watching Steve Clarke's men for free on BBC iPlayer just like you would back in Scotland.

So long as you're a license fee payer, you've every right to enjoy the Beeb's British commentary and support from your sunny spot in Dubai, Saudi, Singapore or wherever else you may be.

Just use a VPN, choose a UK server to connect to in the app, and then head to iPlayer and get streaming straight away, just like everyone else back in Scotland.

If you don't have a VPN, then we recommend NordVPN. We've rated it as the best VPN for streaming as well as the best VPN overall for more than two years now. Sign-up, install it on your laptop and away you go.

NordVPN comes with 24/7 live chat support just in case you have any difficulties getting connected. It also offers a tonne of scam protection features too if that's of interest to you beyond streaming.

VPNs are completely legal to use in all but the most draconian of countries. They're excellent for streaming your regular shows wherever your travel and providing privacy and protection from prying eyes for all of your online activities.

Traveling today comes with a hidden bill that catches many off guard. It isn’t just the price of the flight or the hotel; it’s the steady drain of international roaming fees. Take Verizon’s TravelPass for instance. At $12 a day, this quickly adds up and can turn an exciting 2026 FIFA World Cup trip into an unexpectedly expensive one.

While some travelers rely on public wifi to save, this often means battling sluggish speeds and insecure networks that risk your data. Fortunately, the way we stay connected while abroad is changing. The world’s best VPN services are no longer just encryption tools; they’ve evolved into direct mobile data providers.

By bundling secure VPN access with an affordable eSIM plan, you can skip sky-high carrier fees and stream your favorite shows without geo-blocks. This ensures a secure, seamless connection throughout the tournament without having to worry about surprise bills.

Saily: NordVPN's highly flexible, pay-as-you-go traveler

Saily, NordVPN’s flexible eSIM platform, is ideal for travelers who prefer pay-as-you-go control over their data spending.

Instead of committing to a single monthly plan, you can purchase small 1GB or 5GB allowances exactly when you need them. The setup is refreshingly simple: you install just one eSIM profile on your phone. Once installed, it handles all of your data without cluttering your device with extra apps.

It’s worth keeping in mind that NordVPN and Saily remain separate subscriptions. Though you can link your logins, they don’t merge into a single bill. Instead, you’ll manage them independently, paying strictly for the data you use and the VPN access you need.

Holiday.com: ExpressVPN’s unlimited data premium tier

Subscribing to an ExpressVPN one or two-year Advanced or Pro plans gives you a coupon for Holiday.com, their eSIM partner. This partnership effectively bundles unlimited mobile data into your existing subscription.

However, the setup isn’t fully integrated. You still need to download a separate Holiday.com app to activate and manage your eSIM plan, meaning you’ll be switching between two different apps to stay secure and connected.

Plus, these unlimited data offers are time-capped, at three or five days. If you need more data, you can conveniently top up via the ExpressVPN dashboard.

What if your VPN doesn't do data?

Not everyone wants to switch providers just for a trip. If you’re already loyal to a traditional security suite, you might be disappointed to find they don’t offer cellular data themselves, preventing you from enjoying the convenience of an all-in-one solution.

The process is simple enough but requires a little more legwork. You’d need to purchase a standalone eSIM from a provider like Airalo – one of the best eSIMs for global travel –then manually toggle your VPN app on top of it when you need encryption.

This lets you shop around for the cheapest data plans but with the caveat that you’ll be juggling two separate apps.

Verdict

Choosing the right setup depends entirely on your travel style. Saily takes the crown for budget-conscious fans who want total flexibility; its pay-as-you-go model lets you buy exactly what you need without overcommitting.

On the other end of the spectrum, Holiday.com (via ExpressVPN) is the superior choice if you need a lot of data for streaming World Cup matches.

Other VPNs remain a robust option if device security is your top priority, offering complete control to shop for the best eSIM deals. However, this comes with a trade-off: you’ll be managing two separate subscriptions and apps. For most travelers, this DIY approach isn’t worth the hassle unless you have a specific security preference.

• NordVPN offers a private server with dedicated IP, hardware, port forwarding
• The feature is aimed at gamers, self-hosters, and smart home owners
• It's an add-on for $11.99 per month on top of an active subscription

UPDATE: After publication, NordVPN shared more details on how its new Dedicated Servers work. We add some of these comments throughout the copy.

NordVPN has launched a private, dedicated VPN server, a new add-on that gives you your own private corner of the internet with a static IP address, isolated hardware, and port forwarding. In plain terms, the feature lets you reach your home network, devices, and personal services from anywhere in the world without exposing your real location.

Most people pick one of the best VPN services to stay more private while browsing, and a standard connection with a shared IP does that job perfectly well. But with this add-on, you are the only person using the server, and you get all the bandwidth to yourself, as well as full control over the IP's reputation.

"Some users need their VPN to have a broader scope. They want to secure their gaming server’s IP address, access their home network from across the world, and keep their real IP off the public internet," says Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN. "A dedicated server gives them the resources to do that."

The feature is now available for $11.99 per month and requires an active NordVPN subscription.

What NordVPN's dedicated server actually is

The dedicated server is a virtual private server assigned exclusively to one person and deployed automatically once you buy it. Where a standard or dedicated-IP connection still runs on shared hardware, this gives you an entire virtual machine to yourself, with your own CPU, memory, and bandwidth.

When compared with other non-VPN virtual private servers, however, NordVPN clarifies to TechRadar that the feature "does not provide end users with SSH or console access."

The specs are modest but sensible for the job: 1 vCPU, 4GB of RAM, up to 1 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth, and a 4TB monthly data allowance, with up to 10 devices able to connect at once.

"When the 4 TB monthly bandwidth allowance is reached, connection speeds are reduced to up to 10 Mbps until the start of the next month," a NordVPN spokesperson told TechRadar.

The headline feature, though, is port forwarding. Port forwarding lets specific types of internet traffic find their way to a particular device sitting behind the server, so people on the outside can reach it. Layered on top of a VPN, it does this without revealing the real IP address of whoever is hosting.

A NordVPN spokesperson confirmed to TechRadar that secure port forwarding is possible on Dedicated Servers, as the "hardware assigned to the single user removes the blocker of opening ports on a shared VPN server's infrastructure."

Therefore, there are no plans to extend this feature to Dedicated IP users.

Why would anyone want one

For general browsing and streaming, you do not need this, and NordVPN is upfront that shared servers perform just as well for normal VPN use. The dedicated server is for the people whose needs spill beyond simple privacy.

For example, anyone hosting a game world normally has to hand their real IP address to every player who joins, and that exposes them to DDoS attacks and leaks location data. Routing traffic through a dedicated server keeps your real IP hidden, while port forwarding still lets friends connect.

Finally, if you want to log in to your home PC from a remote location or self-host your own tools, a dedicated server gives you a stable, private route in. This is a long-standing reason people pair port forwarding with a VPN: it lets you reach a server inside your home network remotely and safely. Similarly, you can also reach your smart home devices.

How to get started

The dedicated server is an extra that anyone can add to their NordVPN subscription, and the private server is provisioned automatically after purchase.

From there, you can pick the US, the UK, Germany, or France as your server location. Once it's live, you connect through any of the major NordVPN apps using the NordLynx protocol.

A few limits are worth noting before you buy. The feature is not available on browser extensions or Apple's tvOS, and it does not support OpenVPN or any protocol other than NordLynx.

It’s not pitched as an upgrade for everyday browsing or streaming, where a standard shared connection works just as well. But if you need a dedicated IP, isolated resources, and port forwarding, this gives you your own private corner of the internet to do it from.

The World Cup final 2026 is here — and if you’re looking to tune in wherever you are or keep your connection secure, it’s a good idea to use one of the best VPNs while streaming.

It’s well known that most major VPN providers offer apps for desktop, mobile, and tablets, but some go a step further with apps that you can install straight onto your TV.

Having a VPN app on your TV means skipping the hassle of connecting via a phone or laptop and allows you to keep your streaming activity and personal data private.

However, not all TV operating systems are alike when it comes to VPN availability — while Android TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire OS TVs and Apple TVs support native VPN apps, Samsung’s Tizen OS and LG’s webOS don’t. But don't worry, we’ll cover a workaround below.

Which VPNs work on TVs?

Which VPN will work on your TV depends on which platforms your VPN service is available on and whether your TV allows VPNs to run on its operating system.

Some VPNs are widely available across platforms. Norton VPN has a native app on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, and Android or Google TVs can run the Google Play version of the app natively.

The same is true for NordVPN and ExpressVPN, which both support all four platforms. However, it’s worth checking your VPN service’s specific device support information. Amazon’s latest Vega OS Fire Sticks, for example, is not compatible with ExpressVPN or Norton VPN.

For more details on the operating systems supported by different VPNs, it's worth checking out our roundup of best smart TV VPNs.

As for Samsung TVs running Tizen OS and LG TVs running WebOS, VPN apps are not natively supported — but this doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’re looking to watch the World Cup securely.

How to use a VPN with a Samsung or LG TV

To access VPN-like functionality on a Samsung or LG TV, you'll need to use Smart DNS. This effectively reroutes your Domain Name System (DNS) queries, so you can access your favorite shows from home. However, it won't mask your IP address or encrypt your traffic like a VPN does.

It’s not a given that a VPN service will offer a SmartDNS feature. Of the best VPNs, ExpressVPN comes with its MediaStreamer SmartDNS tool, while NordVPN also has a SmartDNS capability. CyberGhost, which features in our best smart TV VPN list, also offers this functionality.

Using this method isn't always that easy and success isn't guaranteed. The simpler solution s to run a VPN on a laptop or mobile device, stream the World Cup (or whatever you’d like to watch) on that device, and then connect to your TV with a HDMI cable.

Can I cast a VPN stream to my TV with AirPlay or Chromecast?

Unfortunately, casting from a phone running a VPN to a TV not running a VPN usually doesn’t work, because the two devices aren’t part of the same network environment.

Casting relies on communication between devices on the same network, so using a VPN on only one device can interrupt the connection between them.

If you link both your TV and phone to the same network — either behind the VPN or with SmartDNS — you’ll have a better chance of casting, but it’s still not as reliable as using a native VPN on your TV, or even using SmartDNS.

So the tip worth remembering: if you're TVs operating system allows it, download a VPN direct to your device. If it doesn't, you can always use your laptop and connect to your TV using a standard HDMI cable.

• NordVPN's next-gen antivirus blocked 96% of phishing sites in the 2026 AV-Comparatives test
• The software perfectly distinguished between active malicious links and 200 legitimate banking URLs
• Detection rates jumped by 6% compared to the previous test in May 2025

When you're searching for the best VPN to secure your online traffic, you increasingly need an app that does more than just encrypt your data. As phishing attacks grow more sophisticated, top providers are evolving into robust, all-in-one cybersecurity suites, and independent testing shows these built-in tools are making a real impact.

In the newly released 2026 Anti-Phishing Comparative Test by independent cybersecurity evaluation authority AV-Comparatives, NordVPN’s next-generation antivirus achieved a massive 96% phishing detection rate.

Even better for users who hate annoying pop-ups blocking safe internet browsing, the software managed this impressive high block rate with absolutely zero false positives.

The results highlight a steady improvement for the provider. Compared to the last AV-Comparatives test of this sort in May 2025, NordVPN’s phishing detection has improved by 6%.

Putting the antivirus to the test

To put the software through its paces, AV-Comparatives ran its testing between May 11 and May 22, 2026. Assessors threw 275 active phishing URLs at the most recent product version of NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus available at the time. These malicious links specifically targeted personal data across popular platforms, including PayPal, online banking portals, email services, and social media networks.

To ensure the antivirus wasn't just blindly blocking everything, the testers also introduced 200 legitimate banking URLs to validate the false positive results. NordVPN safely allowed the real sites through while neutralizing the threats.

"Phishing sites today are sophisticated enough to fool almost anyone, and most people shouldn't have to become cybersecurity experts just to stay safe online," said Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN. "Results like these are exactly the kind of protection that makes a real difference in people's daily lives."

This isn't the first time the company has impressed the ISO-certified independent testing firm. Back in June 2024, NordVPN became the first VPN service provider to be approved for the AV-Comparatives anti-phishing protection badge. To earn this certification, software must detect and block at least 85% of phishing URLs without causing any false alarms on legitimate banking and related sites.

How to recognize phishing websites

While utilizing a premium service, like the next-gen antivirus available with a NordVPN Complete subscription, is a powerful safeguard, threat actors are constantly evolving their tactics. Maintaining good digital hygiene remains crucial.

Alongside using reliable cybersecurity software, NordVPN recommends users follow a few simple tips to avoid being caught out:

• Verify the URL: Always inspect your browser’s address bar. Watch out for subtle variations in a domain name, suspicious prefixes, or being unexpectedly redirected to a subpage instead of a homepage.
• Read the text carefully: If an unsolicited email or message is urging you to act immediately or trying to induce panic, take a step back. Look closely for typos or other mistakes.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Adding a second step, such as a one-time code sent to your phone, ensures that even if a hacker steals your password, they won’t be able to access your account.
• Check the website’s protocol: Ensure the site uses a secure HTTPS connection. Look for the padlock icon in the address bar; spoofed URLs often only use unsecured HTTP protocols.

Apple’s 2026 WWDC event promised some serious upgrades for Siri, macOS and parental controls.

Here at TechRadar our live WWDC 2026 coverage tracked everything the announcement included. If you need to catch up, we've summarized the 17 things we learned during the event.

And though we’ll continue covering all the on-device security upgrades, there’s still good reason to pick up a VPN subscription.

That’s where NordVPN comes in. NordVPN is the best VPN overall as well as our choice for the best VPN for iPhone, and with this deal you can now get it for an excellent price:

Do I still need a VPN if I have an iPhone?

Apple is keen to let its users know about its privacy and security credentials, such as offering users the opportunity to ask apps not to track their activity.

Apple has built a reputation as the ‘safer choice’ for those concerned with cybersecurity, with popular wisdom suggesting that iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks are less susceptible to data interception or malware than devices from rival brands.

However, there is one frontier that Apple can’t fully control, and that’s online privacy. Because accessing the internet depends on your ISP, public networks and companies outside of Apple’s purview, it can’t fully protect its users from online surveillance.

The best VPNs increase your digital privacy and shield your data from unwanted monitoring by ISPs. What’s more, NordVPN comes with a bevy of additional features to help keep you safe online.

While all three NordVPN plans offer a fast, reliable VPN with access to thousands of servers in the US and worldwide, the Complete plan adds advanced email monitoring, scam call filtering, an antivirus, and a dedicated secure search engine. Meanwhile, Prime adds insurance against identity theft (though its availability depends on your region).

Other VPN options

If NordVPN isn't ticking all the boxes, there are some great alternatives to choose from depending on your VPN needs.

Surfshark is even cheaper than NordVPN and offers a similar standard of features, including the option to upgrade to identity theft coverage.

And if you're an iPhone user but want to prioritize your Windows laptop, ExpressVPN is currently our pick for the best VPN for Windows users thanks to its blazing fast connection speeds on Windows devices.

• The NordVPN client is now available on the Meta Horizon platform
• The app is installable directly on Quest headsets, no sideloading required
• NordVPN is the third VPN provider to enter the metaverse

NordVPN has arrived on the Meta Horizon platform, making it one of the very few VPN services you can drop straight onto a Quest headset. For anyone who has struggled to get one of the best VPNs running in virtual reality, it's a small but meaningful shift.

Until now, protecting a headset meant tinkering: configuring a VPN on your router, sharing a connection from a computer over a hotspot, or sideloading an app through developer tools. None of those routes is friendly to the average user.

Meta has been folding its Quest ecosystem into Meta Horizon, and one result is that VPN apps can now be installed natively on Quest devices. NordVPN is now the third provider to take advantage.

What's new and why it matters

The change is simplicity. NordVPN now installs directly through Meta Horizon, so the encryption lives on the headset rather than being bolted on from your router. That means full-device coverage: the app encrypts traffic leaving your headset, and masks your IP across the whole device, not just the browser.

This is great for online play on the Quest 2 and 3, which exposes your traffic and IP address much like any connected device. Masking it makes it harder for others in multiplayer lobbies to trace your location. It won't stop Meta's own data collection, but it does limit what third parties learn about your connection.

Because this is a native app rather than a browser extension, you install it the same way you'd add any other Quest title.

• Open the app store on your headset through Meta Horizon;
• Search for NordVPN;
• Install the app;
• And sign in with your account to connect.

The older methods haven't gone anywhere for people who prefer them.

A virtual private network (VPN) configured on your router will automatically cover any Quest device that connects over Wi-Fi, and sharing a VPN connection from a computer via a hotspot remains an option.

More advanced users can still sideload apps through SideQuest, though that route requires enabling developer mode and is better suited to those comfortable poking around in system-level settings.

Other VPNs available on VR headsets

NordVPN isn't arriving in an empty field, but it is joining a very short list.

ExpressVPN got there first, unveiling a dedicated Meta Quest app that encrypts everything entering and leaving the headset last February, which it pitched as a way to stop ISP throttling during demanding VR streaming and gaming.

The provider paired the launch with an "industry-first" hybrid browser extension that combines a lightweight proxy with remote control of the full desktop app. This lets users assign different VPN locations to specific sites, while adding safety nets like WebRTC leak blocking and HTML5 geolocation spoofing.

AdGuard took a different route, launching two privacy-focused extensions for the Meta Quest Browser: the AdGuard Ad Blocker and the AdGuard VPN.

The VPN extension encrypts browser traffic and masks your IP to help bypass geo-blocks, while the ad blocker scrubs ads, trackers, and pop-ups that feel especially intrusive when they're floating inches from your eyes.

Because they're browser extensions rather than system-level apps, they only protect what happens in the browser, making AdGuard the lightweight choice for people who mainly want cleaner web surfing rather than VPN-protected gaming.

The tech giants are pushing back against Canada's Bill C-22. Companies are raising the alarm over the cybersecurity and privacy risks that these new obligations will pose.

Encrypted messaging app Signal and Windscribe VPN went as far as to vow to leave the country if it becomes law.

And the Canadian government appears to be listening to these concerns and has agreed to clarify contentious points around encryption and metadata. However, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, remains firm that tech companies are "misinterpreting" the bill.

In a statement to TechRadar, the ministry "categorically rejects" claims that Bill C-22 would enable surveillance, arguing that the provisions are meant to "modernize" lawful access to data in line with similar requirements existing in other G7 countries.

"For international companies, to claim that Bill C-22 would somehow undermine their ability to offer robust privacy and security features is simply misleading," Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, told TechRadar.

Tech giants, alongside some of the best VPN providers and encrypted messaging services, aren't convinced, though. Google has warned of "surveillance infrastructure" and, together with Apple, urged lawmakers to add explicit protections for encryption.

Meanwhile, a joint report from Citizen Lab and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association recently branded the proposed legislation "almost certainly constitutionally fatal".

So, what is the actual threat to Canadian privacy? Why are tech providers so worried? And, most importantly, will they manage to make the government actually rethink its surveillance law?

The encryption debate

Lafortune maintains that the government has made it clear that strong encryption is essential to cybersecurity, economic growth, and the protection of Canadian citizen personal information.

"We want to reassure Signal, Windscribe, NordVPN, and all service providers that we are not legislating to require them to install capabilities to enable surveillance, and any assertions otherwise are false," Lafortune told TechRadar.

One of the major areas of contention surrounds the draft's definition of encryption and vulnerabilities. In a May 13 submission, Google called for clearer definitions, while privacy advocates have warned about the law's potential future impact.

Laura Tyrylyte, privacy advocate at NordVPN, told TechRadar: "In its current form, Bill C-22 grants the government overbroad, unsupervised and opaque Ministerial Order powers that could effectively compel any electronic service provider to build technical capabilities that compromise end-to-end encryption, insert backdoors, or perform surveillance."

The VPN industry is largely united in its opposition to the bill, with representatives from ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and Windscribe all echoing similar concerns.

ExpressVPN's Chief Research Officer, Pete Membrey, told TechRadar: "Even well-intentioned requirements can create pressure for providers to build technical capabilities that weaken security or undermine trust in encrypted services."

Meanwhile, Proton VPN's David Peterson said that politicians are at risk of misunderstanding how encryption works. "If you create a backdoor in encryption, it cannot be selective — it allows both good and bad actors in equally," he said.

For Yegor Sak, CEO of Windscribe, the issues with encryption are linked to another contentious point — greater data retention. He told TechRadar: "[The bill] forces companies to build technical capabilities and retain data in ways that make it nearly impossible to maintain strong encryption without major changes to how the service works."

Metadata privacy matters

Bill C-22 seeks to significantly expand providers' data retention obligations.

The government maintains that the bill introduces "limited retention requirements strictly for metadata," and the text does include restrictions on collecting data that could reveal the "content" of communications, users' "web browsing history," and their "social media activities."

For Sak, however, forcing companies to build data logging systems and "retain large amounts of metadata" directly undermines encryption.

"You can have strong encryption and effective law enforcement. You just can’t have both if you’re also forcing companies to weaken their architecture, which will put users at risk," he told TechRadar.

Even though metadata does not explicitly reveal the content of online activities, its privacy implications are vast. Powered by modern AI tools, tracking this information enables law enforcement — or any malicious actor with the necessary skills — to build a highly accurate picture of a user's digital life without ever breaking encryption.

Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, warned that mandatory metadata retention will "create a national surveillance map" of Canadians' movements and communications.

Tyrylyte also views this level of data collection as "disproportionate and dangerous," especially in an era where citizens are increasingly targeted by data breaches, fraud, and identity theft.

Will the government find a compromise?

It remains unclear how the government intends to improve transparency and accountability. Minister Anandasangaree has said that he intends to pass the bill before Parliament breaks for the summer on June 19.

Conservatives also recently moved a motion to split the legislation in half to allow further study of the controversial encryption and metadata provisions.

However, Proton and Windscribe are not optimistic that any concrete changes will materialize.

"It is difficult to see how the privacy of Canadian citizens can truly be preserved while simultaneously granting law enforcement broad access to their most sensitive data," Peterson said.

Sak shares this skepticism, saying that potential amendments "will mostly be fluff."

Regardless, the government's stance remains firm. "The government remains committed to protecting both public safety and the fundamental rights of Canadians, and we look forward to Bill C‑22 proceeding through Parliament and receiving Royal Assent as soon as possible," Lafortune told TechRadar.

As a G7 nation and a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, Canada's final lawful access framework could set a global precedent.

And with a growing list of countries attempting to "modernize" law enforcement's ability to access citizens' data, the implications stretch far beyond Canadian borders.

• NordVPN has launched Call Protection for iPhone users worldwide.
• The tool runs in the background, analyzing call patterns and metadata to flag potential scam calls in real-time.
• Research from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance shows consumers globally lost roughly $442 billion to scams in the past year.

NordVPN has announced it is rolling out its Call Protection feature to iPhone users worldwide.

Designed to help people spot and dodge fraudulent calls before they pick up the phone, the tool provides a real-time warning to keep users one step ahead of scammers.

While NordVPN has long been a heavyweight contender for the title of best VPN, this latest iOS update underscores the company's shift toward becoming an all-encompassing digital privacy and security suite.

The scale of the scam call problem cannot be overstated. According to recent research from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), consumers across 42 countries lost roughly $442 billion to scams over the past year alone. Even more alarmingly, 57% of adults worldwide report having been scammed during that same period.

By bringing Call Protection to iPhone users worldwide, NordVPN is trying to stop scam calls before they get started.

A privacy-first approach to call screening

Giving a third-party app access to your incoming calls can sound daunting from a privacy perspective, but NordVPN claims its tool is built strictly with data security in mind.

The Call Protection feature utilizes a privacy-first approach that analyzes call patterns and metadata to spot potential scams.

Crucially, NordVPN says the feature accomplishes this without ever touching or listening to your actual conversations. It runs quietly in the background, meaning it doesn't even require an active VPN connection to screen out bad actors.

By throwing up an early warning notification on the screen, the tool puts the recipient on high alert. That extra warning gives people time to think before they answer, which can help them avoid scams and fraud.

"Protecting people from scam calls on Android was only ever half the picture, and iPhone users deserve that same level of defense," says Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN.

"Our job is to make sure that wherever people are, whatever device they use, they have a real line of defense."

How to enable Call Protection on your iPhone

Setting up Call Protection is incredibly straightforward, though you will need to give the app permission to manage your caller ID settings.

To activate the feature, iPhone users simply need to open their NordVPN app and navigate to the "Products hub" tab.

From there, select "Call Protection" and toggle the feature on. The application will then automatically guide you through updating the necessary iOS settings to allow the background screening to function.

Once the initial setup is complete, Call Protection will run silently in the background, giving you a real-time heads-up whenever a known scammer tries to ring your device.

The introduction of iOS call screening joins NordVPN's existing roster of built-in security tools, which currently includes a next-generation antivirus suite, advanced phishing and malware protection, and its proprietary Dark Web Monitor.

The Champions League has long been a staple midweek viewing for me. But, in recent years, my internet connection has struggled to match the standard of football it's trying to stream.

Whether it's throttling, congestion, or ISP peering causing my issues, I don't entirely know. That said, I've quickly found that a VPN has solved my issues almost entirely.

I've been using NordVPN to watch my beloved Chelsea since the beginning of their search for a third Champions League trophy. While the results on the pitch have left something to be desired, the results for my connection have been far more impressive.

Connecting to a local server, I've never found myself struggling for stream quality, nor have I seen my stream delayed so much that I see the goals in my phone notifications first.

Unlike other VPNs, I also rarely found my stream completely dropping out. While some of the best VPNs like Proton and Surfshark provide stiff competition in many other ways, I found my connection dropping more often with these providers when streaming on services such as TNT and Peacock.

Can you use a free VPN to watch the Champions League final?

Free VPNs come nowhere close to the best streaming VPNs you'd need to pay for. While yes, it's theoretically possible to watch the final with a free VPN, limitations in server network, data caps, and reduced streaming performance all make it more hassle than it's worth.

If you're wary of paying huge sums, the best cheap VPNs will prove far more effective. Surfshark starts from only $1.99 per month and will perform better than any free VPN on matchday.

Alternatively, consider picking up a one-month VPN plan. The likes of Proton VPN can give you a month of protection for only $10. Should you then choose to extend your plan, you can then pick up a deal on a longer option that works out to far less per month.

VPN companies are eagerly waiting to hear the government's plan for VPN access in the UK following the close of the online safety consultation.

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) launched the "Growing up in the online world" national consultation back in March with a clear goal — gathering evidence and views from parents, organizations, and the wider public on how to make the internet safer for children and teens.

Lawmakers made the stakes clear from the start, noting that VPNs could face age restrictions if the consultation concludes that these tools undermine online safety protections.

With the findings now imminent, TechRadar spoke to leading VPN providers about what could come next.

VPNs aren't a threat

VPNs have multiple functions. While they primarily improve a user's digital privacy and security online, they can also circumvent age restrictions by masking a device's IP address.

Surfshark — one of the best cheap VPNs available — recently contributed to a coordinated statement urging the UK government to consider VPNs' multifaceted purposes.

"Treating VPNs as a 'loophole' misunderstands their role and risks reducing online safety for the very users these proposals are meant to protect," a Surfshark spokesperson told TechRadar.

"While we support efforts to protect children online, targeting tools that are essential for online security is a flawed approach."

Both Surfshark and NordVPN point out that their services are already off-limits for children, meaning government-mandated age restrictions would primarily impact adult users instead.

That's why NordVPN Privacy Advocate, Laura Tyrylytė, believes lawmakers should draw a clear distinction between trustworthy and unreliable VPN services.

"The government could work with industry to develop formal guidance on what ethical, secure VPN services should look like in practice," she said.

Age restrictions may not work

Imposing age restrictions on VPN companies would be antithetical to their mission of improving digital privacy and may be difficult to enforce.

"Age-gating VPNs would require VPN providers to collect and verify identifying data on all users (including journalists, domestic-abuse survivors, and remote workers), which must be avoided," Tyrylytė told TechRadar.

Alternatively, VPN companies may be required to rely on third-party services to conduct the age verification process, which poses its own risks.

Both NordVPN and Surfshark also warned that children may move to less reputable, free VPN apps, which are harder to regulate.

"The compliance burden would fall on reputable, paid providers, while pushing determined users toward exactly those unregulated services that pose the real risk to children," said Tyrylytė.

NymVPN's CEO, Harry Halpin, told TechRadar that achieving a reasonable degree of accuracy using existing technology is not realistic.

"This has been shown as children can easily fake a moustache to fool age-gating apps," said Halpin.

Will the evidence-based approach save VPNs?

While it is hard to predict if the consultation's findings will side with the VPN industry, the UK government is actively seeking ways to prevent age verification circumvention.

The controversial Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act became law recently and introduced an obligation for service providers to take "reasonable anti-circumvention measures." Plus, if social media is restricted for teens, an increase in VPN use is almost certain.

Halpin feels strongly that restrictions on VPNs are likely. "The UK will almost certainly ask for age verification and may try to make VPNs that do not do age verification illegal in the UK," he told TechRadar.

"My fear is that this VPN ban to 'save the children' will just be used to crush freedom of speech and political dissent, the very political tradition that once found a proud home in the UK," he said.

However, Surfshark and NordVPN are more hopeful.

"We expect a measured, evidence-based outcome that does not treat VPNs as a threat," Surfshark told TechRadar.

Both companies also emphasized the importance of investing in additional digital safety measures, such as device-level protections and improving children's digital literacy.

The government is expected to make its plans on the future of children's access to social media and circumvention tools clear in the coming months.

• NordVPN identified malware and scam campaigns targeting GTA 6's fans
• The web is flooded with fake beta keys, trojanized repacks, phishing sites
• PC and Android users are the main targets

The hype around the release of GTA 6 is real, and threat actors are quick to make the most of it by targeting gamers who are disappointed by the game's delayed release. The lead-up to the release of Rockstar Games' most anticipated title makes fans vulnerable to a large number of scams, NordVPN warns.

NordVPN, which consistently ranks at the top of our list of the best VPNs, shared the findings of its Threat Intelligence team. The team discovered a wave of GTA 6-themed scams targeting eager fans with fake installers, non-existent beta keys, phishing pages, and even Android adware pretending to be a "GTA 6 beta" app.

Attackers are banking on victims clicking first and then thinking later, instilling a sense of urgency through every scam attempt.

NordVPN reveals the staggering extent of GTA 6 scams

NordVPN has revealed that PC and Android users are the primary targets of GTA 6 scams, but the threat actors may still promise access to the game on other platforms.

The game has been confirmed to launch on the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S to start with, which threat actors are willingly abusing by promising exclusive beta keys for those consoles. Users first fill out a short form, go through a quick verification process, and then are told to either subscribe or download potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Windows users are also targeted by clones of well-known piracy sites. These clones distribute malware, cleverly disguised as the actual game. NordVPN downloaded one of these scam files and found it to look surprisingly legitimate, with a proper game installer that quietly launches a trojan in the background. The malware can modify your PC's RAM, connect to external servers, and download even more malware.

Android users are subjected to adware that pretends to offer access to the GTA 6 beta. This is especially clever, as the game is unlikely to ever launch on Android, but fake apps that promise access to the game are still cropping up, as shared by NordVPN as well as various Reddit users.

NordVPN downloaded one such file and found the app to be an empty shell that plays a video and then makes you download additional data. The app tries to get users to pay for a subscription or download further malware, and NordVPN traced it back to a domain that's known for distributing banking trojans, ransomware, and infostealers.

Even Rockstar Social Club accounts aren't safe: phishing pages attempt to steal login credentials, and those accounts, quickly stolen, are often resold or used for in-game scams.

How to stay safe

The general rule of thumb is not to trust anything that didn't come directly from Rockstar Games, the PlayStation Store, or the Xbox Marketplace. Never download any game-related content from third-party sites, as even a legitimate-looking site can be a scam.

Don't trust offers of free beta keys, either. Follow the official social media channels for these platforms to keep an eye out for legit offers.

Lastly, don't share your Rockstar account details on any websites other than the official site, and check the URL before you type them in.

NordVPN has just rebranded its Threat Protection suite as next-gen antivirus, so if you want to stay extra safe with a more robust security solution, it's worth checking out.

• NordVPN rebrands its app across three pillars: connect, protect, monitor
• Threat Protection's tools are now under a newly launched anti-gen antivirus
• Anti-gen antivirus tools blocked 4.8 million threats in April alone

NordVPN is officially changing. The cybersecurity giant has announced a major rebrand, shifting its focus from a standalone VPN provider to an all-in-one digital security app.

The revamped NordVPN application is now organized around three core pillars: "connect," which refers to the virtual private network tech; "protect," where what's known as the Threat Protection suite becomes next-generation antivirus; and "monitor," which includes tools like Dark Web Monitor.

As Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN, said in a press statement: "Such an approach reflects what users increasingly want from digital protection: stronger security, less complexity, and fewer separate tools to install and manage."

The need for a next-gen antivirus

The rebranding of Threat Protection features as next-generation antivirus capabilities is especially significant to grasp how the company is adapting to an online landscape where threats are diversified.

Many of today's most common and damaging digital dangers, including phishing pages, fake online stores, scam messages, and account takeover attempts, do not rely on downloadable files at all. Instead, modern cybercriminals use deception, compromised credentials, and social engineering to target unsuspecting users.

Yet, as Briedis explains, people still use the word 'antivirus' as a "shorthand" for digital security. "Modern protection should address the real risks people face online today, from phishing and scams to malicious downloads. Protection needs to evolve, without compromising the standard of privacy people expect from us," said Briedis.

Traditional antivirus software, in fact, has historically focused on reactive file scanning. NordVPN's next-generation antivirus aims to redefine this concept for private customers. It focuses on proactive, real-time protection to stop phishing, scams, ads, trackers, and malware before they ever reach a user's device.

Over the last year, we have tracked how NordVPN has steadily integrated broader defense features against online scams and malware. And these tools are already working hard. In April alone, NordVPN's next-gen antivirus tool blocked 4.8 million threats. Malware made up the majority of these blocks, accounting for over 3 million stopped threats.

Now, those extra layers of defense are taking center stage. A massive evolution for a service that already ranks among the best VPN options on the market.

Privacy-first security by design

One of the biggest concerns for users adopting all-in-one security suites is privacy. Antivirus software historically requires deep system access, which can raise surveillance concerns.

NordVPN claims its security approach is designed around collecting the minimum signal required to make a threat decision, avoiding turning security tools into surveillance products.

This privacy-first ethos extends across NordVPN's entire suite, from its core VPN capabilities to its dedicated machine learning models used to catch specific threat categories.

For users looking to streamline their digital setup, this rebrand also seeks to reduce the clutter of managing multiple subscription services.

"Consumers should not have to choose between convenience, protection, and privacy," says Briedis. "Our goal is to bring together advanced VPN technology and next-generation antivirus in one streamlined app experience that reduces complexity and better matches how people think about digital safety today."

This rebrand follows what has already been a highly active period for the provider; you can catch up on their other recent updates in our recap of everything NordVPN released in early 2026.

• A Spanish court dismissed La Liga’s request to impose fines on NordVPN
• NordVPN demonstrated that blanket IP blocking harms legitimate websites
• The wider legal battle over Spain's dynamic blocking regime remains open

In a significant win for the VPN industry, a Spanish court has ruled in favor of NordVPN, rejecting demands by football league LaLiga to impose coercive fines.

The ruling, handed down on May 19, 2026, by the Commercial Court of Córdoba, marks a critical checkpoint in Spain's controversial crackdown on illegal sports streaming. It also offers some reassurance to anyone searching for the best VPN to secure their online identity.

The dispute stems from a February 2026 court injunction that ordered VPN providers like NordVPN and Proton VPN to actively block IP addresses hosting unauthorized LaLiga streams. NordVPN resisted, presenting technical evidence that ultimately convinced the court that imposing fines was unwarranted.

However, NordVPN was quick to emphasize that this is not yet a final victory. "It is important to note that this is a procedural decision at the preliminary stage, not a final judgment on the merits of the evidence," the company wrote in a blog post.

Spain’s aggressive IP-blocking regime and its fallout

To understand why this decision is so important, it is necessary to look at how Spain’s "war on piracy" has unfolded.

La Liga has been using dynamic injunctions to demand that internet service providers (ISPs) and VPN companies block access to specific IP addresses in real-time.

However, this "carpet bombing" approach has caused massive collateral damage. Because many pirate streams share CDN infrastructures like Cloudflare, LaLiga's aggressive IP bans have ended up breaking the internet in Spain for normal users.

Entirely legitimate services, including GitHub, Docker, and Vercel, have experienced intermittent outages during match windows. In a highly publicized blunder, the ban list even temporarily blocked Freedom.gov, a US government portal designed to fight internet censorship.

This ongoing disruption led thousands of frustrated Spaniards to download tools like Proton VPN as weekend outages worsened.

Why the court rejected the fines

In its defense, NordVPN presented crucial technical evidence demonstrating that La Liga's blocking demands were fundamentally flawed.

First, the company proved that the IP addresses used for pirate streams "change constantly," often within hours. Consequently, by the time any blocking list could be processed, the addresses were already outdated.

Second, NordVPN argued that enforcing blanket IP-level blocks would result in severe overblocking, rendering thousands of lawful websites inaccessible to innocent users.

The Commercial Court of Córdoba accepted this evidence, ruling that "it cannot be concluded that NordVPN had deliberately and without justification breached the order".

While the main legal battle is still ahead, NordVPN is treating this preliminary ruling as a vital step forward.

The provider stated, "What the ruling does is confirm something we said openly from day one — the technical concerns are real and evidenced, and a Spanish court has now recognized that".

• ExpressVPN has joined other VPN providers in criticizing Canada's Bill C-22
• The bill seeks to impose greater data retention and an encryption backdoor
• Proton, Windscribe, NordVPN, Signal have already slammed the proposal

The privacy industry's backlash against Canada's controversial Bill C-22 continues to grow. Virtual private network giant ExpressVPN has formally criticized the proposed legislation, stating that its no-logs architecture and encryption remain strictly "non-negotiable."

The controversy is a major concern for anyone searching for the best VPN to protect their online identity. Bill C-22, officially known as the Lawful Access Act, would require online services to build technical capabilities facilitating government access to encrypted communications, while also mandating metadata retention for up to a year.

In a statement shared with TechRadar, ExpressVPN said to be "carefully reviewing" Canada's Bill C-22, particularly the provisions on access to user data and the requirement to build technical capabilities supporting government access to encrypted user communications.

For millions who rely on VPN services, the proposal threatens the core mechanisms of online privacy. Under a strict no-logs policy, a VPN provider like ExpressVPN technically promises to never track or store what its users do online. This means that if a government demands user logs, a secure provider simply has nothing to hand over — a fundamental privacy guarantee that Bill C-22 threatens to disrupt.

ExpressVPN's stance follows similar warnings shared by other VPN providers, including NordVPN and Proton VPN. Windscribe and Signal also threatened to leave the market if Bill C-22 were to pass.

The danger of mandated backdoors

Why are VPN companies and secure messaging apps uniting against Ottawa? The core of the issue lies in the bill's technical requirements. ExpressVPN warned that forcing companies to build tools to access secure user data creates a massive security vulnerability that malicious parties could easily abuse.

"Our position on the underlying principles is clear: ExpressVPN’s no-logs architecture and encryption are non-negotiable," the ExpressVPN spokesperson told TechRadar.

That's because, ExpressVPN explains, both encryption and a no-log architecture protect users from a wide range of threats, including bad actors who would exploit any technical capabilities built for one purpose to use them for another.

"Legislation that mandates data retention or technical access, however well-intentioned, undermines the security that millions of users rely on," the ExpressVPN spokesperson added.

By mandating that providers build a way to circumvent encryption, the bill effectively demands digital backdoors.

Security experts argue that there is no such thing as a backdoor that only "good guys" can use. Once an entry point is created, it becomes a high-priority target for cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers.

A growing privacy exodus

ExpressVPN is not alone in its stance. The provider joins an increasingly vocal resistance that includes some of the industry's biggest names.

Earlier this week, Swiss-based Proton VPN declared that "there is no universe in which Proton VPN compromises its no-logs policy," vowing to fight the legislation by any means.

Meanwhile, Toronto-headquartered Windscribe VPN went as far as threatening to relocate its operations out of Canada entirely. Encrypted messaging giant Signal similarly warned that it would rather exit the Canadian market than compromise user trust.

The friction has even raised cross-border concerns. Lawmakers in the United States have cautioned that the bill could compromise the data privacy of American citizens.

"We are monitoring the legislation closely as it unfolds and engaging with the broader conversation about how Canada balances law enforcement needs with the security and privacy of its citizens," the ExpressVPN spokesperson concluded. "We will be transparent with our users as the situation develops."

TechRadar has contacted ExpressVPN for further comment.

The 2026 Premier League season is coming to a close. Whether you're watching behind your hands for fear of your team being relegated or hoping for a snatch-and-grab win to get into Europe, Sunday the 24th certainly isn't a gameweek to miss.

An easy way to ensure you don't miss a kick is with a VPN. Virtual Private Networks secure your connection via an encrypted tunnel. Since these services have servers worldwide, you can choose to connect via a tunnel in your home country. This means if you're traveling over the weekend, you can stream the game with your usual streaming service, without encountering location-based blocks.

For me, no VPN can handle your matchday better than NordVPN. It ranks as our best VPN overall, offering fast download speeds, secure protocols, and, most importantly, seamless streaming performance.

I've tested it with the likes of Sky, Peacock, TNT, and Ziggo, and it's never faltered when streaming live events such as football, tennis, or F1. It's also fast enough that I've rarely found my stream delayed to the point where I find out the score from a phone notification first.

Right now, NordVPN is only $3.09 per month — $83.43 in total — for 27 months of protection. This means you'll get secure access to the finale of this Premier League season, plus two more after that.

Streaming is the biggest challenge VPNs face. The best streaming VPNs regularly update their servers to ensure their IP addresses work with key platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, while also ensuring your streaming quality isn't massively impacted once you're signed in.

Our most recent tests proved NordVPN was the best overall at these areas. That said, several VPNs work well with sports-focused streaming platforms if you want something a touch cheaper or with different features.

Personally, Surfshark is my next best recommendation. It does sometimes struggle with dropouts when watching live events, but it starts from $1.99 and comes packed with other features.

Alternatively, Proton VPN is as secure as NordVPN, is normally slightly cheaper (between $2.79 and $2.99 per month), and offers an equally broad selection of server locations. That said, it struggled to reach the same streaming quality as NordVPN on regular occasions.

• Proton VPN has hit back at Canada's proposed Bill C-22
• The proposed legislation could require VPNs to log user metadata
• NordVPN and Windscribe have also slammed the bill

The fight for digital privacy in North America just gained another heavy hitter. Proton VPN has come out swinging against Canada’s controversial Bill C-22, assuring users that it will not comply with the proposed surveillance legislation.

Taking to X on Tuesday, the Swiss-based provider warned that the bill "empowers the government to order VPN providers in Canada to retain metadata for up to a year." In response to the looming threat, the company drew a definitive line in the sand regarding its core privacy commitments, stating that "There is no universe in which Proton VPN compromises its no-logs policy."

Proton VPN’s General Manager, David Peterson, also weighed in to clarify the legal reality of the situation. Because Proton operates under Swiss and European jurisdictions, Peterson argues that complying with the Canadian bill would violate local privacy laws.

"Complying with foreign surveillance orders without Swiss legal process is a criminal offence. Not happening," Peterson stated. "We'll defend our Canadian users and never compromise them. We will fight C-22's application by every means available."

If you are looking for the best VPN to protect your online identity, a strict no-logs policy is what keeps your data out of the hands of hackers and overreaching governments alike.

What is Bill C-22?

Introduced in the spring of 2026, Bill C-22, also known as the Lawful Access Act, is designed to give law enforcement broader tools to investigate crimes.

However, privacy advocates warn that the legislation is a surveillance nightmare. If passed, it would force digital services to record and retain user metadata for a full year.

Crucially, it provides a mechanism for the Minister of Public Safety to demand companies create a technical backdoor to their services, provided it doesn't introduce a "systemic vulnerability."

As cybersecurity experts often point out, a compromise between encryption backdoors and complete security is fundamentally impossible. Creating a way for law enforcement to access encrypted data inherently creates a vulnerability that malicious hackers can exploit.

The "clown show" response

Proton VPN is not the only provider pushing back against the legislation. The outcry follows similar threats from Signal and Windscribe last week, with the latter warning it would relocate its Toronto headquarters if the bill passes.

The situation took a bizarre turn on Tuesday when Public Safety Canada posted on X, encouraging citizens to use VPNs to secure their data on public Wi-Fi networks. Windscribe was quick to point out the hypocrisy of a government promoting VPN usage while simultaneously trying to outlaw the privacy protections that make them effective.

"Oh this is just rich… Bill C-22 is driving VPN businesses like ours out of Canada because of the required user logging. And in the same breath you tell people to secure their data with VPNs," Windscribe wrote. "I hope you bought your circus tickets folks, because the clown show is starting."

NordVPN has also formally joined the opposition. While the company stated it is still reviewing the draft and hopes to participate in the consultation process, it made clear that its core security infrastructure is not up for debate.

"Should Bill C-22 pass in its current form and if we are subjected to mandatory obligations, there isn't a scenario in which we would compromise our no-logs architecture or encryption protections," NordVPN stated.

With the world's biggest privacy companies drawing a hard line against Bill C-22, it remains to be seen whether Canadian lawmakers will amend the legislation or risk driving the cybersecurity industry out of the country entirely.

• Bank cards and IDs are easily available, and cheap, on the dark web, NordVPN warns
• UK citizens are a major target, with their data worth more
• The best fix is to secure your online accounts

We already know about the risks of using the internet, and how basic cybersecurity hygiene principles can do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping you safe, but NordVPN has revealed exactly what happens with your data after it’s been stolen.

The company’s research found stolen UK payment card details are now being commonly sold on dark web marketplaces for around £9 (around $12), with full more complete ‘digital identity packs’ being sold for around £30 ($40).

Among the most commonly sold pieces of information are payment cards, digital passport copies (£26), digital driving licence copies (£26) and full bundles of the above and more.

Criminals buying bits of information here and there

Perhaps the most concerning finding isn’t the existence of these marketplaces and the fact that personal, sensitive information is so easily accessible, but rather how cheaply criminals can acquire enough information to commit fraud.

“When people hear that stolen data is selling for the price of a coffee, it can sound almost trivial,” CTO Marijus Briedis wrote - as for such a small amount of money, criminals can go on to commit identity theft, account takeovers, credit application and loan fraud, phishing campaigns and more.

The company also noted that UK consumers are among the most valuable, with payment card data priced “slightly above” the European median and identity documents coming in with “comparatively high prices.”

However, the company worries it is becoming increasingly hard to become aware of an attack as identity theft becomes more quiet and incremental. Small pieces of leaked information end up being combined to form a bigger picture, leading to larger identity profiles.

“Most people still think identity theft is something dramatic and obvious, when in fact it can begin quietly, with a few personal details or copied documents being traded online,” Briedis added.

How to stay safe online

To help consumers understand the threat, NordVPN has launched an interactive dark web calculator to quantify how much an individual’s data could be worth based on the online accounts and digital identities they hold, and their country of origin.

On the site, the company explains regular personal emails can go for as little as $1, while more valuable corporate accounts tend to command a higher price on dark web marketplaces because of how they can give attackers access to sensitive company systems.

As for social media, Meta-owned platforms are among the most attractive purely because of the company’s dominance within the market. A single login could afford an attacker access to multiple accounts across Facebook, Instagram, Threads and more.

Setting out a series of solutions for consumers, NordVPN suggests using unique passwords for every account with multi-factor authentication on top. Replacing traditional passwords with passkeys is a big win for consumers, because they can’t be stolen and copied from password managers and the underlying technology relies on matching an account with your device.

Reviewing bank statements frequently to spot unexpected charges can also help identify attacks – NordVPN plugged its own Dark Web Monitor as a similar type of tool that alerts users when sensitive personal data hits a dodgy marketplace.

“The earlier people understand what their data is worth and how exposed they may be, the better chance they have of protecting themselves,” Briedis concluded.

• From May 26, NordProtect will be known as Coveron
• Existing users will not be impacted by the change
• The security service works as a standalone tool or as a VPN complement

From May 26, 2026, Nord Security’s identity protection service NordProtect will officially rebrand as Coveron, adopting a fresh visual identity while maintaining the same core functionality users have come to rely on.

There’s no need for existing customers to take any action, as the transition is designed to be seamless. Existing accounts and subscriptions will be automatically transferred to the new branding. The only changes users will notice are on billing statements and within the service interface, where the name will reflect the new Coveron identity.

The rebrand comes amid a broader push by cybersecurity companies to bundle identity theft protection alongside traditional VPN utilities. While NordVPN focuses on securing internet traffic, Coveron acts as a separate layer targeting personal data exposure and identity fraud.

Under the hood: What Coveron actually does

Coveron is a comprehensive identity theft and cyber protection service developed by Nord Security, the team behind NordVPN. It functions as a dual-layer defense system combining active monitoring with financial insurance.

The monitoring component continuously scans for signs of misuse regarding your sensitive personal information. This includes checking the dark web for exposed data, tracking credit activity, and alerting you to potential security threats across the personal details you register with the service.

When suspicious activity is detected, Coveron provides immediate alerts with specific details, helping users understand the nature of the threat and the steps required to mitigate it. Beyond detection, the service offers substantial financial protection through a partnership with HSB, a major global specialty insurance underwriter.

This coverage extends far beyond identity theft, protecting users against cyber extortion, online fraud, and cyberattacks. The policy includes up to $1 million for identity theft recovery, $50,000 for cyber extortion, and up to $10,000 each for online fraud and cyberattacks.

Why identity protection matters now

In its blog post on the rebrand, NordVPN points to recent data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that shows a sharp rise in reports of identity theft, climbing from 1.1 million cases in 2024 to 1.3 million by the end of 2025. Credit card fraud and loan fraud remain the most frequently reported types.

While a VPN is important for securing your internet connection and privacy, it can’t prevent data breaches that occur on third-party websites or protect you if your credentials are already compromised. Coveron fills this gap by acting as a safety net. It provides continuous monitoring to catch issues early and offers financial recovery support if the worst occurs.

Coveron is available as a standalone service, meaning you don’t need to be a NordVPN subscriber to access this level of protection. Whether you pair it with NordVPN or use it independently, adding this layer of coverage helps anyone with a credit history or active online presence stay safe as cyber threats continue to get smarter.

• ISPs often use "Deep Packet Inspection" (DPI) to identify and intentionally slow down high-bandwidth activities like streaming or gaming
• You can detect throttling by comparing a standard speed test against a streaming-specific test like Netflix's Fast.com
• The best VPN encrypt your traffic so your ISP cannot see, and therefore cannot throttle, what you are watching

There is nothing quite as frustrating as paying for a premium 500Mbps fiber connection only to have your 4K Netflix stream stutter, buffer, or drop down to grainy 720p. You’ve checked your router, you’ve restarted your TV, and yet the performance remains underwhelming.

The culprit often isn’t your hardware or a temporary outage. Instead, it is a practice known as 'bandwidth throttling'. This occurs when your Internet Service Provider (ISP) intentionally slows down specific types of traffic.

Whether it is streaming, online gaming, or P2P file sharing, ISPs manage their network congestion by putting the brakes on data-heavy activities.

While it feels like a breach of trust, this practice is frequently buried in the "Fair Usage" or "Traffic Management" clauses of your contract.

This makes it a legal, albeit quiet, way for providers to push their own proprietary streaming services or simply save on infrastructure costs.

Finding a way around these artificial bottlenecks is the key to getting the service you actually pay for.

How to tell if your ISP is throttling your connection

Detecting a throttled connection is simpler than you might think. All you need is a comparative speed test to see if your ISP is treating all data equally. First, run a standard speed test using a neutral service like Ookla’s Speedtest. This gives you a baseline for your general connection speed.

Next, run a dedicated streaming speed test to Netflix’s Fast.co. Fast.com connects directly to Netflix’s servers. That means that ISPs often target this specific traffic for slowing down.

So, if your results on Fast.com are significantly lower than your results on Ookla, then your ISP is almost certainly throttling your video traffic.

ISPs use a process called Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). Think of this as the ISP "peeking" at the metadata of your data packets.

While they might not see exactly what movie you’re watching, DPI allows them to identify that the data is coming from a streaming platform, which triggers their automated slowing rules.

How a VPN breaks the bottleneck

This is where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) comes in. A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel. Once your data is encrypted, your ISP’s DPI tools are effectively blinded.

When the ISP can no longer "see" that your data packets are coming from Netflix, YouTube, or Disney Plus, they cannot trigger the specific throttling rules associated with those services.

To your ISP, your traffic simply looks like a stream of indecipherable code heading toward a single VPN server. Since they can't categorize the traffic, they generally treat it as standard data, allowing it to move at full speed.

It's important to note that using a VPN does involve a small 'encryption overhead'. In other words, you'll get a slight drop in raw top speeds. That's because it takes a little more work to scramble your data before routing it through the remote server.

But, whatever drop you might see will likely be far smaller than the throttling your ISP will do without the VPN.

Choosing the right VPN for the job

To keep your speeds 4K-ready, prioritize providers using modern protocols like WireGuard or ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol.

While developing these protocols is complex — our team recently flagged and helped resolve issues with Surfshark’s proprietary Dausos protocol — they remain essential for performance.

Currently, Surfshark and Proton VPN lead our speed tests, offering the overhead necessary to handle high-bandwidth tasks without becoming a bottleneck themselves.

By masking your activity, you bypass ISP restrictions and ensure your connection actually delivers the speeds you pay for

It's not all about speed when it comes to streaming soccer on Peacock TV with a VPN. I noticed that when I switched from ExpressVPN to NordVPN.

In our May 2026 lab tests, ExpressVPN (1117 Mbps) came out with nearly twice the download speeds of NordVPN (688 Mbps) when we took average measurements between a US and UK server.

But what I noticed most when I switched my Premier League streaming to NordVPN is that I rarely, if ever, get caught in a buffering loop or end up with the action freezing or stuttering.

With other VPNs, I usually find I have to manually disconnect two or three times over 90 minutes, which brings the double annoyance of having to get up off the sofa and the possibility of missing a goal.

NordVPN, though, has far lower latency than all the other VPNs over long-distance connections. It recorded latency figures of about half the rest of the pack, in fact, and that's crucial for more stable streams with fewer frames dropped.

So, if you're trying to watch your Premier League soccer on your Peacock TV subscription while you're abroad, then I believe that NordVPN is very much where it's at.

We rate it as the best streaming VPN on TechRadar and, best of all, you can get it right now at a discounted rate. It usually starts from $3.39 per month but it's currently available at $3.09 instead.

For streaming Peacock wherever you go, you're only going to need the entry-level NordVPN price tier. That's the one called NordVPN Basic.

It's $3.09 per month on the two-year plan but you can sign-up for one year at $4.99 per month instead.

There's only about $20 difference in total, though, so the two-year plan would be my tip.

If all this still seems a little rich to you, then try Surfshark ($1.78 per month) or PrivadoVPN ($1.11 per month). Like ExpressVPN, while both are fast, they can't match NordVPN for super-consistent low latency performance.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• NordVPN has released a new tool that calculates the price of your online data
• It is based on research into 75,000 listings on dark web marketplaces
• The research shows that currently, US data is the cheapest to buy

NordVPN is inviting you to understand the price of your personal data online with a new tool based on extensive dark web research.

TechRadar's best VPN analysed over 75,000 listings on dark web marketplaces and compiled a list of personal data commonly traded there. From bank accounts to Netflix subscriptions to credit card details, these data items were frequently sold on the dark web for as little as $5.

To illustrate the point, the VPN provider has turned its entire research into an interactive calculator that helps you find out how much your unique and sensitive data is actually worth if it falls into the wrong hands.

How does it work?

NordVPN’s calculator challenges users to find out their own digital value. By selecting their country and the types of data, the tool displays a figure corresponding to the price a cybercriminal would pay to purchase that data bundle on the dark web.

“Every online account you own has a price tag on the dark web,” warns Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

This is nothing new, perhaps: insurance companies have long been in the business of putting a monetary figure on a human life.

However, the dark web has gone a step further, enabling criminal market-dynamics to set the price of our digital assets at a shockingly low level - even just $1 for a personal email account if sold in bulk.

NordVPN’s research shows that prices vary considerably from one country to another, depending on supply and demand dynamics.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Americans’ personal data is the most sought-after in the world. However, less obvious is that the abundance of security breaches there also makes it the cheapest to buy.

Stolen payment credit cards from North America are sold for as little as $10 and account for over 70% of all stolen card listings. However, in countries where stolen data is scarcer, such as Japan or Singapore, the same cards sell at a significant premium.

The same logic applies to data packages - sets of information, including identification numbers and dates of birth, that are sufficient to steal someone’s identity. Where an American package sells for $35, a Japanese one is worth many times that amount.

A subtle, dramatic threat

The tool also shows how the effects of criminal theft can range from almost imperceptible to dramatic.

At one end of the spectrum, criminals can build continuous subscription-style businesses by stealing and reselling Netflix or Spotify accounts that cost as little as $4.55 and are often invisible to you.

At the other end, your complete identity, including social media accounts, can be bought for less than $150, and massively disrupt your life.

Between these two extremes lies the intermediate corporate case, with NordVPN having found over 14,000 lists of corporate email addresses on the dark web. These accounts act as gateways to entire corporate networks, potentially leading to significant and often irreversible business damage.

“The reality is that your data could already be for sale, and you’d have no way of knowing unless you actively check,” warns Briedis. Its Dark Web Monitoring Pro actively scans the dark web for leaked credit card numbers, tax identification numbers and phone numbers.

If our data is so cheap to buy, how should we react? If there is any key takeaway, it is that identity theft is not always dramatic, and vigilance is key.

As cyberattacks continue to rise, using unique passwords for each account via a reliable password manager, enabling multi-factor authentication, and limiting the sharing of personal information online can make all the difference.

• NordVPN's new Chrome feature spots audio deepfakes
• The real-time checker provides immediate scam alerts
• AI Voice Detector also keeps your data protected

Are you feeling a little uneasy about the AI-generated audio deepfakes that are increasingly polluting your online experience and potentially tricking you into a scam?

If the answer is yes and you are worried you might be talking to an online deepfake, being tempted to reveal information only your mum knows, you’ll be glad to know that NordVPN has you covered.

The best VPN on the market has just integrated a new AI-powered voice detector into its Chrome extension. This means that users can now identify audio deepfakes in real time whenever they browse the web.

NordVPN said that the firm currently has no plans to extend the feature to different apps. "But we would consider it if there is a need," a spokesperson told TechRadar.

With the move, the VPN provider continues to expand its security offerings in its relentless fight against cybercrime, proving anti-scam capabilities are now an essential part of any top VPN service.

How does it work?

AI-generated voice technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to recognise, even to the best-trained human ear.

While it may be shocking to discover that your favourite influencer is actually a synthetic voice, the dangers associated with AI-generated audio go far beyond mere fake content for entertainment purposes.

Scammers are now able to clone voices using just a few seconds of audio recording, using them for identity theft scams, fraudulent calls and spreading misinformation.

"AI-generated voices have become one of the most convincing tools in a scammer’s arsenal, and most people have no reliable way to tell the difference," stressed product director at NordVPN Domininkas Virbickas.

Developed by NordVPN and a team of cybersecurity experts at NordLabs, AI Voice Detector captures the audio stream from an active browser tab and processes it using a neural network model built into the device.

While the audio continues to play normally for the user, the tool compares the sound to thousands of real and AI-generated audio samples, verifying in real time whether the user is listening to a human or synthetic voice.

If the content is generated by AI, the result is displayed immediately in the form of a red pop-up or a small notification on the web page. A yellow pop-up warns that the content may be a deepfake, whilst a green pop-up indicates that the audio poses a minimal risk.

Installation is a breeze: users can simply enable the feature in the NordVPN Chrome extension to start audio detection.

Protecting your privacy

AI Voice Detector also analyses audio data directly within the browser. This should ensure that users’ data is not compromised during the process.

Because of that, the tool never records your identity, browser history, cookies, or account details, ensuring that your data is never exposed. Furthermore, as soon as the recording stops or the tabs are closed, all audio buffers are immediately cleared

But above all, the tool does not actually listen to what is being said. It solely examines acoustic patterns, meaning it is technically incapable of understanding, recording, or interpreting the content of any conversation.

It seems that NordVPN is determined to make 2026 its year of anti-scams innovations. It has so far launched a free tool to detect online scams, rolled out its scam-blocking tool for Android globally, and upgraded its dark web monitoring, all of this while scoring top marks in independent phishing tests.

With so many new features being released, it might well seem that we can't trust anyone or anything. For the time being, at least, your conversations are intact: the next time you are talking on Chrome with your bank manager who wants to discuss your bank account or a friend asking for money, you can continue to sip on your drink and enjoy spring as it comes.

• NordVPN has just released an update for its macOS app
• All standard servers now automatically support P2P activities
• Streamlined P2P servers are also live on iOS, Android, and Windows

Mac users looking to secure their peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing just received a major quality-of-life upgrade. NordVPN has officially rolled out P2P support across all of its standard servers on macOS.

Previously, anyone using TechRadar's best VPN recommendation on a Mac had to manually seek out and connect to specialized servers to safely engage in P2P activities. This dual-server display caused confusion, as many customers were unsure if they needed to take extra steps to enable torrenting securely.

With the release of NordVPN app version 10.0.0 for macOS, that extra step is gone. The dedicated P2P server category has been completely removed from the server list, streamlining the application and removing visual clutter.

According to the provider's official support updates, the change comes as a direct response to user feedback. "This eliminated the confusing dual-server display and gave users a simpler, more intuitive app experience," the company stated.

The change isn't entirely exclusive to Mac. The streamlined P2P functionality is also present in version 9.0.0 for iOS and Android, and version 8.0.0 for Windows.

NornVPN CTO Marijus Briedis told TechRadar that P2P support is already active "across the vast majority of our standard servers, meaning users can establish P2P connections when connected to virtually any server in our network".

How to get the upgrade and what it means

To take advantage of this new streamlined experience, Mac users simply need to update their NordVPN application to version 10.0.0. You can download the update directly from the NordVPN website or via the Apple App Store.

Once updated, you won’t have to toggle between server categories. Because the restriction is lifted, you can securely connect to any standard server location and instantly begin file sharing or gaming.

"All standard NordVPN servers now support P2P activities, including gaming and other peer-to-peer applications," the company confirmed. NordVPN notes that integrating this capability into its main network "simplifies the user experience while maintaining full P2P capability."

Briedis told TechRadar that the underlying infrastructure remains unchanged.

"Maintaining a separate P2P category became irrelevant, and this update simply removes it to streamline the user interface," he said, ensuring that "users on any platform will see no impact on speeds or bandwidth capacity."

What are P2P servers?

If you're new to the world of file sharing, you might be wondering exactly what specialist VPN servers are and why P2P servers matter.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) is a decentralized networking model where users share files directly with one another, rather than downloading them from a central server. This is the core technology that powers torrenting. Because P2P file sharing can consume massive amounts of bandwidth, many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) actively throttle or block P2P traffic.

To combat this, users rely on the best VPN for torrenting. P2P-optimized servers are specifically configured to handle large data loads without sacrificing speed, while also encrypting your traffic so your ISP cannot see what you are downloading.

By integrating this capability into every standard server, NordVPN ensures that its users enjoy premium speeds and high-end security without any extra configuration.

• Donors who give £35 to Internews can claim a 6-month NordVPN plan
• The campaign is limited to the first 100 donors
• The initiative seeks to support journalists working in high-risk environments

Supporting a charitable cause usually provides its own reward, but a new initiative from the non-profit Internews is offering a high-tech bonus for those looking to secure their digital footprint. By donating to help journalists and independent media outlets operating in some of the world's most dangerous environments, you can now claim a premium security tool for your own devices.

Internews has officially launched its "One Donation. Online Protection. Real Impact." campaign, a limited-time initiative designed to bolster both the organization's global mission and the individual privacy of its supporters.

For a donation of £35 made through the official campaign page, contributors will receive a 6-month subscription to NordVPN, which currently sits at the top of our list for the best VPN services available today.

This isn't just a random giveaway; it is the latest development in a deep-rooted collaboration between the two organizations.

Earlier this year, NordVPN teamed up with Internews to defend journalists and activists from digital threats, providing thousands of free accounts to those on the front lines of information gathering in repressive regimes.

The new campaign effectively invites the public into this circle of protection. By contributing to the fund, donors help provide emergency support, digital safety training, and legal aid to media professionals who, as the organization notes, "face surveillance, harassment and cyberattacks simply for doing their job."

How to claim your NordVPN subscription

The process for securing the subscription is straightforward, but users will need to act quickly.

According to the campaign landing page, "NordVPN will give a 6-month VPN subscription to the first 100 people who donate £35 to Internews."

When you contribute, you are essentially performing a dual action.

As the campaign states, "You receive a NordVPN subscription to protect your own digital life," while simultaneously helping Internews "Strengthen independent media in high-risk environments" and "Protect journalists and sources facing digital threats."

To ensure you receive your reward, you must provide an email address at checkout or contact the organization directly via the email provided in the donation thank-you note. This allows the team to send over the activation details for your 6-month plan.

Why NordVPN?

For those unfamiliar with the service, our NordVPN review highlights why it remains a powerhouse in the cybersecurity industry. It isn't just about hiding your IP address; the service offers a comprehensive suite of security features that are particularly useful for those who travel or rely on public Wi-Fi.

Key features included in a NordVPN subscription include:

• Threat Protection: An advanced tool that blocks trackers, intrusive ads, and malicious websites before they can even load.
• Meshnet: A unique feature that allows users to create their own private, encrypted network for file sharing or gaming.
• Double VPN: For those requiring extra anonymity, this routes your traffic through two different VPN servers rather than one.
• Global Server Network: Access to over 6,000 servers in 111 countries, ensuring fast speeds and the ability to bypass regional geo-blocks.

By participating in this Internews initiative, you aren't just getting a top-tier privacy tool; you are directly supporting the mission to "Protect the truth."

In a world where digital risk is at an all-time high, this partnership ensures that security and press freedom continue to go hand in hand.

• NordVPN faces yet another lawsuit in the US over auto-renewal pricing
• The complaint accuses the firm of using 'dark patterns' to trap users
• This is not the first time Nord Security has faced similar legal complaints

Nord Security, the company that develops and operates NordVPN, has been hit with yet another class-action lawsuit in the US.

The lawsuit — filed on April 10, 2026, in the state of Virginia — accuses the cybersecurity giant of "unlawful, unfair, and deceptive" practices regarding its auto-renewal pricing, arguing that such a system makes it "intentionally" and "exceedingly" difficult for users to cancel their subscriptions.

While the complaint is on behalf of plaintiff Craig Schnappinger, the class-action seeks to represent all Nord Security customers in Virginia and North Carolina who have used Nord's services. These include its virtual private network (NordVPN), password manager (NordPass), and encrypted cloud storage (NordLocker).

Auto-renewal pricing systems are popular in the wider subscription service industry. Most VPN services adopt similar practices, in fact, besides a few exceptions such as Mullvad and Windscribe.

NordVPN —and a few other names, including Surfshark and ExpressVPN — have been targeted with similar legal actions in the last few years.

Between 2024 and 2025, Nord Security was hit by at least four complaints on similar grounds. In 2026, we found details of at least two more class-action lawsuits filed against the company — one in March and one in February.

What the lawsuit against Nord Security is about

Wise Law Firm, PLC, Bryson, Harris, Suciu, & Demay, PLLC, and Wittels McInturff Palikovic are the law firms behind the class action against NordVPN S.A. and Tefincom SA d/b/a NordVPN.

The core allegation is that Nord Security may use deceptive "negative option" billing and "dark patterns" (manipulative website designs) to "trap" consumers into "unwanted, pricey," and automatically renewing subscriptions, according to the class action complaint.

Specifically, the law firms accuse Nord Security of failing to clearly disclose the terms of its automatic renewals or how to cancel at the time of enrollment – something that may go against both the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and North Carolina’s Automatic Renewal Law.

The complaint also challenges Nord Security's practice of charging users 14 days before the subscription expires, arguing that the warning email fails to explain that users must cancel the recurring subscription 14 days before that date to avoid being charged.

Plaintiff Craig Schnappinger, the lawsuit alleges, was charged for unwanted renewals in 2023, 2024, and 2025 because he allegedly struggled to figure out how to cancel these charges.

The lawsuit seeks class certification for affected consumers in Virginia and North Carolina. It also demands an injunction to stop Nord Security's deceptive practices, alongside compensatory damages of at least $100 million.

NordVPN's response

We asked Nord Security for a response but it said it was unable to comment on all of the specific allegations contained in the complaint, considering they are a matter of active litigation.

However, the company argues, two complaints previously filed in North Carolina were fully dismissed by the courts last year. TechRadar wasn't able to verify this claim.

About the auto-renewal and billing practices, Privacy Advocate at NordVPN, Laura Tyrylyte, told TechRadar that the company has been "very clear" about the recurring nature of its services.

"Subscription terms, including auto-renewal, are clearly presented to users at the point of purchase. We also send charge reminders to customers with long-term recurring subscriptions 30 days in advance of renewal, giving them full clarity and ample opportunity to manage their subscription," said Tyrylyte.

Tyrylyte also added that the team is "committed to making account management, including cancellation, straightforward for our users."

When asked if NordVPN's February update of its terms and conditions was a direct consequence of previous dark pattern lawsuits, Tyrylyte said: "These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to providing customers with clear and accessible information about our services and meeting regulatory requirements."

Tyrylyte finished by stressing that Nord Security "takes its legal obligations seriously and believes its practices are in compliance with applicable consumer protection laws."

NordVPN users can check how much time they have left on their subscriptions by heading to the Account menu on the app.

We also have more detailed information on how to cancel NordVPN and get a refund, where possible.

• NordVPN has just announced a huge upgrade to its network capacity
• Its global aggregate capacity has now surpassed 100 Tbps
• This should mean more stable performance even during rush hour

NordVPN has just crossed an important milestone, with its global aggregate network capacity now surpassing 100 terabits per second (Tbps).

The idea behind the upgrade is simple: prevent one of the most annoying VPN problems before it starts. NordVPN says the network is engineered with enough spare capacity to keep connections stable even during peak demand.

In our testing, we've already deemed NordVPN to be at the top of our list of the best VPNs. The new update should bring peace of mind to users who tend to connect to the VPN during peak hours. Here's how it works.

Preventing slowdowns before they happen

NordVPN says its network now exceeds 100 Tbps in aggregate capacity, spread across 211 locations in more than 135 countries. This gives it more room to handle demand before users ever get to feel the strain.

The end goal is for users to never feel that the network is currently busy. Using a virtual server network (VPN) is sometimes associated with buffering, slow load times, or disconnects, but adding more network capacity should prevent that. Bottlenecks may still happen, but they'd often be caused by your local connection rather than the VPN itself.

The new update is all about headroom. You're not going to get higher speeds on an individual connection unless your connection was already being thwarted by VPN network congestion. However, NordVPN already delivers solid speeds, with a record speed of 1249 Mbps in our in-depth testing.

Why it matters

This matters because VPN slowdowns don't just happen out of nowhere. In fact, as NordVPN says, slowdowns are typically caused by insufficient capacity. That's why the latest update is a means to avoid that, adding extra headroom on top of already existing headroom.

NordVPN reveals that its servers run at roughly one-third of their capacity by design, so it sounds like potential slowdowns will be left in the rear-view mirror with this new update.

Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN, said: "Great infrastructure is the kind you never notice. In practice, 100 Tbps means more room to absorb demand surges, which results in fewer bottlenecks when everyone comes online at the same time, and faster, more reliable connections that users can actually feel."

You don't need to do anything to activate the new update, although it doesn't hurt to make sure that your NordVPN app is running the latest version.

NordVPN believes that server quality is more important than quantity, and this update should go a long way toward improving the former. With that said, the VPN provider still has a robust network, and it was recently expanded with the addition of 211 new server locations worldwide.

• A recent NordVPN macOS update caused massive interface lag and dropped connections for users.
• Frustrated customers took to Reddit to criticize the app's confusing UI changes and bloated features.
• NordVPN has told TechRadar it is releasing version 10.0.4 "later this week" to address the reported issues.

If you use a Mac to protect your online privacy, you might have noticed some serious performance issues lately. A recent update to the NordVPN macOS application has caused a wave of technical headaches, with users reporting frequent connection drops and severe interface lag.

For anyone relying on the best VPNs to keep their browsing secure and their streaming libraries unlocked, an unstable connection is incredibly frustrating. When a VPN drops every few minutes, it can expose your real IP address and disrupt your online activities, entirely defeating the purpose of the software.

Fortunately, relief is on the horizon. Following the growing backlash online, NordVPN has confirmed to TechRadar that a solution is actively in the works.

"I have just received a quick update from our tech team that they are preparing a hotfix to address the reported issues," a NordVPN spokesperson told us. "We expect to release version 10.0.4 with the fix later this week."

What went wrong with the update?

The trouble began shortly after the latest version hit the App Store. Users flocked to Reddit to voice their frustrations, with one customer describing the update as a "dumpster fire."

The main technical complaints revolve around extraordinary slowness. One user reported experiencing "10-second input lags, and repeated connection drops," while the original poster noted that their connection was randomly dropping every 30 seconds despite restarting their computer and disabling extra features like the kill switch and DNS filters.

Beyond the connectivity bugs, the update also introduced several controversial design changes. Customers complained about an increasingly bloated experience, citing unrequested additions such as aggressive antivirus settings blocking simple text files. The development team also removed the dedicated reconnect button, now placing it under a "Pause" menu, and made changes to the widget that caused it to incorrectly display connection statuses.

What should you do right now?

If you are currently experiencing these issues on your Mac, the best course of action is to look out for the version 10.0.4 update hitting the App Store in the coming days.

In the meantime, some tech-savvy Reddit users have found success by uninstalling the current application and rolling back to older, more stable builds, such as v9.10.1, to regain their normal speeds.

Others have suggested temporarily relying on the browser extension or configuring the connection manually via OpenVPN if the desktop app remains completely unusable.

If you choose to wait it out on the current version, ensure your kill switch is fully active. While the app's interface might be laggy, a functioning kill switch is vital to block your internet access if the VPN drops, ensuring your personal data doesn't accidentally leak during a reconnect.