• Avast unveils new free modular platform
• Avast One offers free antivirus and scam protection, with optional extras
• Users only pay for the features they use

When it comes to choosing antivirus protection, there has always been a clear separation between the protection offered by free and paid services - an issue that has troubled money-savvy prosumers and budget-lovers alike.

But Avast may have just changed all that. From the baseline, its new Avast One platform includes powerful antivirus protection alongside the essential privacy protections required for the internet of today.

The free tier starts with industry leading antivirus protection, scam protection, and web protection. Should any extra features be needed - such as AI agent protection, a no-log VPN, data breach monitoring, or device cleanup - they can be added as individual modules, so users only pay for what they need.

A free, no-frills, essential online security suite

The new Avast One user journey starts on a single dashboard with free antivirus enabled. From this foundation, users can add the individual modules they need.

Avast One now does away with rigid subscription tiers with locked-in features that some users never use, instead allowing them to flexibly add the individual modules they need.

Outside of the free foundation, users can choose from a range of free and paid addons to improve security and privacy coverage. For example, users can opt to use the platform's free cleanup service to save hard drive space and remove dysfunctional shortcuts and software.

The same goes for the free BreachGuard personal information protection which can scan the dark web for exposure, and stop advertisers from loading sites with targeted advertisements.

"People know what they value and how they want to protect their digital lives," said Travis Witteveen, Head of Products and Portfolios at Gen. "Avast One has been designed to give you greater choice and control making it easy to personalize protection, manage features, and only pay for what you truly need."

For those that require enhanced protection to scan for suspicious emails, banking protection, and remote access protection, users can opt to include Premium Security as a paid addition. Or if a VPN is required, users can choose to pay for Avast’s SecureLine VPN, which comes with a 60-day free trial.

Cleanup can also be upgraded to Premium to include extra space-saving and speed-optimizing features. The same goes for BreachGuard to include leaked personal info alerts, data breach scanning, and access to a cornucopia of security tips and privacy advice.

Cyber Monday and Black Friday are some of the best times times to take advantage of security software deals. This sale season, we've taken the time to round up the best Cyber Monday security software deals around right now - with a particular focus on deals that are half price (or better)!

From antivirus software through to secure email providers, security software can help protect almost every aspect of your digital life, keeping it safe from overreaching websites and hackers looking to steal your data.

To keep up to date with all the latest Black Friday discounts on security software, don't forget to bookmark my roundup of the best Cyber Monday antivirus deals.

Antivirus

In the UK? This Bitdefender deal is down to £19.99 per year

Password Manager

In the UK? This NordPass deal is down to £0.95 per month

Data Removal

In the UK? This Incogni deal is down to £9.90 per month

Parental Controls

Secure Email

In the UK? This Proton Mail deal is down to £2.04 per month

We've also rounded up our picks of the best Black Friday cloud storage deals.

As of 14 October, Windows 10 will become the source of major security concerns. From this date onwards, Microsoft will cease all technical support, feature updates, and – most critically – security updates for its older operating system.

This end-of-life (EOL) presents a serious challenge. Those organizations, individuals and devices that are still running Windows 10 will no longer receive critical security patches – and there are plenty that will be.

Our Kaseya Labs research has found that a staggering 30% of small- to medium-sized business (SMB) workstations have not yet upgraded to Windows 11.

That means millions of business computers will be exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities, effectively creating an open season for threat actors who know legacy Windows 10 machines are exploitable.

We’ve already seen how this can play out with 40%-60% of breaches worldwide involving unpatched vulnerabilities. Giving attackers a known target with such a large footprint makes it even easier for them.

In the last 3,000 Pen Tests our team has conducted, in over 15% of the tests we were able to compromise the network through unsupported Windows operating systems (mainly old version of Windows 7 and 2008 still on the network).

Why are so many machines yet to upgrade to Windows 11?

This volume of un-upgraded systems far exceeds what we’ve seen in previous Windows EOL transitions. In the case of the Windows 7 EOL in 2020, less than 10% of SMB machines were yet to have upgraded to Windows 10 at the same point in its lifecycle.

The stark difference in the number of unpatched machines is likely down to the strict hardware requirements that the Windows 11 update requires.

If your computer was built 2018 or later, it will probably meet those prerequisites. However, it is estimated that this leaves hundreds of millions of older computers worldwide which cannot be upgraded.

The biggest impediment is the need for machines to support Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) – a security chip that generates cryptographic keys to verify the integrity and authenticity of the system.

Additional requirements include UEFI Secure Boot (instead of legacy BIOS), 64-bit CPUs (no older 32-bit CPUs) and minimum thresholds for RAM and disk space.

There are various registry hacks and bootable drives to get around Microsoft’s upgrade check, and while these may technically “work”, the system will still be considered unsupported by Microsoft and will likely lead to experience issues and incompatibility problems in the future. In other words, don’t go down this route.

Microsoft has faced criticism about leaving older machines behind, with some questioning whether the push to upgrade is motivated by the company’s desire to sell new devices.

However, the reality is that modern hardware systems such as TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot are required to make computing more secure. They’re necessities, and we can’t simply cover them with a band-aid, or kick the can down the road. Unfortunately, however, it is likely that many firms will do nothing, hoping that nothing goes wrong.

Hope is not a strategy. Imagine if your car was recalled for faulty airbags that could deploy at any moment and cause a severe injury – you wouldn’t drive around with that vulnerability without bringing it in for a fix.

The same applies here – the impacts could be serious. Only, the difference with cybersecurity is that there are many multiple bad actors actively trying to trigger that issue.

Organizations have three real options

Some organizations may feel that if they have “high end” security software (AV/EDR/XDR/SOC) then this will provide some level of protection.

However, if the underlying OS has a critical vulnerability that enables an attacker to remotely gain full access, no amount of security software will be able to protect the machine.

You may get lucky, and catch some activity, but any security professional will tell you it can’t be counted on if the OS is completely controlled by an adversary.

In reality, organizations have three real options: to upgrade to Windows 11; to decommission and replace their Windows 10 machine; or to purchase Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESUs).

If you’re still running Windows 10 after 14 October, and are not getting security updates through the ESUs, it will become trivial for attackers to compromise the machine.

As Microsoft publishes security updates under the ESUs, attackers will be informed of the vulnerabilities and – if exploitable – they will automate their attacks to find machines that are running unpatched versions of Windows 10.

In essence, attackers will essentially be getting a blueprint of what to look for when these patches are released, and they will know millions of computers are running Windows 10 without the updates.

Further, by failing to upgrade, replace machines or purchase ESUs, it is highly likely that you will quickly become in violation of a variety of compliance standards that require companies to run supported software, and have the latest security patches applied.

If you have cyber liability insurance, you will also be voiding your policy if there is an incident and it is found that you are running unsupported and unpatched software.

ESUs must be purchased as a priority for un-updated systems

For these reasons, if you have failed to update or replace all systems prior to 14 October, the immediate priority must be to purchase the ESU for each Windows 10 machine that will still be used.

These can be purchased on an annual basis for up to three years, extending support until October 2028. For EDU institutions, it’s only a $1 per machine. For businesses, it’s $61 for the first year, with the price doubling to $122 in year two, and again to $244 in year three.

After you have purchased the appropriate ESUs, you should look to upgrade or replace systems as quickly as possible.

There will no longer be technical support or bug fixes, and so the further the days tick away from 14 October, the more valuable IT time and worker productivity will be taken up by maintenance issues such as implementing new drivers and new software. Software is not static, and issues will begin to pile up.

Acting quickly is imperative. Without swift remediation, organizations could quickly find themselves at the mercy of threat actors that are actively hunting for unpatched systems and looking to exploit known vulnerabilities.

Making some small changes now can save you from a world of hurt that will become ever more likely to occur down the line.

Can't find your Windows key? Wee list the best Windows product key finder software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Following another year of widespread attacks across every industry, organizations cannot afford to ignore the threat posed by ransomware gangs. Ransomware gangs are constantly innovating, and traditional defense strategies are being outpaced by new threats such as fileless malware and AI-driven attacks.

If we want to protect our businesses, safeguard the economy and keep the lights on in our hospitals and critical national infrastructure, the cybersecurity industry needs to radically rethink its approach.

What can we expect from ransomware gangs in 2025?

Ransomware gangs have a way of coming back in one form or another. Given their track record as the world’s most prolific ransomware gangs, it would be wise to assume that LockBit, REvil, and Conti will all make an unwelcome comeback before long. Despite being taken down by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in February last year, unknown individuals claiming to represent the LockBit gang recently hinted at an impending release of a new locker malware, LockBit 4.0. It’s only a matter of time.

Elsewhere, RansomHub, Play and DragonForce are among several new ransomware groups quickly gaining notoriety within the cybersecurity industry. These new gangs share a common characteristic of attacking critical infrastructure. In the US, last year’s American Water shutdown was a catastrophic example of the growing threat ransomware gangs pose to critical infrastructure. In the UK, the impact has become so severe that the government has been pushed to ban local councils, schools and the NHS from making ransomware payments.

Ransomware gangs – old and new – chiefly rely on double extortion tactics, exploiting supply chain weaknesses and DDoS attacks. Organizations that continue to rely on reactive defenses or behavior-based detection are vulnerable to these tactics. Software defenses by themselves are too easily evaded. To truly combat the multi-faceted approach of ransomware gangs, organizations must integrate multi-layered approaches, combining advanced software solutions with proactive hardware defenses, robust backup strategies and rigorous employee training.

The limitations of software

The tools and tactics used by cybercriminals are advancing at such a pace that even today’s most advanced software-based cybersecurity will eventually become obsolete. Reliance on security software by itself depends on continual updates and vigilance. It also places the burden of cybersecurity on users, who must always be on alert to detect and respond to threats such as phishing attacks. This is worrying given that human error persists as the leading cause of security lapses.

What’s more, AI has greatly improved the social engineering capabilities of ransomware gangs. Previously, phishing emails could be detected by tells such as poor spelling or unnatural phrasing. Now, advanced AI chatbots can write more fluently than most humans and deepfake technology can produce convincing audio and visual communications. We need to remove humans from the equation which just isn’t possible when relying on software alone.

A further issue for businesses relying on software security is that it is interconnected with their wider digital ecosystem, which makes it inherently vulnerable to attackers. The trouble with software security is not that it doesn’t work, but that it only works up to a point. Since many businesses assume that software is the only game in town for cybersecurity, ransomware gangs will continue to thrive by exploiting its limitations. It’s time for businesses to change this narrative and embrace multi-layer security solutions.

Rethinking ‘zero trust’ from hardware up

Hardware-based solutions should be a non-negotiable for modern cybersecurity. By integrating a hardware layer alongside software, businesses ensure that their security remains intact, even if their software layer fails. Hardware security can also incorporate proactive security driven by AI. This means that businesses have an additional round-the-clock security team that can pre-empt attacks before they have a chance to cause harm. Moving from reactive to proactive defenses will be a critical step towards stopping ransomware gangs in their tracks.

When it comes to zero trust security – the cybersecurity approach that assumes no one inside or outside a network should be trusted by default – the concept is extremely valuable, but it often falls short in practice. Humans must put together the underlying IT infrastructure and make judgements where an exception may be needed.

This brings us back to the innate risk of relying on human beings. The way to build true zero trust is to incorporate new tools that are embedded within endpoint hardware. Features like hardware-verified boot, firmware integrity checks and automatic recovery ensure that security is built directly into the hardware itself.

To further mitigate human error, AI-driven policy engines can be used to enhance hardware-based security. AI analyses data from trusted hardware components to enforce zero trust. By combining AI with hardware security, businesses can automate policies, detect threats in real time and minimize software vulnerabilities.

There’s no time to wait

Ransomware gangs show no signs of slowing down. The unfortunate corollary of AI development is that bad actors are exploiting this advancing technology to increase the scope and power of their attacks. Traditional cybersecurity methods are not equipped to combat the rising tide of AI-powered attacks, and security teams must adopt a multi-layer approach to break the grip of ransomware gangs.

We feature the best endpoint protection software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Most organizations take on Security Awareness Training in one form or another with varying levels of commitment. For some, it is a tick-in-the-box exercise to satisfy some form of compliance. This can range from a parent organization to the PCI-DSS obligations of making sure employees are aware of the importance of handling cardholder data. For others, the entire month of October (due to Cyber Security Awareness month) gets chalked up to a barrage of emails and posters bombarding everyone within the company.

One thing that remains consistent is that while evidence shows the more an organization participates in the discussion of risk, a higher percentage of employees respond appropriately to both real and perceived threats. How is it then that we continue to have employees falling victim to phishing attacks, watering hole attacks, and phone scams? The fact of the matter is that we’re all human, and humans make mistakes. While we can accept that as a fact, we as a community can also continue to evolve – and improve our organizational cybersecurity posture.

What if we were able to truly capture our audience’s attention? Over time it has become evident that, when it comes to awareness training, when individuals can put themselves in the shoes of the victim and hear a compelling story, it becomes more than a theoretical scenario, and a real problem they may have to face one day. This is where threat intelligence comes into play.

What Is threat intelligence?

There are two types of threat intelligence that most security professionals are aware of. The first is operational threat intelligence and the other is traditional threat intelligence, which is the more common of the two. But what’s the difference?

Operational threat intelligence is often used to proactively defend a network or organization by ingesting indicators of compromise into a firewall, threat intelligence gateway, secure email gateway, or other device. By operationalizing threat intelligence, an organization is able to limit a threat actor or cybercriminal’s ability to interact with devices or services in a meaningful way. While many challenges exist in implementing operational threat intelligence at scale for most companies, it’s a very effective method of minimizing the initial risks that an employee may observe in the first place.

Traditional threat intelligence is where many professionals have lived historically. They are long reports that often read like a post-mortem of an attack. They’re a cautionary tale of what happens when you don’t patch a system, forget to conduct your monthly audit of firewall ACLs, or somehow succumb to another attack. These reports typically contain a plethora of indicators of compromise of course, but much more value can come from them, and that’s the tale that they tell.

Fortunately, we don’t expect non-technical employees to try and understand either of these, but how can we weave those same reports into a tool to better suit our audience?

Getting more value from threat intelligence

So, you’ve read through all the reports, reminded the IT staff to be extra diligent in reviewing firewall policies, made sure your GPO enforced the new password policy, scheduled your next phishing exercise for the next quarter, and now is the time to give your employees their annual security awareness training.

Reminding employees that everyone is a target is always a good first step. Except, what does the social media manager have to worry about? Being able to cite sources directly from threat intelligence can hook the people within various departments of why their positions can be valuable to attackers and get their initial attention, but it doesn’t stop there. You need to weave the whole story into a tale that feels personal.

Continuing with the role of social media, remind them of the types of data that they have access to. Do they have access to upcoming announcements regarding intellectual property implementations? Maybe they’re on email chains regarding upcoming mergers and acquisitions? By using traditional threat intelligence, IT teams can personalize the threat and drive home how much value information truly has and the lengths an adversary will go through to get access to it.

Some examples of various departments and the information they may hold that could prove valuable to an attacker include:

Human Resources: Passports and travel documentation, company rosters, departmental organization, various disability related accommodations made for employees (which can be used to victimize employees through extortion). 

Marketing: Upcoming feature deployments and focus of sales targeting, strategic messaging from the C-Suite, partnership announcements. 

Legal: Ongoing litigation, employee investigations, ransomware negotiation status, pending patent filings and supporting documentation, mergers and acquisitions, contractual obligations. 

Research and Development: Status of intellectual property developments, partner feature requests, limitations of technology, known vulnerabilities and bugs. 

Security and Operations: Current security policy, security software in place, roles and permissions for various users and other roles.

Traditional threat intelligence is laden with cautionary tales to demonstrate the value of every individual in an organization. These stories need to be told in a way that staff can internalize and bring home a valuable lesson. For example, using the Uber breach reports can be used to teach employees the importance of multi-factor authentication, proper usage, and the proper procedures for reporting anomalies in the service which can lead to a discussion about multi-factor authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks.

Where to find threat intelligence

The first place to look is internally. Has there been a recent breach at your own organization that can be openly discussed? There’s often a stigma associated with admitting our own faults, but maybe this is the answer to showing both the risk and direct impact of threats! Additionally, checking various cybersecurity vendor’s websites will likely yield enough information to get even the greenest organizations started. While some details may be sparse for the protection of victims, even anonymized information can be incredibly valuable.

The next step might be through a threat intelligence partner, where operational intelligence is being purchased from. Commercially acquired analysis may come with control restrictions which need to be further discussed but might already be available through an existing subscription. If not, creating your own training and purchasing reports could be another option.

Finally, most employees respond better when a third party is giving a passionate presentation about cybersecurity. Hiring an external entity to provide the training has many benefits including experience working with threat intelligence, personalized war stories of organizations who have been breached, the emotions of those who were involved, and an outside perspective that will seem fresh. At a higher level, decision makers are more likely to invest in the same funding requests when there’s a third party advocating for the same recommendations internal staff have been advocating for.

Making it personable

The importance of security awareness training has been at critical levels for over two decades now. Bringing everything together in common language, not that of the security industry, can be difficult. IT professionals work with security policy and procedures for the entirety of their workday. While the gap in knowledge and practice needs to be closed, the best way to do so is through organization-wide buy-in.

Threat intelligence is just one very valuable vehicle we have to make the training feel real, be engaging, and still convey the same points that have been discussed ad-nauseum. Once the people acknowledge they are a target, see the value they provide, then finally hear an engaging story of how attackers manipulate unsuspecting victims, it becomes something that a person can identify with.

We feature the best cloud antivirus.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Regulators in the European Union are once again taking aim at Microsoft, this time concerning its security software practices.

Microsoft has been on the regulatory radar for some time over non-competitive practices, and is now being investigated for restricting its customers from using rival security software.

The company is also being investigated for its investments in Mistral AI, a relatively small but incredibly buzzworthy company that builds AI models.

Regulatory hurdles for tech giant

The Information says the European Commission is investigating claims that Microsoft is restricting competitor security software, specifically customers of Office 365 being unable to use alternative security products.

Google’s investments in AI company Mistral AI are also apparently on the books to be investigated by the European Commission. Google’s Cloud President Amit Zavery recently criticized Microsoft’s cloud business practices, stating that Microsoft “are creating this whole walled garden, which is completely controlled and owned by Microsoft, and customers who want to do any of this stuff, you have to go to Microsoft only.”

"We worry about Microsoft wanting to flex their decade-long practices where they had a lot of monopoly on the on-premise software before and now they are trying to push that into cloud now."

A statement by European Commission spokesperson Lea Zuber remarked that, “The Commission is looking into agreements that have been concluded between large digital market players and generative AI developers and providers. In this context, we have received the mentioned agreement, which we will analyze.”

Microsoft has been under increasing regulatory pressure after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the US Federal Trade Commission launched similar investigations into Microsoft’s OpenAI partnerships.

Amazon is also facing investigations in the UK, EU and US, and it's lobbyists have been banned from the European Parliament after MEPs called for their removal due to alleged breaches of labour laws at Amazon sites in the European Union.

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It's Data Privacy Week again, the annual event that reminds us to secure our data online. I'm sure, though, that with the changing laws and events around the globe, most of us have been thinking hard about our privacy in the past 12 months. 

For instance, while opening up new exciting possibilities, the AI chatbot frenzy also brought fresh concerns about data harvesting and online scams. The use of VPN services is still high around the world among both citizens and organizations, too. In the meantime, Big Tech received some of the biggest fines ever for infringing GDPR rules in Europe—already earning enough to pay them off. If that's not enough, the quantum computing threat continues to loom in the background which will make traditional encryption methods obsolete.

Looking back at last year's events, I couldn't refrain from wondering whether the steps we take as users, organizations, and lawmakers are enough as technological developments land with increasing pace. With this in mind, I turned to cybersecurity experts and asked whether or not they think it's time to change our approach to privacy.  

New tech, new privacy issues

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest hot topic in tech, and it's an umbrella term that has many iterations. You may already recognize some of them, like the face ID feature on your smartphone, social media filters that personalize your feed, or even services like ChatGPT.

Andrew Sullivan, President and CEO of the Internet Society—a global non-profit organization that works to keep the internet open, connected, and secure—believes that the biggest challenge now is managing to predict exactly what the new threats to data privacy are going to be in the future.

He told me: "It’s especially bad in the case of AI because it’s a catch-all term for about nine different things. So, it’s really hard to understand what the consequences are of any particular piece of technology."

We may not have a full understanding of all the security risks caused by AI, but the larger adoption of ChatGPT and similar apps has already given a glimpse of the privacy mess these tools can cause.

ChatGPT's privacy nightmare starts with how it collects and stores your personal data, as it scrapes from the web without consent, or that we actively share in the chatbot. OpenAI and similar firms are also infamous for employing invasive privacy policies—ChatGPT was briefly banned in Italy because of this.

Then there are the challenges of regulating such applications, especially in countries like the US, where data protection laws are still lacking—as privacy advocate Brittany Kaiser pointed out. While the EU is currently finalizing the text for its AI Act, which is likely to become the go-to model for the West, the process isn't free of controversy from a privacy and security point of view.

In the meantime, cybercriminals have been using these tools to craft convincing phishing scams, ID fraud, and even deepfakes to spread misinformation online.

Outside of the realms of AI, another beast is lying in wait: quantum computing. Despite the full adoption of quantum computing being "quite a distance away," as Sullivan noted, cybercriminals are already prolific in so-called store now, decrypt later (SNDL) attacks. This means they are currently accumulating huge quantities of encrypted data to decrypt once quantum technology is capable (which is expected within the next 5 to 20 years).

Take a step back

According to Simon Wistow, Co-founder of cloud computing service provider Fastly, now is the time to reflect on how these exciting, but also concerning, tech innovations are going to affect everyone's privacy.

"Even if we think there’s going to be mostly positives, we still need to think about what the negatives are. That’s for all new technologies," he told me. "The more we plan, the better it's going to be."

A similar approach seems to be shared by the team at Kape Technologies, the security firm behind some of the biggest names in the VPN world like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost.

Jose Blaya, the Director of Engineering at Kape, told me: "As we step into an era of more advanced technologies, our approach to data privacy must evolve. It should be proactive, not just reactive, adapting to potential future challenges while leveraging new opportunities to strengthen data protection."

AI, for example, is also a powerful tool that security software developers can use to their advantage. Engineers at NordVPN have already started to experiment with new ideas and approaches in this remit with the NordLabs initiative. The team already launched Sonar last September (an AI-enabled tool to fight back against increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks), and new projects are expected to be released this year.

Privacy should be the default

For Amandine Le Pape, co-founder at UK-based encrypted communication and collaboration platform Element, it isn't exactly the approach to data privacy that needs to be changed but rather the way software is developed in the first place.

She believes there are few ways lawmakers can ensure companies use and store data, besides finding the right balance at a policy level to protect users without putting too much burden on small companies. That's why she thinks privacy should be a priority from the start.

"Privacy should be designed by default. People need to think about it when they build software. I think more and more people are getting it, but there are still a lot of people who don’t," she told me. "Education and awareness are, for me, the things we should keep working on."

Andreas Theodorou, digital privacy expert and Editor-in-Chief of Tech/Software at Future plc (the publishing company behind TechRadar), also believes privacy should be a default for today's software. 

When it comes to security software, for instance, he believes it should be legally mandatory for all encryption-providing services to adhere to the NIST-recommended quantum-safe standards to protect against new threats. He said: "Far too many companies fall behind on this matter and it puts people more at risk with a false sense of security." 

While some providers have already started to implement quantum-resistant cryptography in their services, many others are yet to catch up. The list so far includes the encrypted messaging app Signal, secure email provider Tuta (previously known as Tutanota), and some VPN services, including ExpressVPN and PureVPN.

We should be in charge of our privacy

As Data Privacy Week seeks to teach us, we should all take agency back over our data. Even when it looks like the threats are bigger than us, there are still ways to minimize their impact.

"Our approach to privacy must change—there's no doubt about it. People are far too complacent with their digital privacy, and with the rapidly increasing complexity of cyberattacks and social engineering, it's all too easy for someone with malicious intent to cause you harm," Andreas explained.

First and foremost, we should all think carefully about the personal information we share online, especially on social media, as these can reveal more details than we think about our offline lives. It's also very important to use a VPN for everyday browsing, especially when using an insecure network like public Wi-Fi.

A virtual private network (VPN) is security software that has become very popular for accessing geo-restricted content as it spoofs your IP addresses. Yet, it also encrypts internet connections to prevent snoopers from spying on your activities—and that's exactly why they can help to make us more anonymous online.

On this point, Andreas said: "In this modern world, where our digital privacy is being repeatedly encroached upon, it's no longer a luxury to use tools like VPNs, it's a necessity. We must claw back our digital privacy if we don't want to be exploited at every opportunity." 

Top antivirus vendor McAfee has created a new all-in-one security solution for small business customers working with Dell.

The new suite, called McAfee Business Protection, protects from various threats, and combines a firewall, dark web data monitoring, VPN, web browsing protection, identity protection and other security features.

McAfee claims the new product helps to protect firms from malware and viruses, as well as being easy to use. Custom policies can also be created, allowing for automated rules to be set up to deal with threats the way you want, without taking up the time of IT teams. 

Protection and support for Dell customers

According to its own survey, McAfee found that most small business owners manage their security protections themselves. However, due to their limited time, they spend less than an hour a week managing them, which is concerning; McAfee also cites research showing that small businesses are a prime target for cybercriminals.

“We’re excited to bring McAfee Business Protection to Dell customers so that small business owners can focus on running their company, knowing that their security posture is in safe hands with McAfee and Dell,” said Gagan Singh, Chief Operating Officer at McAfee.

“Our business solution is purpose-built with an easy-to-use and scalable model designed to grow with the business. Customers will benefit from simple but powerful tools that allow customization while offering industry-leading online protection,” they added.

With the security console within McAfee Business Protection, users can view the company's protection status, manage employee policies and take security actions in one place. It is also available as a mobile app.

There is also a business protection score, which assesses the security health of your firm and workers, as well as providing steps to improve scores.

Each employee can set up their own data and device protection, and take security actions themselves. 

A track remover can prevent trackers on the web from gathering data about your firm and employees too. 24/7 support is also availble, providing tenchincal assistance via phone or live chat. 

For global small business owners that purchase a PC from Dell (Vostro, XPS with Pro OS, OptiPlex, Latitude or Precision), McAfee Business Protection will be available as a 30-day trial or one-year or three-year subscription, starting June 8th, 2023.

Vostro/XPS models include a 1-year subscription to McAfee Business Protection and an optional 3-year paid subscription. Inspiron models include a 30-day trial to McAfee Business Protection with optional 1-year and 3-year paid subscriptions. 

OptiPlex, Latitude, and Precision models include optional 30-day trial, 1-year, 3-year subscriptions or option to not include any anti-virus software.  

• Here is the best endpoint protection for your business

As the war in Ukraine enters its 17th month of fighting, we all know by now how cyberspace is a front that cannot be overlooked. In the offline world, tanks and missiles are destroying cities and killing citizens. Cyberattacks, online censorship, propaganda and surveillance have the potential to cripple the country even further.

"I'm here by choice, not by accident. We try to use our tech capabilities as much as possible to break through the Russian truth firewall." These are the words Oleksandr Kosovan, CEO at MacPaw, spoken on March 4 last year to describe his and the Ukrainian tech communities' effort at large to fight back against Russia online.

The Kyiv-based firm—which offers a wide range of security software, including its iconic CleanMyMac and newly launched VPN service—has been putting its expertise to use in order to support civilians since the start of the invasion. We talked to some of the team to understand what it's like running a cybersecurity business in times of war—especially when your enemy is Russia, home to some of the smartest hackers in the world.

Preparing for the worst

"We started our planning around two months before the actual war outbreak," Vira Tkachenko, CTO at MacPaw, told Techradar. "And, even our worst scenario was beaten by reality."

Specifically, the firm outlined some possible scenarios of how the conflict could play out by considering factors like power outages, internet disruptions and, even more importantly, making sure their people could reach a safe place.

"When we're talking about war it's very important where you stay physically," said Tkachenko. "Our office changed dramatically because we needed to have shelters and all that stuff. We expected that Kyiv could be occupied and we wouldn't have access to our office."

About one third of MacPaw's team now works far away from the capital, either in safer places across West of Ukraine, around Europe, the UK or the US. This was the biggest change to the company's operations. This also made it necessary to move from an office-based virtual private network solution to a more flexible cloud VPN.

Once all the team was safe and sound, they had to guarantee that the security of the products wasn't compromised. They first created some emergency teams made up by employees based in safer zones, and then implemented a code-freeze regime. This meant that only the engineers from an emergency team were allowed to make or approve changes to software.

Talking about such decisions, Tkachenko said: "On February 24 it was a crazy time. The situation changed every minute and all of us became quite emotional because you needed to think about your family and what's going on. In this state of mind, it's easy to create very unsafe changes to our products."

Fighting back against Russia propaganda

MacPaw's CEO has been very involved on social media to help fight back against Russian propaganda using both his own personal platforms and the accounts linked with the company and its products.

Unsurprisingly, this was enough to quickly become a target of Russia's army of hackers. "We experienced the first DDos attack in the first week of war," said Tkachenko. 

Their website has been censored in Russia since March 2, 2022, and is still the target of attacks from time to time.

None of this discouraged MacPaw to keep going with its mission. Thanks to the team's expertise and the support of vendors like Cloudflare, which created special units to back up the Ukrainian government and businesses more broadly, the damage of these incidents remains quite limited. 

"They attack, we protect. We are always ready to react," said Tkachenko.

Once dangerously overlooked, cybersecurity has become a central concern across Ukraine in the face of the biggest cyberwar in history—especially among citizens, who are increasingly the victims of such attacks.

"The scale of these cyber attacks was like 200 times bigger," Sergii Kryvoblotskyi, Head of Technological R&D at MacPaw, told us. "Before we expected those attacks from competitors or some black marketing techniques. But, now, it's a huge country with a lot of resources and hackers. They constantly invest in these attacks."

Getting security products up for the task

MacPaw was founded in 2008 and its first release was the very successful CleanMyMac for decluttering and optimizing Apple computers. 

The company has come a long way since then, maintaining good UI and strong user-friendly design at the core of everything it does. Its product offering now counts 11 different applications across all the main operating systems, including Windows, Android and iOS. Apple devices are still the priority, though.

The team also keeps improving its most iconic tool. The latest release, CleanMyMac X, is, in fact, much more than a simple system cleaner. It now protects devices from malware, adware, and other threats.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine provided the impetus to develop easy-to-use products that could help people, especially fellow Ukrainians, to secure their most sensitive data within a click. It was then time for a revamp to its VPN service, ClearVPN, first launched only in 2020.

"The main idea was to bring this VPN technology closer to people," explained Kryvoblotskyi. 

That goal was there from the very beginning, translating to what the company called "shortcuts". This means that, unlike competitors, users just need to press one button to use its streaming VPN function, security and so on. Put simply, the developers had already set up the service according to different use cases. Perhaps not the ideal software, though, for those looking for a more customizable experience. 

User priorities changed when the conflict began, especially as the Kremlin seized control of the internet in these areas while Russian soldiers were occupying Ukrainian territories. People living there were in danger. They needed an effective solution for accessing Western content. This is exactly where the VPN's skill of spoofing people's IP addresses comes very handy.

ClearVPN 2 was born on March 2023: an even easier solution which maintains only the most requested shortcuts. Available as both a limited free version and a full paid plan, Ukrainians can use the premium service for free with a verified national ID card. 

"There are more than 100,000 Ukrainians using it on a daily basis and we got a lot of feedback from our people in occupied territories saying that it worked well and it actually does its job," said Kryvoblotskyi.

Another security tool that emerged from the necessity of defending against Russia's new cyber threats is SpyBuster. Completely free to use for anyone (except people based in Russia and Belarus), it's an on-device anti-spyware app that allows users to secure their most sensitive data by weeding out apps and web connections reporting to unwanted servers.

It was first released in March 2022 on MacOS (just about a month after the war started), then debuting as a Chrome extension in June and on iOS in July.

SpyBuster does two jobs. The first, "static analysis", looks at the software installed on user devices and analyzes all their details. These include where they're built, who the developer is, hosts the app use, and so on. The goal is to notify users in case these apps send some data to Russia or Belarus while also blocking these information exchanges.

The second option, "dynamic analysis", investigates what the apps installed actually do. Again, the tool blocks the traffic when diverted to unsecure servers in Russia and Belarus. That's because, as Kryvoblotskyi explained, the Kremlin can access any server that is located in Russia's territories. 

"We have conducted some research and we realized that a lot of Ukrainian mass media sites were using scripts that send some data to Russian servers and they even didn't know about it," he said.

Despite similar software being already on the market, SpyBuster claims to be unique because it doesn't just monitor unsecure apps and connections, but it also blocks specific traffic and software. The long term plan, said Kryvoblotskyi, is adding further unsafe countries like China in this blacklist. 

What's next?

With the Russia-Ukraine conflict showing no signs of ceasing soon, MacPaw and its team must cope with the new way of running the business for a while.

As we have seen, developers have been shaping the product offerings accordingly the new cybersecurity landscape, and we can expect new releases and product updates as new cyber threats emerged. What's certain is that "all is not quiet on the cyber front" across Ukraine.

In the meantime, MacPaw is committed to supporting its team and the people of Ukraine more broadly. As mentioned, it's offering ClearVPN 2 free of charge for all Ukrainians, and people working in the media in Ukraine can also claim one year of the CleanMyMac app free of charge.

The company has been donating funds and volunteering on-site while running a series of social campaigns since the war began, too. If you wish to donate, check its MacPaw Foundation page to know more.

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A list of features included with Avast One

As one of the best malware protection tools, Avast works hard to give you some of the most inclusive security solutions. Even its most basic antivirus solution comes with a system scanner, the Avast secure browser, and an amazing gamer mode.

Here are a few other great features that come with Avast One.

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• See where Avast One falls on our best antivirus software guide

Some of the best parental control apps try to concentrate on particular areas of expertise, like location tracking or social media monitoring – while others, like MMGuardian, try to do it all.

That’s an admirable aim, and MMGuardian’s list of features is certainly impressive: it monitors messaging and social media apps, it analyzes content for inappropriate messages using AI, and tracks your children’s location – while offering remote device management.

There’s no shortage of apps that offer it all, though, at least on paper – so let’s see if MMGuardian can stand up against big-name offerings from the likes of Norton, Bark and Qustodio.

Plans and pricing

MMGuardian’s most popular pricing tier is an annual family subscription, which costs $99.98/£78.53 for a year of coverage for up to five child device apps. It’s certainly a better option than the monthly subscription, which offers the same protection for $9.99/£7.85 per month.

If you only need to protect one child device, MMGuardian costs $4.99/£3.92 monthly or $49.98/£39.26 for a year of coverage.

It’s easy to see why that annual five-device plan is the most popular option. And if you’re unsure about whether MMGuardian is the right app for you, there’s a fourteen-day free trial.

That pricing aligns well with Bark’s Premium offering, which also costs £99/£78 annually. But Qustodio is a little cheaper – and so is Norton Family, too.

Features

MMGuardian makes a big deal about its web filtering, and it’s easy to see why. There are over 140 categories of inappropriate content to filter out, which is more than virtually any rival offers, and parents can use filters based on age ranges and also manually block or allow particular websites.

On Android, the web filtering works on browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera. It’s common for parental control apps to be a little more toothless on iOS, though, and that’s true here: on Apple devices, web filtering only works if you use MMGuardian’s own safe browser.

There are other areas where MMGuardian is just as comprehensive. You can access, monitor and read your child’s sent and received text messages and see the time, duration and number of their phone calls.

Additionally, MMGuardian offers message monitoring for popular services like WhatsApp, Instagram, Kik, Discord, Facebook Messenger, TikTok and Snapchat, so most of the big social media sites are covered.

You’ll get alerts if MMGuardian detects messages featuring inappropriate content, but it’s worth noting that this scanning and notifying is well-supported on Android but a bit patchy on iOS – it works on iMessage and WhatsApp, for instance, but not on Instagram or Snapchat.

MMGuardian can update parents on children’s locations periodically, with parents able to choose how often they get alerts, but this is a rare miss from MMGuardian – unusually, there’s no geofencing available in this app. That means you won’t get a notification when children enter or exit your chosen areas – like arriving at home or school, for instance.

MMGuardian’s screen time limiting has preset schedules for school nights or weekend nights, with the latter offering more leniency, and parents can create their own schedules. Individual apps can also be augmented with usage time limits.

If they contravene limits, they can still call or message parents, but there’s a missing feature here: MMGuardian doesn’t allow parents to define how much time their children are allowed to spend on their devices every day. That’s a very common feature for parental control apps, so it’s disappointing that it’s not available here.

If you want to easily see what your children have been up to, MMGuardian offers comprehensive activity reporting.

Delving into specific areas gives parents loads more data, so there’s no shortage of options for parents who want to monitor their children’s device usage.

Elsewhere, MMGuardian allows parents to lock and unlock child devices remotely and use a siren to help find a lost phone. Android users can also monitor YouTube viewing histories.

It’s also worth noting what’s missing, though. MMGuardian might be great at monitoring messages, but it doesn’t watch over emails – a big miss when it comes to content monitoring.

Also note, if you’re a parent who wants a particular level of control, that MMGuardian sells its own phones in conjunction with Samsung. The A15 and A35 devices are essentially Samsung phones with MMGuardian features layered over the top, and they include advanced GPS tracking, real-time monitoring, instant alerting and built-in protection to stop kids from tampering with the settings.

It’s the best way to get MMGuardian’s full suite of parental control abilities, although it does require quite an upfront cost on the devices – the A15 costs $229/£180 and the A35 is $339/£226.

Interface and in-use

It’s easy to get started with MMGuardian. Download the parents’ app, confirm that you’re the parent and create an account, and you’re good to go.

On child phones, it’s easy enough to link to parent apps – it just involves sending a link – and then it’s just a matter of accepting permissions and getting started.

The Android and iOS apps are easy to use, with settings stored in obvious places. And while there are fewer features available on iOS, that’s typical with parental control tools.

The web interface is just as easy to navigate, and it does a tremendous job of presenting parents with pertinent information.

The only downside here is the aesthetic: MMGuardian’s software is easy to use and well-designed, but it looks a bit archaic.

Support

MMGuardian’s website has an FAQ section with some articles and a glossary of teen slang, and there are installation videos to help Android and iOS users set up their software.

Beyond that, support functionality extends to a support email address that’s accessible on the website and a chatbot that directs questions back to MMGuardian. The chatbot says that MMGuardian usually responds within 24 hours.

It’s a solid support selection, but nothing special – competitors sometimes have phone support at particular product tiers, and many have more extensive article and FAQ sections on their websites.

The competition

MMGuardian tries to offer every kind of mainstream feature found in parental control apps – which means it faces lots of strong rivals.

Take Bark, for instance. It’s great for social media and AI-based content analysis and has a better interface than MMGuardian, but doesn’t provide complete web histories.

Bark and Qustodio both outpace MMGuardian for user interface, too, and Qustodio is a better option for screen time controls and for value.

Norton, similarly, is a cheaper option with a more attractive interface, but it’s weaker on social media and message monitoring.

Final verdict

MMGuardian, then, tries to do everything – and does a pretty good job. Its web filtering, message monitoring and screen time controls are excellent, the pricing is reasonable – even if others are cheaper – and it has comprehensive reporting and decent location tracking.

It doesn’t have geofencing, though, and it misses out on social media abilities and attractive UI when compared to rivals, some of which are cheaper. It’s also far stronger on Android than on iOS.

That said, MMGuardian is certainly a contender. If you’re not concerned about an attractive UI and you’re an Android-based family, compare MMGuardian’s features to Bark, Qustodio and Norton – and this may well be a winning app for you. 

• We've picked out the best free parental control software

Born as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004, today's Safer Internet Day has become a landmark event in digital safety. 

Its mission? Promoting ways to safely browse the web - like the use of security software like VPN services, for example - while raising awareness around the biggest threats people face online. 

In this year's edition, organizers wanted to explore the issues affecting children's and teens' online lives to make a positive change in this direction.    

"The internet can be a dangerous place for anyone but especially children, who are more vulnerable and impressionable," said Evan Smith, Technical Manager for one of the best proxy providers around, Proxyrack. "The dangers can vary from misinformation, graphic content and communication with strangers, therefore knowing how best to approach the topic of safety is crucial."

Keep reading as he shares with us some tips to assist parents and educators to secure their kids against the risks of the digital world. 

1. Limit kid's online time

Despite a huge portion of many adults' lives being lived online, it's important for kids to keep digital activities to a minimum. As Smith explained to us: "By only allowing them an hour or two a day you can help reduce any risks of sleep deprivation or behavioral issues formed through reliance on technology and devices."

Security software can also be of help here. For example, ExpressVPN offers its own router called Aircove, which allows parents to limit connectivity for certain devices thanks to its Group Device feature. 

Some devices may also offer restrictions or time limits in their settings. For example, both iPhones and Android devices offer a feature that limits use after a certain time, so making the effort to set these up is well worth it.

2.  Set clear rules 

Similarly as above, experts recommend setting boundaries on both devices and screen time. 

That might be beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, the risk for your child to face online dangers will be reduced. Kids will also learn the importance of sharing devices with others. The latter point is especially relevant if they are using family iPads, laptops or smartphones.  

3. Switch on parental and privacy controls

Parental and privacy controls are vital for protecting children's online life. As Smith said, these are especially important as they can "help you feel more comfortable about what it is your children are able to access online." 

Such controls allow you to restrict access to adult content, for example. They also protect your children from dangerous sites and videos through both search engine searches and social media platforms. 

So, make sure to keep your settings updated at all times. Again, security software can be handy here. Security suites offered by the best antivirus or VPN providers, for example, all come with a range of parental controls for giving you even more control over your child's internet usage.

4. Keep an open dialogue around online safety 

Maintaining open conversations around online dangers might be the most effective way of ensuring kids' online safety, experts suggest. 

"You want to avoid any secrecy and build a trust that will ensure they come to you with any worries they might have," Smith said.  

This will then reduce the chances for children hiding issues they face when online. It can also help parents and teachers to adapt their strategies for the best results.

5. Keep track on their online friends

Last but not least, make sure you know who they're talking to online at all times.

Younger generations are increasingly engaging on social media, from an earlier age. These platforms are full of people looking to take advantage of such vulnerable users. 

While it is crucial to discuss the dangers of talking with strangers even though it's just online, you should also keep track of their online conversation and ensure they know how to report any issues when necessary.

With digital technologies at the center of our everyday life, the amount of data that's exchanged online keeps going up. 

It isn't that surprising, in fact, that the interest in the best VPN services among consumers is high everywhere. Governments across the world are also setting up new regulations on how such sensitive information should be stored, used, and shared. 

New data laws like the EU GDPR are a significant step, but they are not enough. That's partly because cyberattacks are on the rise, too. Even worse, evidence actually suggests how home devices are now the top target. 

On the occasion of the annual Data Privacy Day, we're then sharing nine tips on how to stay safe online and secure your anonymity when your data gets compromised. 

As Vaibhav Antil CEO of Privado, one of the best free VPN providers around, said: "Data Privacy Day gives us all an opportunity to take a second and think about what we share about ourselves, when and where we share it, and who we are sharing it with."

1. Take the time to read privacy policies

Despite many instances on how companies mishandled users' data, the majority of people are still not taking the time to carefully check privacy policies before agreeing with the terms.

According to a 2019 Pew Research's study, only 9% of Americans actually do that. A similar scenario came out from a survey conducted by cybersecurity auditing firm Deloitte, too. Here, over 90% of the respondents admitted to giving consent to legal terms and conditions without reading them.

That's true, these policies are often very long and difficult to comprehend. This makes it a daunting task reading the terms and conditions for every service and apps we access online.  

However, understanding how organizations use your information is the first step towards a more private online life.

Being aware of how your data will be treated is vital to be fully able to stay on top of your digital life. It will also allow you to better select the services you wish to subscribe to. 

The growing need for users to understand privacy terms is actually pushing some big tech firms to simplify theirs for better transparency. 

Apple added privacy labels on its App Store to help users make informed decisions in 2020, for example. Google Play followed suit a year after. 

2.  Protect your browsing activities with a VPN

Short for virtual private network, a VPN is a software that spoofs your IP address location. At the same time, it encrypts all the data leaving your devices inside its VPN tunnel. 

For how it works, a VPN is the tool you want to secure your anonymity online against both cybercriminals and the government's prying eyes. Using such a tool is especially important when you're connected to an unsecure public Wi-Fi network, as this is more vulnerable to attacks. A torrenting VPN is also vital to safely download files from the internet.

Besides privacy, these security services can also boost online performances overall in many ways. Check our explainer on all the main VPN benefits to know more. Our favorite provider on the market presently is ExpressVPN.

3. Consider other cybersecurity software

As online risks are increasingly multifaceted, so needs to be your data protection software response. 

We recommend integrating the use of a VPN with other security software like the best antivirus solutions and password manager tools. Also, ad-blockers are essential if you're looking to stay private online. 

The good news is that you don't even need to have many different subscriptions nowadays. That's because increasingly more providers are now offering full security suites, instead. 

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN, for example, come with their own password managers and ad-blocker features integrated into their VPN software. While, Surfshark One is an all-around security package which includes four cybersecurity tools with just one subscription. You can also check our guide of the best VPN with antivirus around right now for more recommendations. 

4. Beware of free apps

Whether it's a VPN, antivirus, online game or any other apps, free services all have a common trait: being starving for your data. 

That's simply because, as they don't charge you any money for their services, selling your information to third parties is what makes up their revenue.

On this point, Andrew Newman, founder of cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs, said: "When people choose not to share their information privacy, you see companies like Facebook and Google losing billions of dollars as a result. This goes to show you how collecting such information is so valuable to these advertising companies."

In worst cases, they might even infect your devices with malware. According to Newman, downloading free software is actually one of the main reasons home users have their systems compromised with viruses and other dangers in the first place. 

5. Secure your online accounts

Online accounts are, arguably, the main door inside users' most sensitive information. That's why it is crucial to make these logins as hard as possible to be compromised.

Securing your online accounts comes down to a series of steps. Firstly, you must use strong passwords containing a mix of letters, numbers and special characters. It's also vital to never use the same password for different accounts. Again, using a password manager can assist you with all this.

You should also make the login process more secure by enabling multifactor authentication (MFA). As it requires you to prove your identity twice or more, this may discourage bad actors from accessing your profile. Already a common practice for securing your email account, for example, most social media platforms are now offering this extra layer of security too.

You should also consider to set up login alerts to receive a notification every time your account has been accessed. This will make it easier to quickly respond in case of breach.

6. Keep all your devices always up-to-date

Update after update, providers can fix bugs and vulnerabilities on their operating systems.

For this, you should always make sure to run the latest version of your OS at all times to minimize the entry-points for an attack and shield your data against cybercriminals.

7. Review privacy settings on social and other apps

Likewise, privacy policies, it's good practice to carefully review settings and permissions for all the apps running on your devices. You'll be amazed to see how much information they can access about you by default. 

Likewise, we recommend doing the same with all your online profiles. 

As a rule of thumb, you should keep these to the strictly necessary for the service to correctly perform, especially on social media apps.

8. Be careful on what you click

Phishing links, a tactic involving spreading malware via malicious links and/or dangerous attachments, is one of the most common and successful ways to steal users' sensitive information. Cybercriminals may aim to get your login credentials and, then, approach your contacts to launch scams. 

These malicious links are often shared via DMs and emails, but they are also increasingly looming across social media's posts and comments. Once the victim clicks on it, their account and/or device gets infected. Their data compromised. 

Beware of those links or attachments that seem too good to be true, encouraging you to click or share personal details. You should always be mindful of catchy and shorten links, especially when they are sent from suspicious accounts. Check out the source before clicking on it as well as consider reporting any message that looks suspicious.

9. Regularly back up your data

Finally, regularly backing up your data is the best bet you have to retrieve your information in case they get lost as your device crashes, or worse, following a cyberattack. 

Tactics like ransomware or wiper malware represents a great danger for your files. In the first instance, you often cannot take back control of your data even after agreeing to pay. While, the latter, it's a type of malware which erases all the material on your device within a click. 

So, a regular backup on an external hard drive or encrypted cloud storage is the best defense against such malware.

Forward-thinking companies were already exploring work-from-anywhere practices before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the lockdown thrust the challenges of working remotely onto every company operating online, with over 58% of employees working on a hybrid basis. Hybrid working is a flexible working model where employees work partly in the office and partly in a remote workspace. 

This rapid change put stress on company security practices designed with traditional models. 

Zero Trust providers, like Perimeter 81, are replacing these outdated models with robust security architectures. In this guide, we look at Zero Trust and how it should be considered essential for a company shifting to hybrid work.

How does traditional network security design work?

There are many ways to design security for your company’s critical assets. In general, traditional security models distinguish between internal and external networks, with everything on the internal network being trusted to access everything else on the internal network. 

While far from perfect, this wasn’t a huge issue when employees were required to work in the office, as malicious use necessitated physical access to the building.

Remote access was mostly performed using a virtual private network (VPN). By connecting through a VPN, the remote user gains complete access to the company intranet and can run applications as if their device was plugged in there.

Again, this served its purpose for small-scale use but it doesn’t offer the flexibility large-scale remote work requires.

What are the flaws in this system?

Several issues with this model should be apparent. Firstly, if a remote machine is compromised, the malicious user will have complete access to all of your company’s network. 

Secondly, low-level employees shouldn’t be granted access to everything on the company network. You should be able to control the specifics of which business assets each user can access and which they can’t. Using just the traditional network tools at your disposal, it’s very difficult to set different user permissions for each employee.

Thirdly, this design presumes all vital company assets are situated in one place. As soon as resources are stored in multiple data centers, on cloud infrastructure, or cached worldwide, secure access to these resources can’t be easily managed. 

VPNs also don’t scale well because all traffic needs to be routed through a single server. When you have tens, hundreds, or thousands of employees worldwide, all requiring access to your critical business assets, using a VPN can cause a huge bottleneck, and application performance suffers greatly.

How is Zero Trust different?

Zero Trust is a policy where no user or device is implicitly considered trustworthy. This is in stark contrast to the traditional model outlined above. 

A Zero Trust framework assumes there are no traditional network perimeters. Instead of a network perimeter, access controls are managed on a per-device, per-user basis. Users and devices are constantly monitored and checked to ensure they continue to meet the security rules you define. Users’ access is limited to the authorization required to perform their necessary tasks.

Building networks and applications with a never trust, always verify principle may initially sound like a headache, but when you have that strong foundation in place, so many of your other security challenges become much easier to solve.

Zero Trust and hybrid work

Hybrid working changed the security threat landscape. Beyond all the issues that remote work has, hybrid work (where employees work remotely and then bring their devices to work) has additional security concerns. 

Employees can use devices inside and outside the premises, and poor security hygiene can result in compromised laptops being plugged into the company network. This can be devastating if your company allows broad access to all resources to computers on the network. 

Zero Trust virtually eliminates this issue, as a computer plugged into the company intranet isn’t implicitly trusted.

Companies were forced to move exceptionally quickly toward hybrid work because of the pandemic, and cybercriminals quickly took advantage. As a result, ransomware and other malware have been a massive issue. 

Zero Trust solutions are often designed to monitor all devices for such problems and automatically deny access to company resources if security protocols have not been followed.

Implementing Zero Trust in a hybrid environment

By moving away from the traditional perimeter-based model, you can better secure resources on other networks. Once authenticated by your Zero Trust system, remote workers can access your resources stored on cloud networks. Zero Trust enables you to secure every element of your business, no matter where it is located. 

With Zero Trust in place, you can more easily move business resources to the cloud. Your employees will use a single authentication system, making things more straightforward and less error-prone. And, because network traffic no longer needs to be routed through a single access point, applications can run faster and be more responsive for your employees.

Implementing Zero Trust without disrupting your business requires rolling it out in stages. Protecting your business-critical assets is the priority. Examining all the users, devices, and applications in your business and how they work together will allow you to build access policies for every element, and develop a much more robust and versatile security policy.

Conclusion

Hybrid work represents a fundamental change in how we do business and creates additional security challenges for companies. Zero Trust tackles these concerns by setting security to be strong across the board, no matter where an employee is located.

In other articles, we’ve discussed what Zero Trust is, how Zero Trust helps you secure your network, and how to implement Zero Trust.

For more information on hybrid work, check out what hybrid work is, how hybrid work is changing the employee experience, and some of the best hybrid working tech you can buy.

No matter if you're using a Mac, PC or smartphone: you're not exempt from malware-based attacks. 

Running one of the best antivirus apps in the background of your device is the first step for a successful defense against malware. But, with cybercriminals targeting your data on several fronts, such software isn't enough to fully protect your online life anymore.

If you're looking to secure all of your most sensitive data with just one subscription, McAfee Total Protection is a full security bundle boasting an impressive feature list. 

Its reliable antivirus software, firewall, VPN service, password manager, ID scan and file shredder tool are all included even with its basic plan. You can also upgrade to McAfee Plus, Premium or Advanced subscription to make your security even more impenetrable.

Presently, McAfee+ Advanced is the best offer to get the most value for your money. Thanks to a tasty 55% discount, you can now have one-year of full suite protection for just $89,99 to use on unlimited devices. Add just $10 for the family subscription to get the parental control option, too!  

Below, we'll have a closer look at what the different plans include, together with all the hot deals available right now. 

McAfee Total Protection deals:

McAfee Total Protection features

Covering one, five or unlimited devices, McAfee Total Protection bundle comes packed with different tools and features to protect your data from virtually any online threats. 

These can be divided between security, privacy and identity protection:

• Security: on the security front, McAfee offers the power of its antivirus software, a firewall and malicious URL filtering. The expert online support makes sure you can resolve any issues in no time. These are all included with any McAfee plans. 
• Privacy: you can browse the web more privately by enjoying the protection of a VPN on up to five different devices. McAfee+ Advanced subscribers can even find out which sites are selling their personal data thanks to its personal data cleanup tool.  
• Identity: While a password manager and ID scan software are available by default for all the plans, it's with McAfee+ Advanced that the providers really went the extra mile. Users ready to subscribe to its longer plan will also get advanced features to assist you in case of identity theft or credit breach. 

• Discover all of today's best internet security suites with our guide

The use of security tools like the best antivirus software is becoming more and more of a necessity - whether you're using a laptop, PC or smartphone. 

Evidence suggests how cybercriminals are increasingly turning on mobile users as their main targets. The recent news that Bahamut group has been injecting spyware via fake Android VPN apps since January is just the latest instance showing how smartphone malware is on the rise. 

Luckily, Trend Micro - one of the biggest names on the market - offers full protection on both PC and mobile. It can even optimize your smartphone to keep it running at peak performance. But, if that's not enough, it's also offering one of the best-value antivirus deals on the market.

While you'll usually pay $129.95 for its one-year subscription, Trend Micro Premium Security suite is now on sale with a 69% discount. This drops the price to just $39.95 for 12-months of full protection on up to 10 devices at once. 

That's not all, though. TechRadar readers can get this bargain at an even better price. Simply add the exclusive code techradar10 at the checkout to get an additional 10% off. This breaks down to a total saving of over $90.

The offer is active until December 31, so even if you missed the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness you can bag a bargain. Keep reading for more details about this tempting offer and a closer look to all the features included with the Trend Micro Premium Security plan.

Exclusive Trend Micro Premium Security deal:

Trend Micro Premium Security features

No matter whether you're a Windows, Mac, Android, iOS or Chromebook user, this comprehensive security package will cover all of your devices - up to 10 at once. This makes it ideal if you're looking to protect all your family members with just one subscription.  

Trend Micro Premium Security goes way beyond malware protection, too. It offers a huge array of tools and features to shield your sensitive data against all the most common online threats. These include:

Laptop security: full protection for your Windows, Mac and Chromebook device against ransomware, viruses, and dangerous websites.

Mobile security: prevent malicious apps, ransomware, unprotected Wi-Fi, and dangerous websites from infecting both your Android and iOS smartphone. It also ensures your security stay up-to-date.

Password Manager: say goodbye to vulnerable passwords and keylogging malware, measuring password strength and keeping these secure.

Anti-scam tool: enhanced protection against internet or email scams, and from fraudulent websites attempting to steal your financial and personal data when shopping and banking online.

Performance optimization: helps you to identify and fix common problems with your system that may be slowing down your devices.

ID security: get notifications if personal information like email address, credit card number, passwords, or bank account details are found on the dark web.

Personal VPN: secure and encrypt your online connections and communications with its VPN Proxy One Pro, especially when you connect to a public Wi-Fi. 

Premium service: enjoy the support of security experts with its 24/7 technical customer service, PC security health check,  virus and spyware removal, remote diagnosis and repair. This package costs $39.95 when purchased separately.

• Discover all of today's best internet security suites with our guide

It's easy to feel like Black Friday is all about those phone deals, laptops and TVs, but did you ever think you could save money on your cyber security? Well yes you can - Norton is offering up a juicy Black Friday antivirus deal on its award-winning antivirus software so you can stay protected. 

Norton Antivirus Plus protects you from viruses, scams, phishing attempts and a number of other serious cyber risks. But here's the kicker - you only have to pay $9.99 for the whole year. That works out at roughly 3c a day (you get cloud storage and a password manager), and if that's not a bargain then we don't know what is!

The other, more beefed-up package is Norton 360 Standard - and we reckon it's even better value. Here you're getting all the same features as Antivirus Plus but you can add protection to two other devices on top of your PC. These could be Macs, tablets or phones so choose the three things which are most important to you and your household. With these additional features comes a higher price tag of $19.99 for the year, but that's a saving of 77% on the original price.

But remember, you do only have until November 30th to cash in on these deals from Norton or earlier; so act fast and get yourself safe online for cheap.

• Check out our best antivirus guide to see what other options there are out there

DuckDuckGo’s privacy-focused web browser is now available for download via an open beta to all Mac users. It's still all about keeping your personal details private but does mix in some intriguing new features, as well.

For the past several months, the company has been steadily working on a desktop version of the DuckDuckGo browser. Originally, the desktop browser launched as a closed beta back in April, and from the looks of it, everything that was present back then is in this new version.  This includes things like the “multiple layers of defense against third-party trackers”, according to the announcement. The new features are centered around enhancing the user experience by clearing out annoying ads on YouTube, specifically. The developers also added some basic browser features that were missing in the first beta like a bookmarks bar and pinned tabs.

You can install the browser on your Mac by going to DuckDuckGo’s website where the download should begin automatically. Upon installation, you can import your bookmarks and passwords from other browsers and password managers. An under-development Windows version is currently only available to DuckDuckGo “friends and family.” The company said to expect a private beta for PC within the coming months.  

Old and new features

Before going into the new, let’s briefly go over the returning features. 

The defense layers mentioned earlier protect users from online tracking software, stopping companies from placing a unique identifier on you (known as fingerprinting) as a way to follow you around on the internet. Cookies also get repelled to ensure total privacy. Making returns are the Smarter Encryption tool, which encrypts your internet connection, and the Fire Button. The latter is pretty cool as it completely wipes all traces of a browsing session from open tabs, caches, permissions, and back button history. But you also have the ability to “Fireproof” a website to save its data from mass deletion.

Among the new tools, one of our favorites is Duck Player which specifically stops ads and cookies that track users from YouTube videos. If an ad doesn’t track people, it will play as normal. But as it turns out, the vast majority of ads on YouTube videos do track people so most will be gone, according to DuckDuckGo. A company representative told us Duck Player only works on YouTube and “will not work with other services at this time.”

DuckDuckGo also tweaked its ad-blocker to erase any whitespace left behind by ads for a much cleaner look. And within the coming weeks, the browser is adding support for Bitwarden, allowing users to integrate the password manager for added protection.

The company is asking for feedback on how it can improve the browser. You can send the developers your thoughts by clicking the three dots below the Fire Button. There, you’ll find the Send Feedback tool.

Industry stifling

In the announcement, DuckDuckGo briefly mentions how other browsers have lackluster tracking protection. It also alludes to recent news concerning Incognito Mode on Google Chrome not being very private. Developers at Google even joke about poor it is and this raises an interesting question about the integrity of online privacy protection. Are browser developers really that interested in privacy?

DuckDuckGo isn’t the only browser that focuses on privacy. Mozilla Firefox and Opera have, in recent years, moved privacy closer to the center of their development efforts. But according to recent data, privacy-focused browsers are having a hard time gaining traction with users. Mozilla goes so far as to accuse tech giants like Apple and Microsoft of “abusing their privileged position” by making it hard for users to switch browsers.  

Until DuckDuckGo launches on Mac, there are other ways to increase online privacy. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s best privacy tools list for 2022 to learn what they can do to protect you.

When it comes picking the best antivirus and online security software, Trend Micro may not be the first name you think of - despite having passed at full marks the latest AV-Test checks on both PC and mobile. And, the good news is that you won't even have to invest the big bucks to enjoy its top-notch protection.

Usually costing $129.95 for a one-year subscription, Trend Micro Premium Security suite now comes with a 53% discount dropping to just $59.95 for a full protection of up to 10 devices at once. 

If that would not be enough of a bargain, TechRadar readers have even the chance to lower the price down by a further 10%. How? Simply add the exclusive code techradar10 at the checkout. This breaks down to a total saving of more than $75.

The Premium Security suite is packed with a huge array of security features and tools to secure your devices against almost all the dangers you can face online: from viruses and ransomware to online scams, malicious websites, data leaks and identity theft. 

Keep reading for more details about this tempting offer and a closer look to all the features included with the Trend Micro Premium Security plan.

Exclusive Trend Micro Premium Security deal:

Trend Micro Premium Security features

This security package covers up to 10 devices at the same time with a single subscription - no matter if you are using a Windows, Mac, Android, iOS or Chromebook. Here's a sample of the features you get with the Trend Micro Premium Security suite:

Laptop security: full protection for your Windows, Mac and Chromebook device against ransomware, viruses, and dangerous websites.

Mobile security: prevent malicious apps, ransomware, unprotected Wi-Fi, and dangerous websites from infecting both your Android and iOS smartphone.

Password Manager: say goodbye to vulnerable passwords and keylogging malware, measuring password strength and keeping these secure.

Anti-scam tool: enhanced protection against internet or email scams, and from fraudulent websites attempting to steal your financial and personal data when shopping and banking online.

Performance optimization: helps you to identify and fix common problems with your system that may be slowing down your devices.

ID security: get notifications if personal information like email address, credit card number, passwords, or bank account details are found on the dark web.

Personal VPN: secure and encrypt your online connections and communications with its VPN Proxy One Pro, especially when you connect to a public Wi-Fi. 

Premium support: enjoy the support of security experts with its 24/7 technical customer service, PC security health check, remote diagnosis and repair. 

• Discover all of today's best internet security suites with our guide

In the last ten years or so ransomware has evolved dramatically from its early and really quite primitive origins. It’s certainly become much more potent too, with today’s cybercriminals capable of launching ransomware attacks on businesses, organizations, and even governments, causing untold damage. We’ve all seen example stories in the news, such as the infiltration of healthcare systems or the sabotage of corporate infrastructure, causing chaos as a result.

The appeal of ransomware to cybercriminals is clear to see as it’s a relatively simple process but can cause plenty of damage, all without too much in the way of effort. Meanwhile, the potential rewards can often be substantial, with ransomware demands often netting cybercriminals a hefty haul on the finance front. It’s comes as no surprise therefore to hear that ransomware attacks are on the increase, with GCHQ in the UK noting that they have doubled in the last year or so.

Growing threats

It looks like the threat from ransomware will continue to grow in that respect. Added to that, there are endless options available to cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities in modern technology, which will help them even more. A prime example is the growing use of IoT devices, with upwards of 25 billion IoT appliances existing as of now with a total that is getting higher by the day.

IoT devices are ideal for cybercriminals to exploit, with many devices being poorly configured and not featuring much in the way of protection. They’re perfect fodder for bad actors looking to find a gateway into systems and networks. While a lot of individuals could be criticised for not practising safer security measures and configuring their IoT devices more effectively, this threat is also affecting a lot of businesses and organisations too.

Taking precautions

While corporate IT departments are doing their best to combat the threat from cybercriminals and ransomware attacks, more definitely needs to be done. This extends to basic precautionary areas, especially when it comes to IoT devices, where default settings need to be changed immediately, better passwords implemented and the disablement of unwanted services being switched off as soon as possible.

The other thing to consider is how ransomware attacks look increasingly likely to target third-party software and, potentially at least, bypass the systems of organizations. Hackers are also keen to home in on supply chain software, which can include the likes of remote monitoring and management software, as well as exploiting vulnerabilities in TCP/IP setups. Surprisingly, many third-party software packages still have many and varied vulnerabilities that have been that way for some time, allowing cybercriminals a near free reign to carry out their activities.

Respond accordingly

While threats like holes in third-party software packages could be improved with the likes of validation methods, much of the responsibility to stay better protected lies at the feet of businesses and organizations. Companies could certainly up their game when it comes to taking more extensive precautionary measures using any control tools at their disposal in order to mitigate attacks.

At the same time, cybercriminals are expanding into the realms of operational technology, which has been responsible for several high profile and very damaging cyberattacks on large-scale companies. One of the best examples is that of the cyberattack that affected Colonial Pipeline, back in 2021. Such was the force of the attack that the organization had to shut down its OT operation in order to stop short the activities of hackers.

If IT departments increasingly fall foul of operation technology attacks the stakes could be even higher. Any company that finds itself unable to access its own networks and data will be faced with having to pay the ransom, or potentially face being put out of business. In that respect, companies will need to beef up their network segmentation and have better measures in place to neutralize the threat of cybercriminals getting in and around a corporate system.

Future predictions

Deciding on the way things are going to go in the future is always hard, but it seems safe to say that the problem with ransomware will continue to rise. A combination of attacks on IoT devices, third-party software and operation technology are likely to be key areas of growth for the cybercriminals. As a result, security companies are already looking into ways of helping companies improve their safety measures and working practices.

Security companies will likely look at offering more extensive, one-stop solutions for business, which until now might have been using several third-party packages. Of course, cybercriminals don’t work to a common plan and ransomware attacks could go off on another tack altogether. That means businesses will have to be much more proactive in order to meet the changing challenges they’re undoubtedly going to have to face.

Meanwhile, software security companies will need to adapt considerably too and both sides of the coin could also make use of more AI-based technologies in order to plug the holes in their anti-cybercrime arsenal. Even more so considering IT departments aren’t always there to keep a watchful eye on things.

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Ransomware attacks are on the increase and are one of the biggest threats facing individuals and businesses that have anything to do with the online world. Considering just about everyone is connected to the internet in one way or another, that’s undeniably worrying. Of even more concern are the crazy facts and figures surrounding the seemingly unstoppable rise of the ransomware crimewave.

Cybercriminals are also using increasingly sophisticated methods to carry out their ransomware attacks, with the developing world of cryptocurrency adding a raft of new options for their activities. So, if you get to the end of these ten facts and figures about ransomware attacks, it may well be time to re-evaluate your software security measures, before you fall foul too…

One

There are some huge numbers relating to the extent of internet crime due to cybercriminals, with up to $4.2 billion extorted from individuals and companies during 2020. While cybercriminals do target plenty of individuals, they are making biggest gains from businesses. It’s estimated that the average cost of a ransomware attack is around $1.85 million. Aside from the financial peril it puts companies in, there is also the knock-on effect from damage done to reputation, especially where data breaches have been identified.

Two

The big figures keep on coming in relation to ransomware too. Global cybercrime activity is now estimated to coast in the region of $190,000 per second. Similarly staggering is the average cost of cybercrime to organisations, which is said to be in the region of $13 million. Most hardest hit according to FBI figures appear to be those over the age of 60, who have suffered losses of £966 million. Conversely, victims 20 and under have lost $71 million to cybercriminal activity.

Three

You’ll want to keep your IT department sufficiently funded and your company guarded with the best anti-ransomware security software. By way of an example, the FBI has found that fraud involving tech support departments rocketed 171% from 2019 into 2020. The cost factor in this area alone is said to be in the region of $146 million. Anyone thinking they can skimp on security software should think again based on statistics like this.

Four

The problem of cybercrime and ransomware shows no sign of letting up. In fact, in the last five years alone, the FBI has logged in excess of 2.2 million internet complaints directly related to cybercrime. The agency reckons that this has ultimately added up to $13.3 billion in losses. On top of that, crimes relating to internet related affairs cost victims $4.3 billion during the course of 2020.

Five

Globally, ransomware attacks surged by 40% in 2020 alone and nearly a quarter of individuals have discovered they have some kind of malware infection on their computer or device. Phishing remained the most commonly reported issue according to the FBI during 2020 and attacks continue to increase. The upward trend has been going on for years, with a 67% increase in security breaches being logged in the years between 2014 and 2019.

Six

Cybercriminals continue to adapt and evolve their tactics, with new trends including cryptojacking, mobile-focused cybercrimes and social engineering being three recent growth areas. Cryptojacking is one of the newest issues to have occurred and is a type of malware whereby cybercriminals gain access to an individual’s cryptocurrency wallet or database.

Seven

Cyberattacks are also a major problem, with nearly 1,900 reported in the US during 2021. According to estimates by UNG (University of Georgia), cyberattacks have resulted in 3.8 million records being stolen each day. Businesses are certainly affected by a large proportion of cybercrime activity, with 88% reporting that they have suffered from spear phishing attacks.

Eight

Cybercrime is flourishing in part thanks the evolution of mobile devices. While we all love the convenience of our smartphones and tablets, many devices offer an entry route for cybercriminals and ransomware. Up to 70% of online fraud is carried out via mobile platforms. Meanwhile, other areas of vulnerability include IoT devices, which are frequently less secure and also many popular gaming platforms.

Nine

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the FBI has logged an increase of 300% in cybercrime related issues. Malware attacks and phishing emails have been most notable for their increasingly sophisticated campaigns and frequently expect any victims to make their payment in cryptocurrency. According to security software house Norton, the rise in campaigns asking for payment in cryptocurrency increased 35% from the tail end of 2020 to the beginning 0f 2021.

Ten

The FBI saw a rise in businesses with compromised emails during 2020. It had 19,369 complaints about issues with ransomware via email systems. There was also a marked increase in the use of identity theft, which is where cybercriminals obtain personal or corporate employment records in order to carry out a range of crimes. In many cases, the victim isn’t even aware the identity theft has been taking place until the damage has been done.

Security software works

What all of these points tell you about the world of cybercrime, malware and ransomware is that the problem isn’t going away. In fact, cybercriminals are using ever more elaborate means to target individuals, companies and government organizations too. Therefore, it’s never to soon to reevaluate your security software arrangements and plug any gaps or vulnerabilities before it’s too late.

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Falling victim to ransomware is, rather depressingly, a very common occurrence in a world that revolves around the internet. This form of malicious software is frequently used by cybercriminals and is an effective means to infect computers and networks. Ransomware can cause all sorts of problems, ranging from blocking access to individual machines and wider networks, through to encrypting data.

Once these obstacles have been put in place it can mean cybercriminals are able to demand ransom money in exchange for freeing up network access, or letting individuals or indeed whole companies have their data returned. The world of ransomware is a fairly fluid one too, with several variants of the problem occurring at different times, depending on which group of cybercriminals are operating.

It might be you’re being targeted by one person rather than a group but, either way, the outcome can be incredibly stressful, not to mention a threat to both your data and finances. Diligence is required to keep ransomware at bay, as is kitting yourself out with a high-quality, reputable and up-to-date suite of the latest security software.

How to spot ransomware

Whilst it’s not always easy to spot evidence of ransomware, there are frequently telltale signs to look out for. Cybercriminals on the lookout for potential victims can deploy several tactics to attack your property, which revolve around Trojans. These malicious chunks of code often appear as phishing emails, Remote Desktop Protocol, or perhaps emerge through vulnerabilities in software. This is why it's a great idea to ensure you have the latest and most up-to-date edition of your preferred software security suite in place.

There are two core ransomware areas that are most likely to cause you problems if you’re not prepared for them to strike. Locker ransomware is a form of malware that will effectively prevent you from accessing your computer or network. It has the potential to lock you out from accessing everyday tools and computer functions, such as using your desktop, mouse and/or keyboard. It may be one thing that targets specific features and functions, or the malware may cover all bases and prevent you using your machine or device altogether.

The other common route for cybercriminals to take on the ransomware warpath is to mobilize crypto ransomware. This is potentially a more damaging attack strategy because, where locker ransomware will not usually home in on your critical files, crypto ransomware can be used to encrypt crucial data. So, while this might allow your computer or mobile device to keep on functioning, it may well prevent you from accessing your files and folder. This type of attack can target everything from documents right on through to media like pictures and videos.

What happens next?

Of course, as the name suggests, the outcome of either tactic by cybercriminals is that you, or rather your data could be held to ransom. You’ll likely start to get messages, especially in the case of crypto ransomware that your data will be destroyed if you don't respond to any demands. If you’ve never been the sort to worry about having a back-up system in place, or keeping a mirror of your documents and vital files in the cloud, this may mean you have a major problem on your hands.

Considering just how much data, much of it personal, is stored on things like mobile phones, tablets and laptops, the potential for a devastating impact on an individual is very much a reality. This is even more compounded if it’s a business that is being targeted by ransomware. While most business owners are prudent enough to have security measure in place, and cloud backup systems in operation too, there is still the potential for damage to be done.

While you might be happy to play along with any cybercriminals who have ransomware in place on your property, especially if the ransom is only something like $100 to $200, which is a common ballpark figure, prevention is better than cure. Getting your computing devices locked down more effectively is the only real way to go. While different variants come and go, there are lots of ransomware examples to look out for, such as Locky, WannaCry, Bad Rabbit, Ryuk, Jigsaw, CryptoLocker, Petya, GoldenEye and many more besides. Therefore, having security software in place and up to date can help you to stay on top of the latest threats along, with keeping tabs on any ransomware variants.

Take action on ransomware

Ransomware attacks can have a devastating effect on individuals and businesses alike and have to be stopped before they can do too much damage. While it may not be possible to fend of every attack, if you have a solid security software package in place, the odds are lessened dramatically. The great thing about installing a software security package is that it will do much of the hard work for you. Any new threats are often added dynamically, meaning that your data is protected by a continually evolving forcefield.

However, no matter how good your protective measures happen to be, the ongoing threat of ransomware also underlines just how crucial it is to have a proper backup plan in place. Having cloud backup measures configured on a machine or network can mean you have less to worry about when it comes to potentially losing chunks of data. Likewise, if you’ve got a reputable security software package in operation, you should find that this also proves invaluable when it comes to removing any ransomware from infected machines of devices.

Once you’ve rid yourself of any ransomware, it’s vital that you keep any security software bang up to date in order to maintain the protective measures. Considering just how much value can be tied up in losing data and subsequently recovering it, the relatively frugal amount of money required to get a security software package in place therefore seems like very good value for money.

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Ransomware attacks can affect everyone from individuals to business owners and even large corporations and they show no sign of becoming any less prevalent. However, thanks to increasingly powerful security software solutions being available, life is becoming harder for the cybercriminal community. With a sizeable not to mention potent range of software options out there, it has never been easier, or more cost effective to beef up your ransomware protection.

Any kind of ransomware protection needs to work hand in hand with other systems though, including the likes of cloud backup services and network security operations. Even if you’re an individual that has a relatively simple computing setup to keep safe from malware and ransomware attacks, it’s still vital to have measures in place that can help safeguard your data. After all, people are fallible and can often fall foul of spurious emails, URLs and other online temptations that can catch them out – which is exactly what ransomware threats set out to do.

One: Get the latest edition

Even if you’ve got the latest firewall and cybersecurity software in place it’s always a good idea to review your practices and packages as time goes on. Cybercrime isn't a static thing and criminals are forever looking for new ways to exploit any vulnerability in software, systems and people. It’s therefore essential to ensure that you have the latest ransomware protection system in place, which will be bang up to date when it comes to fending off the effects of malware practices.

While it can be tempting to cut corners, you’ll want to ensure that you’re using the very latest software to combat new or expanding threats. Similarly, be sure to invest in a modern backup system, which will often feature ransomware protection that updates dynamically. That way, you’ll know you’re covered from anything happening right now, as well as keeping tabs on retrospective threats that might have evolved over time.

Two: factor in the features

If you’re looking to take control over ransomware attacks then it’s vital to arm yourself with software and systems that can offer complete protection if at all possible. Remember, it isn't just about protecting yourself from malware attacks; more, it is a case of looking for a well-rounded security solution. What that means is you should consider firewalls and the ability to carry out endpoint scanning and filtering. You’ll also want to be able to carry out network traffic analysis too.

On top of that, it's vital to be able to enjoy web filtering, use intrusion detection systems and have robust email security filtering measures in place. You should also considering employing VPNs to beef up security – even more so if you’ve got employees on board, alongside nailing down the use of Remote Desktop Protocol wherever possible in order to minimize this common entrance route for ransomware attacks by cybercriminals.

Three: patch frequently

If you or your company strategy is a little lackadaisical when it comes to installing patches for software and system weaknesses then having a solution that can help is a must. If you’re looking for a complete ransomware solution then knowing that you have spent money on a system that can keep things patched and as up-to-date as possible will be money well spent. If you decide not to bother, it could mean that cybercriminals will soon be able to exploit weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

You’ll also want to ensure that you have a similarly efficient backup system in place too, which can often be used to mitigate ongoing risks and prevent upheaval of your systems and resources. Having a cloud solution in operation, where it won’t be subject to other perhaps more vulnerable aspects of your systems, means you’ll be able to rest much easier. Naturally, you’ll want ransomware protection that backs up very frequently too, just in case there is a security breach from a new or unknown threat.

Four: find a complete solution

Streamlining your approach to security can also help beat off attacks and threats from cybercriminals. Therefore, if you’re on the lookout for a ransomware protection solution try and find one that offers a wide range of tools. You’ll soon discover that many of the best antivirus software and anti-malware software can frequently have tools to fight ransomware already built in. Therefore, investing in a package or comprehensive suite of tools could deliver a much more complete solution.

Combine a robust all-in-one package with the ability to integrate with a reputable cloud storage solution and you should be able to keep all bases covered. In fact, finding a ransomware protection solution that allows you to do all of these things within one bundle can also streamline workflow and make everyday working more efficient too. Being able to manage your ransomware protection centrally, especially if you have employees to consider can be a very sensible approach to take.

Five: keep it reputable

While it might be tempting to cut corners, especially when there are free or freemium options to consider, expect to pay a little more for your next ransomware protection solution. It really is worth opting for a reputable brand, with a tried and trusted history, to help secure your files, folders and other data. Siding with a recognised brand should mean that you get access to all of the biggest and best ransomware protection features.

Lookout for the likes of antivirus protection with, ideally, a firewall already in place for good measure. You’ll also want the ability to carry out those regular backups to ensure there’s protection in place, just in case malware does get into your system. Be sure that there’s the provision for updating as often as possible, where any software security gaps get plugged rapidly and where out-of-date applications are revised as soon as there is a newer, less vulnerable edition available.

Above all, you’ll want to have ransomware protection that can quickly track down or weed out anything unusual as well as being able to spot strange behavior or anomalies in a system. On top of all that, any decent ransomware protection should help to reduce the threat of being subjected to spam, so it’s well worth keeping powerful anti-spam features and functionality at the top of your shopping list too.

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Threats from ransomware continue to worsen, despite there never being a better time to arm yourself with any one of many security software protection packages. Large and medium-sized business are most at risk, along with government organizations, with the likes of frequent phishing attacks and malicious email campaigns being the main tools used by cybercriminals. And, the onslaught of ransomware attacks show no sign of letting up in 2023 either.

Spurious emails, with malware featuring in the code, are still one of the preferred methods for many ransomware attacks. This has been exacerbated due to many businesses moving to cloud-based operations. Cybercriminals have been forced to look for other ways to gain access to systems, with vulnerable unpatched or weakly designed software proving fruitful for many malware attempts. So, if you’re in business and fear what 2023 may bring then here’s what you need to look out for…

Be more vigilant

If you’re running a medium-sized or large business there’s always going to be the threat of security breaches for your IT department to look out for. However, for 2023 it seems likely that business owners will need to implement even an more comprehensive approach to their cybersecurity procedures, due to the increasingly sophisticated attacks coming from the cybercriminal fraternity.

Even up until this point, the cybercriminal’s common routes for carrying out attacks has been to use various forms of phishing alongside a plentiful supply of malicious emails. Calling on these two core techniques, cybercriminals have been able to garner sensitive information about companies and individuals along with vital information that can be used for exploitation.

Unfortunately, these practices are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the situation doesn’t look like it will get any better when 2023 rolls around. Companies are therefore being advised to ramp up their cybersecurity packages to include everything from anti-malware through to email security, as well as regularly taking stock of any potential weaknesses in their networks.

The bigger picture

Adding to the potential problems for the IT departments of many businesses is the way that cybercriminals have been homing in on cloud-based networks, as well as weaknesses in the likes of Linux operating systems favoured by many SMBs. Another growth area ripe for exploitation by cybercriminals is that of cryptocurrencies and DeFi, or decentralized finance platforms. That means the net is being spread ever wider by cybercriminals keen to find new ways of exploiting weaknesses within businesses.

Experts are therefore recommending businesses adopt a more multi-layered system, that will enable them to cover all bases. Business owners need to adopt a more comprehensive approach to beefing up their systems too, with anti-malware software that can work alongside beefed up email security, as well as carrying out regular assessments of any potential vulnerabilities.

In addition, IT departments will need to be ever more diligent when it comes to their patch management strategies. On top of that, it’s more important than ever to have fast, efficient and effective data backup plans in place. If business owners adopt all of these cybersecurity countermeasures they should have the ability to fend off the growing number of attacks that are occurring. However, it’s vital that businesses use all of the options at their disposal rather than just one or two.

What happens next?

If figures from 2022 are anything to go by, it’s vital that businesses boost their cybersecurity measures, especially when it comes to protecting company credentials. Currently, cybercriminals can get a foot in the door by using stolen credentials in order to carry out ransomware attacks. This common technique is widely recognised as being one of the main threats facing medium and large-sized concerns, with government organisations also being in the firing line.

Again, it's the utilisation of phishing attempts that are most commonly used by cybercriminals to carry out their malicious email campaigns, with many messages carrying well-known malware. Alongside that, criminals are also going to be looking at businesses with vulnerabilities in their cloud-based networks, with unpatched software also proving to be an ideal way of getting into vulnerable systems.

Don't cut corners

One of the most important points to consider when preventing malware and ransomware attacks is to ensure you do not skimp on your security software. You’ll certainly want to up the budget for software and avoid the temptation of using free antivirus solutions. These can often only be partly effective in catching threats, with only known threats being spotted rather than emerging issues. Spending a decent mount of budget on a more reputable security software solution will go a log way to helping keep the risks to any business to a minimum.

It’s also false economy to think that spending less on security software will save money. Any business that suffers from a ransomware attack can find it hugely disruptive as well as incredibly destructive too. In fact, many businesses that suffer a cyberattack are often faced with not being able to continue, such is the devastating level of fallout from a malware attack. It’s therefore worth remembering that the costs for securing your business and its systems might seem expensive from the outset, but what you save over time from less disruption could actually save money in the long run.

There are also plenty of options open to businesses of all shapes and sizes when it comes to getting the best ransomware protection. Many security software packages now come with all of the tools needed to fend off attacks from malware, strengthen email security and also monitor any developing or new threats. This is why it’s not worth skimping on security software measures. While it might not mean you can sit back and feel completely risk free, it will at least offer a high level piece of mind that many substandard freemium-type software products simply cannot do.

We've featured the best business VPN.

We feature the best DDoS protection services, to make it simple and easy to prevent a DDoS attack from damaging your business server's revenue.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have the potential to cost businesses a lot of lost revenue that even the best web hosting providers can struggle to mitigate. They work by using a bot network to flood a particular target server with frivolous requests, in the hope that the server will become so overwhelmed it slows to a stop.

This is a problem because if the server is unable to respond to normal user requests, then any website or software being hosted by it will no longer be accessible. Even worse is that hackers can then jump in and try to take control of any server systems as they try to come back online, as with most server functions reduced or restricted the server can become especially vulnerable to attack.

If that wasn't bad enough, DDoS attacks can last for hours or even days, bringing your business to a halt.

The only way to try and mitigate such an attack is to begin to filter the incoming web traffic, IP by IP, which is a slow and laborious process, and not always effective if a large bot network is directed against you.

Therefore the ability to prevent a DDoS attack from happening in the first place can give you a very real peace of mind.

In this guide you'll discover major infrastructure providers who can provide the best DDoS protection, as they have the necessary digital muscle to protect against attacks designed to flood your network capacity.

The best DDoS protection of 2025 in full:

Best DDoS protection overall

Project Shield is the creation of Jigsaw, an offshoot of Google's parent company Alphabet. Development began several years ago under George Conard in the wake of attacks on election monitoring and human rights related websites in the Ukraine.

Project Shield is able to filter potential malicious traffic by acting as a reverse proxy which sits between a website and the internet at large, filtering connection requests. If a connection seems to be from a legitimate visitor Project Shield permits the connection request. If a connection request is determined to be bad e.g. multiple connection attempts from the same IP address, then it is blocked. This system makes Project Shield extremely easy to implement simply by changing your server's DNS settings.

Any power users reading may wonder how filtering traffic via a proxy will work with SSL. Fortunately, Jigsaw has thought of this and has put together a comprehensive tutorial to make sure secure connections to your site work seamlessly. Several other tutorials are also available in the support section.

Currently Project Shield is only available for media, election monitoring and human rights related websites. The primary focus is also on small under resourced websites which cannot afford expensive hosting solutions to protect themselves for DDoS. If your organization doesn't match these requirements you may have to consider an alternative solution such as Cloudflare.

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Best general DDoS protection

Anyone who has used the Internet in the last few years will be familiar with Cloudflare as many major websites make use of its protection. Although Cloudflare is based in the US it maintains over 180 data centers around the world: an infrastructure to rival Google's. This maximizes your site's chances of staying online.

Every Cloudflare user can choose to activate the 'I'm under attack' mode which can protect against even the most sophisticated of DDoS attacks by presenting a JavaScript challenge. As a matter of routine Cloudflare also acts as a reverse proxy sitting between visitors and your site host to filter traffic in much the same way as Jigsaw's Project Shield.

Visitors making connection requests have to run a gauntlet of sophisticated filters including site reputation, whether their IP has been Blacklisted and if the HTTP header seems suspicious. HTTP requests are finger printed to protect against known Botnets. As an industry giant, Cloudflare can easily leverage its position by sharing intel across the 7+ million websites it protects.

Cloudflare offers a free basic package which includes unmetered DDoS mitigation. For those who are willing to pay for a Cloudflare business subscription more advanced protection is available.

Read our full Cloudflare review.

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Best DDoS protection for real-time protection

Gcore stands out with its premium web services, boasting state-of-the-art features and enhanced security. It caters to all contemporary web requirements, offering a range of efficient solutions, including hosting, cloud, storage, CDN, DNS, streaming platform, and security.

These services aim to protect users up to three layers, with a special focus on the network (L3) and transport (L4) layers. Thanks to its advanced firewall, it offers real-time bot protection and is one of the best in this field. What’s more, GCore is open to working with clients to develop custom features tailored to their businesses' specific needs. Keep in mind that a custom solution will require substantial technical knowledge from your side.

Gcore approaches pricing through a tiered system, especially their DNS services. Businesses needing the most comprehensive feature set can opt for the ‘Enterprise’ tier, for which you will have to contact the sales team. Server protection pricing is structured slightly differently. The 'Start' tier is priced at €2.60 per month, providing L3 and L4 protection for 1 Mbps of traffic. The 'Pro' tier, at €3.90 per month, expands the protection to include the L7 layer for the same amount of traffic. This pricing and service structure positions GCore as a versatile option for businesses of various sizes, ensuring reliable protection in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Yet, we would have liked the pricing structure to be structured in a more user-friendly manner and more transparent overall.

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Best DDoS protection for AWS

AWS Shield protection is provided by the good people of Amazon web services. The 'Standard' tier is available to all customers at no extra charge. It protects against more typical network (layer 3) and transport (layer 4) attacks when used Amazon's Cloud Front and Route 53 services.

This should put off all but the most determined hackers. However, your bandwidth e.g. 15Gbp/s will still be limited by the size of your Amazon instance, making it feasible for hackers to carry out a DDoS attack if they have sufficient resources. Worse still, you remain responsible for paying for the extra traffic to your instance.

To mitigate this Amazon also offers AWS Shield Advanced. A Subscription includes DDoS cost protection, which can save you from a huge spike in your monthly usage bill if you are the victim of an attack. AWS Shield Advanced can also deploy your ACL's (Access Control Lists) to the border of the AWS network, giving you protection against even the largest of attacks. Also, web applications are now automatically protected against DDoS attacks by AWS Shield Advanced without the need for manual intervention.

Advanced Subscribers also benefit from a round the clock DRT (DDoS Response Team) as well as detailed metrics on any attacks on your instances. The peace of mind afforded by AWS Shield Advanced is expensive however. This is in addition to data transfer usage costs which you can cover on a 'pay as you go' basis.

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Best DDoS protection for Azure

Like Amazon, Microsoft offers the option to rent service space via their service Azure. All members benefit from basic DDoS protection. Features include always on traffic monitoring and real time mitigation of network (layer 3) attacks for any public IP addresses you use. This is the very same type of protection afforded to Microsoft's own online services and the entire resources of Azure's network can be used to absorb DDoS attacks.

For organizations in need of more sophisticated protection Azure also offers a 'Standard' tier. This has been widely praised for being very easy to enable, requiring just a few clicks of your mouse. Crucially Azure does not require you to make any changes to your apps although the standard tier does offer protection against application (layer 7) DDoS attacks via the app gateway web app firewall. Azure monitor can show you real time metrics if an attack does take place. These are retained for 30 days and can be exported for further study if you wish.

Azure constantly checks web traffic to your resources. If these exceed a pre-defined threshold, DDoS mitigation is automatically launched. This includes inspecting packets to make sure they aren't malformed or spoofed as well as using rate limiting.

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Best DDoS protection for Asia

CDNetworks (formerly CDN360) is a powerful CDN service that offers various other cloud solutions, like media streaming, object storage, web application firewalls, and so on. However, it is its Flood Shield product that makes it a great DDoS protection provider.

Flood Shield is a cloud-based DDoS protection service that aims to deliver fast, simple, and most importantly, effective DDoS protection. It is designed to protect websites, web apps, and network infrastructure from attacks such as SYN Flood, ACK Flood, ICMP Flood, UDP Flood, HTTP Flood, SlowLoris attack, Layer 3/4 and Layer 7, and so on.

The service has a good deal of features like the option to customize access policies and rate limiting in advance to avoid attacks and abuse of resources, or alerting options that notify you any time there are some irregularities with a website.

Flood Shield has a 15+ Tbps of mitigation capacity and over 20 global DDoS scrubbing centers. Also, HTTP/HTTPS and TCP/UDP protocols are supported. In addition, you can have three presets for DDoS attack protection that are easy to switch when responding to different types of attacks.

While CDNetworks has pricing plans for the CDN service, if you solely want the DDoS protection via Flood Shield, you’ll have to contact them first. You do get a 30-day free trial though, if you want to check it out before anything else.

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We've also featured the best IP address tools.

Best DDoS protection FAQs

How we tested the best DDoS protection

To test for the best DDoS protection we first set up an account with the relevant provider, then we tested the service to see how it could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each DDoS protection service to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

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When it comes to choosing online security, picking a plan with a wide range of security features might normally mean that the price bar rises up. The good news is that you won't have to invest the big bucks to have top-notch protection with Trend Micro's latest price cut.

Usually costing $89.95 for a one-year subscription, Trend Micro Maximum Security now comes with a 44% discount dropping to just $49.95 for a full protection of up to five devices at once. 

But that's not all. TechRadar readers now have the chance to lower this already bargain offer with a further 10% off by simply adding the exclusive discount code techradar at the checkout. With a total saving of about $45, one year of protection for up to five smartphones and PCs falls right down below the $45-mark.

The Maximum Security package comes with an array of security features and tools to protect your devices from viruses, ransomware, online scams and malicious websites while providing you with the extra security of Trend Micro's Password Manager software. 

For more details about this tempting offer and a closer look to all the features included with the Trend Micro Maximum Security plan, keep scrolling below.

Exclusive Trend Micro Maximum Security deal:

How good is Trend Micro Maximum Security?

When it comes to selecting the best antivirus and online security software, Trend Micro may not be the first name you think of - despite having a 30-year history in the cybersecurity game!

But in industry-leading lab testing, it's right up there with the most watertight services around. Take the most recent real-world testing, for example, from trusted testing lab AV-Comparatives. Trend Micro demonstrated a 100% record on both PC and mobile.

While over at AV-Test, the results were similarly impressive. On Windows 10, Mac and Android, Trend Micro scored the maximum 6 out of 6 for protection, performance and usability.

Trend Micro Maximum Security features

Covering up to five devices with a single subscriptin - your choice of Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Chromebook - here's a sample of the features you get with the Trend Micro Maximum Security suite:

Laptop security: full protection for your Windows, Mac and Chromebook device against ransomware, viruses, and dangerous websites.

Mobile security: prevent malicious apps, ransomware, unprotected Wi-Fi, and dangerous websites from infecting both your Android and iOS smartphone.

Password Manager: say goodbye to vulnerable passwords and keylogging malware, measuring password strength and keeping these secure.

Anti-scam tool: enhanced protection against internet or email scams, and from fraudulent websites attempting to steal your financial and personal data when shopping and banking online.

Performance optimization: helps you to identify and fix common problems with your system that may be slowing down your devices.

• Discover all of today's best internet security suites with our guide

If you're going to invest the big bucks to have the latest hardware, it only follows that you should ensure it's protected with top-notch security, too. And luckily you won't have to pay the earth for it, thanks to Trend Micro's excellent antivirus deal made even better thanks to TechRadar's exclusive discount code.

Usually costing $129.95 for one year, Trend Micro Premium Security Suite is currently discounted by 53%, down to just $59.95 for protection on up to ten devices.

It gets better though. Quote the exclusive discount code techradar10 at the checkout and take a further 10% off the cost. With a total saving of over $76, this brings your subscription down to only $53.95.

Hosting a variety of features and tools, Trend Micro's Premium Security Suite protects against viruses, ransomware, and suspicious websites, as well as providing its very own VPN, password manager, and personal support whenever you need.

Get the full lowdown on the Trend Micro antivirus deal and what's included in its package below.

Our exclusive Trend Micro antivirus deal:

Trend Micro features: what you get with this deal

Covering up to 10 devices, here's all the features you get with Trend Micro's Premium Security Suite:

Maximum security: protection on Windows and Mac with 24/7 support against ransomware, viruses, and identity thieves.

VPN Proxy One Pro: secures connection when on public Wi-Fi, and blocks malicious websites.

Password Manager: measures password strength and protects against keylogging malware, as well as generating secure passwords.

Mobile security: protection for Android and iOS against malicious apps, ransomware, unprotected Wi-Fi, and dangerous websites.

ID security: dark web monitoring for personal information leaks, including email addresses, passwords, credit card number, etc.

Premium service: make the most of a personal help desk with 24/7 support and emergency assistance, virus and spyware removal, PC security health, and fast diagnosis and repair.

• Discover all of today's best internet security suites with our guide

With the amount of people affected by cyber crime rising every year, the need for better online security across your devices has never been more important. And while antivirus software might not be the most exciting thing to spend your money on, Avast One has a special offer on its security suite that'll make it an easier brunt to bear.

Avast One's all-in-one package offers comprehensive security, bringing all your devices under one subscription - or even your entire family's. With its 'Individual' package covering five devices, the 'Family' plan encompasses up to 30, able to equip them with a VPN, antivirus, firewall, password leak alerts, and much more.

• US: Get Avast One for a year for $99.99 $50.28 (50% off)
• UK: Get Avast One for a year for $39.99
• Australia: Get Avast One for a year for $139.99 $70.68 (50% off)

Avast One is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices with the aforementioned options of subscribing to either an Individual or Family plan.

There's also the added reassurance of its 30-day money back guarantee, giving you a month to try out the service and get all your money back if it's not for you.

Avast One special antivirus deals

How good is Avast One?

In our review, we awarded the Avast One security suite a strong 4 out of 5 stars, commending it for its selection of powerful tools and all-round protection for your devices while online, giving paying customers additional features for a more boosted protective bubble. 

The package has seen a real overhaul from Avast's previous offerings, starting with its "light and airy" interface and "friendly graphics and speedy access to all of One's core features". With everything at your fingertips, its ease-of-use is backed up by its plethora of features, including in-depth scans for every need, and smart tools that detect new files and trigger scans on start-up.

Its speeds across launching and carrying out such tasks were comfortably middling - neither the fastest nor the slowest. But it's really upped its game in detecting and blocking malicious sites: "The AV-Comparatives 2021 Anti-Phishing test found it blocked an excellent 96% of test URLs, putting it equal first with Trend Micro, and ahead of Fortinet (95%), Kaspersky (94%), ESET (91%) and Bitdefender (87%)."

While we did deem its free 'Essential' plan more than enough for a lot of users, we dub Avast One one of the leaders in antivirus, concluding in our verdict: "While there are competitors who can beat Avast One in individual areas, what Avast One really succeeds in doing is bundling a strong set of individual tools into a single suite where everything can work well together."

Avast One features: what you get with this deal

The list of Avast One features is impressive in its length and quality. Sign up, and you'll get access to:

Device:

• Antivirus, ransomware protection and malware prevention
• Advanced firewall
• Sensitive Data Shield to ensure your private documents aren't compromised
• Behavior Shield to monitor suspicious behavior in real time
• Wi-Fi vulnerability alerts
• Web Hijack Guard for safer internet banking and shopping

Privacy:

• VPN for streaming and security with servers in 55 locations across 34 countries and secure kill switch
• Connection and Network advisors
• Advertiser tracking prevention and digital fingerprint masking
• Data breach checking
• Privacy Advisor
• Password protection and data breach monitoring
• Webcam protection

Smooth performance:

• App checker to keep all apps and drivers up-to-date
• Clean-up tools
• Speed optimization tool

As cybercrime tactics evolve, and the damage their actions bring grows more expensive, the need for state-of-the-art antivirus software grows. Now, one of the world’s leading antivirus brands, Avast, has prepared a special offer to ensure the security of your endpoints without burning a hole in your wallet. 

Avast Business is a comprehensive cybersecurity solution, designed for firms of all shapes and sizes, from employees working remotely, across small, family businesses, to large enterprises.

Users can expect an award-winning business antivirus solution, impenetrable defenses against viruses, phishing, ransomware, spyware, zero-seconds, as well as Wi-Fi vulnerabilities. Avast’s solutions are powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, for best-in-class cybersecurity protection. 

A single subscription gets you an online management platform, device protection covering Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, data protection, IT protection, and a whole slew of other features. 

Don’t miss out on the special offer:

• Essential Business Security - $29.59/year/device 
• Premium Business Security - $37.59/year/device 
• Ultimate Business Security - $45.59/year/device

There’s nothing to lose, as Avast Business offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Avast Business features: What you get with this deal

Device:

• Antivirus, ransomware, spyware, and malware  protection 
• USB protection
• Business data protection keeps personal, business, and customer data safe

Privacy:

• Built-in VPN to encrypt the data and secure the internet connection  
• Password protection keeps credentials stored in the browser secure 
• Webcam protection prevents unauthorized apps from accessing your computer’s webcam 

Performance:

• Online management platform to easily set up protection, manage subscriptions and monitor the devices 
• 24/5 IT support - fast, friendly, and skilled 
• Patch management automatically fixes software vulnerabilities 

If you pay keen attention to business security – perhaps in a management role or as part of an IT team – then you’ll likely have come across terms like “antivirus” and “endpoint”.

They’re both important terms and represent vital security subjects, but there’s plenty of crossover between them. When you may have to make vital business decisions, it pays to know the difference between the two.

We’ve explained exactly how endpoint security and antivirus differ in this article, and we’ve also covered their similarities, advantages and issues.

There’s plenty of information elsewhere if you want some more help with business security, too. Head here to learn about the differences between business and consumer antivirus, or click through to find our guide on picking the best antivirus for your business.

Antivirus and endpoint security defined

More computer users are familiar with antivirus software, and for good reason. It’s been around for decades, and it’s designed to detect, identify and remove malware – from viruses and worms to keyloggers and trojans.

Antivirus software is used on consumer PCs and in simpler business setups, and it tends to use existing threat databases to deal with issues as they appear. And while they do often have extra features, removing malware is their main job.

Endpoint security is a far broader area – and antivirus is just one part of it. An endpoint security system is a cloud-based platform that protects an entire network and all its connected devices, from PCs and laptops to smartphones and tablets.

Endpoint systems include antivirus modules alongside other features, like encryption, data protection, and intrusion detection. Endpoint systems are powerful, and an entire network of devices is usually managed from a single cloud-based control panel, so they’re extremely useful for businesses with more complex needs.

Antivirus explored

Consumer and small business antivirus products tend to use existing databases alongside simpler machine learning and AI features to detect known threats to your PC. They’re able to ward off attacks from well-known malware but they’re usually not as effective at dealing with unknowns and emerging issues without established signatures.

Any decent antivirus product will offer real-time, manual and scheduled scanning for maximum versatility. You’ll get alerts when issues are uncovered, and files will be isolated or removed immediately.

A comprehensive antivirus app will often have extra features, like email and download scanning and safe browsing tools. An antivirus tool will be easier to use than any endpoint solution, and it’ll be cheaper, but it’s not as powerful. If you want to use antivirus on your business computers, it’s best to buy several licenses and install the app manually on your systems – you don’t get the cloud deployment options that are usually found in endpoint systems.

Delving into endpoint protection

Antivirus apps react to existing threats, while endpoint solutions are more complex – and they’re proactive, so they can identify and handle new and emerging issues before they become problematic.

An endpoint security system will include an antivirus module with more capability than any consumer antivirus product – expect more machine learning, AI and crowdsourcing to help identify a broader variety of malware-related issues.

Endpoint protection systems go far further than just offering antivirus, too. You’ll routinely find modules to tackle intrusion detection, email and browser protection and firewalls in an endpoint suite alongside data protection abilities and sandboxing options for testing new software and setups and protecting networks from new and unknown devices.

Elsewhere, expect to see encryption, options to create access and usage policies for different devices, departments and levels of seniority, and the ability to whitelist and blacklist sites, apps, ports and devices. Endpoint systems also have options to identify and block internal attacks alongside external threats, and they tend to work across a wide variety of platforms, from

Ultimately, an endpoint protection product has a far broader range of features than an antivirus solution because it’s got a much wider remit. An endpoint system protects an entire network and all of its connected devices, which is handy when more people than ever use their personal hardware for work.

Endpoint systems have a far more complex range of features than consumer and business antivirus products, which means that they require experienced IT staff. Because endpoint systems protect a huge number of access points, they’re managed using a cloud interface that can update, control and monitor hundreds of devices simultaneously. You don’t have to handle each device individually like you usually need to do with an antivirus app.

Alongside cloud-based management, endpoint systems can be programmed to tackle different threats with automated responses, and open APIs mean they often integrate with other popular business apps and tools – so it’s easier to integrate an endpoint option with your existing systems. Admins can control access and authenticate access, deploy remote updates, and use in-depth reporting and alerting to gain greater control over their wider networks.

Picking the right one for your needs

Endpoint systems are far more complex than antivirus apps. Ultimately, antivirus is just one part of a broader endpoint solution, and endpoint represents a more secure option for businesses with critical protection needs and complex networks. Indeed, it’s best to think of an endpoint protection system as an entire security platform rather than one product.

An endpoint protection package is a great choice if you need more power and control over a wider area. Bear in mind that endpoint products are trickier to manage than a simple antivirus app, and they’re far more expensive – especially if you need to pay for protection across loads of devices or if you need extended support.

There are huge differences between endpoint security and antivirus apps, then: the former is a security platform for complex businesses with cloud management, while the latter is a straightforward choice for smaller businesses and consumers. They’ve both got their place, though, and both have their pros and cons – so make sure you know the differences between the two before you decide to invest in one or the other in your business.

• Protect devices across your entire corporate network with the best endpoint protection software

The world has never been more technical, with more technology surrounding us than ever – especially after the growth of remote working over the last two years.

In turn, that means we all need to master more technical skills to succeed in the workplace. It’s not just about accelerating our careers, either, because if you’ve got technical skills then you’ll have a more successful life, too.

After all, just look at some of the technical skills that can prove helpful beyond the workplace: you’re more likely to find success if you’re familiar with popular computer software and social media tools, for instance, and you’d be surprised at the areas where you’ll benefit if you’ve got analysis and management skills from your workplace.

We’ve taken five essential technical skills that you’ll probably have picked up in your working life and explained how you’ll benefit from your mastery beyond the office. If you’d like to explore more recruitment content, head here for our verdict on the best US job sites.

Vital office software

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a job these days that doesn’t require some level of proficiency with word processors, spreadsheet tools and email clients – and many people in the job market have been using them since school.

This is brilliant, because it means that most people already have some proficiency with these ever-present tools. Whether you need to write letters, use spreadsheets to manage your budgets or navigate a busy inbox, those skills will help for decades.

It’s not just about knowing your way around common apps, either. Loads of jobs use other popular software applications, from photo-editing and design tools to organization and communication utilities. They can be useful in your life outside work: you could edit family photos, organize a weekend away with friends or plan home improvements using the same apps.

Information security

It’s no wonder that businesses spend big money on protecting their data – companies have never held so much important information and data loss can have a huge financial impact.

Data loss can have a big personal impact, too, so having information security knowledge is a technical skill that can benefit your life rather than just your work.

Think about how much information about you and your family is held digitally: medical records, social security details, education information and data about your property is usually stored online or in the cloud.

If you’ve learned about two-factor authentication (2FA), password managers, and other core information security concepts at work, you can easily apply these skills to your day-to-day life. If you’ve gone further and learned even more, that’s great, because it means your data will be even more secure.

Ultimately, there have never been so many organizations who’d love to exploit that data for financial gain – even if it comes from individuals rather than businesses. If you’ve learned how to protect your information at work, this technical skill will pay dividends everywhere else too.

Project management

This is one technical skill that people may not think about beyond the office, but if you’ve managed projects at work then you’ll possess technical skills that can benefit your life in loads of other areas.

Just consider how much ability is required in the average work project: you need top-notch organization, knowledge about different kinds of software, scheduling proficiency and know-how when it comes to managing finances, tracking performance and assessing quality.

Those are all skills that can prove vital in everyday life. Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, an extension to your home or even writing the novel you’ve been promising yourself, you can rely on project management skills for a whole range of activities outside of the workplace.

Data analysis

We’ve never had so much access to data. And while that’s great in many ways, it also means that you’ve got to have good analysis skills to make sense of what’s going on in the world. That’s the kind of technical skill that can develop on the job and then prove invaluable away from the office.

If you’ve done any data analysis then you’ll already know how you can discover competitive advantages by delving into numbers, but you’ll also know that it’s a complex and time-consuming task.

It’ll be easier and faster if you’ve got the right skills, though, and data analysis can pay dividends in your day-to-day life. If you know how to sift through data then you can find better insurance deals, a perfect new home or even the best car for you and your family. There’s lots to be said about the strength in numbers – and being able to analyze data will help in loads of different areas.

Social media and research skills

It’s important to know what you’re doing when you post on social media – it can help in loads of marketing and social media roles in the workplace, and it can also help to grow your brand and navigate the connected world outside of the office.

It’s not just about knowing the secret to going viral on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. If you’ve learned about social media at work you’ll likely have knowledge of content creation, blogging, CMS systems, search engine optimization (SEO) and analytics. Those are the kinds of skills that can help you build your own business or grow your hobby.

Those skills often go hand-in-hand with research skills. This is another area where a technical skill you’ve learned from work can help the rest of your life. If you know how to sift through the web’s wealth of information and separate fact from fiction effectively, then you’ll be able to figure out the truth in everyday life.

Whether you’re searching for a new home, finding out about new medication or investing your money in new industries, being able to conduct effective research is a crucial technical skill you can bring from the office to the wider world.

• Learn even more technical skills with one of the best online courses and class sites

Malware is becoming increasingly difficult for security software to spot, as new variants come with increasingly sophisticated evasion capabilities. This is according to a report from WatchGuard Technologies, which claims that the number of evasive malware detections has risen to record levels.

The paper states that almost four in five (78%) of all malware delivered via encrypted connections is evasive. Overall, more than two-thirds (67%) of malware detections came over encrypted connections and, among this group, 78% were evasive zero-day threats capable of bypassing basic protections.

An unfortunate pattern is beginning to emerge, as the quantity of evasive malware has been steadily growing from quarter to quarter. WatchGuard Technologies says threats such as these can often be stopped at the perimeter with the help of firewalls that decrypt and scan incoming traffic. 

Attacking the same old flaws

Unfortunately, the report further states, many organizations are failing to put sufficient protections in place.

And worse, the total number of detected network attacks is on the rise. An analysis of the past three years shows that Q1 2022 saw the most detections, with a 39% increase quarter-on-quarter.

One of the reasons, the researchers claim, is the fact that many threat actors try to abuse known vulnerabilities. Another is the growth of business networks, which means more vulnerable endpoints.

Advanced threats rose by a third (33%) suggesting a higher level of zero-day threats than ever before.

For Corey Nachreiner, CSO at WatchGuard, remote working is causing businesses a lot of trouble, and the only way to solve the security conundrum is to adopt a unified security approach.

“With the highest level of zero-day threats we’ve ever recorded and an attack surface that extends well beyond the network perimeter to IoT, home networks and mobile devices, companies need to adopt a true unified security approach that can adapt quickly and efficiently to the growing threat landscape,” he said.

“Organizations should make a commitment to implementing simple but critically important measures like updating and patching systems on a regular basis so they’re not enabling hackers.”

• Keep your organization safe with these best ransomware protection services 

The antivirus maker Avast has upgraded its all-in-one protection service Avast One with new features aimed at protecting users from online scams, fraud and other personal privacy threats.

According to a recent study carried out by the company, the three most common ways consumers and businesses are targeted by scammers include email (62%), text messages (52%) and through social media (29%). For this reason, Avast has decided to add scam and online fraud protection to its flagship antivirus offering.

The update to Avast One also includes a new feature launching on Windows and Android called Online Safety Score that provides users with regular feedback on their digital habits and gives them personalized tips to improve their online and device safety. Meanwhile, Privacy Advisor is an educational tool that offers simple step-by-step instructions to adjust and improve privacy settings on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and other popular online platforms.

Chief product officer at Avast, Vita Santrucek explained in a press release how the company’s new additions to Avast One can help users feel safer and less at risk of online scams, saying:

"We know scams are a cause for concern for a lot of people so our goal with the new additions to the Avast One suite was to help them regain confidence and peace of mind when using the internet and their devices. Not only are scams and other forms of online fraud more pervasive, they're also more sophisticated, to the extent it's really hard to differentiate between content that's benign and content designed to exploit. Scammers take advantage of current affairs to reel people in, for example, two years ago we saw a spike in Covid-related scams, and in February and March this year we saw scams related to the Ukraine war."

Email Guardian, Scam Protection and Smart VPN 

In addition to Online Safety Score and Privacy Advisor, the free version of Avast One, Avast One Essential, is also getting another new feature in the form of Email Guardian.

Email Guardian blocks malicious attachments in emails and prevents users from sending these dangerous files to others. When a malicious attachment is detected, an alert is displayed and from here, a user can still choose to download a file if they think it is safe on Windows and Mac.

The paid versions of Avast One, Avast One Individual and Family, are getting two new features in the form of Scam Protection and Smart VPN. 

As the name suggests, Scam Protection helps protect users from scams by notifying them when they receive a text or social media message where a potentially dangerous link has been identified. If the link is safe, it’s opened automatically in a user’s browser but if it’s dangerous, the user is notified so that they can decide whether they want to ignore the link or proceed at their own risk.

Avast’s Smart VPN feature allows paid users to configure the company’s VPN to automatically connect during certain situations such as when joining a public Wi-Fi network or when logging onto a banking website.

Avast One is available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria and with Avast One Essential, users can test out the service for themselves first before upgrading to a paid plan.

• Keep your devices out of the hands of cybercriminals with the best malware removal software

As cyber criminals get cleverer and more devious, it's never been more pertinent to ensure that your online devices are safe and sound using antivirus software. And, thanks to a special offer on the Avast One security suite, you can do so without spending a stack.

Avast One is an 'all-in-one service' that seeks to offer comprehensive security for all of your or your family's devices. A single subscription covers at least five devices, and bundles in a VPN, firewall, private browsing, password protection and a host of added extras - see the full list below.

• US: Get Avast One for a year for $99.99 $50.28 (50% off)
• UK: Get Avast One for a year for $39.99
• Australia: Get Avast One for a year for $139.99 $70.68 (50% off)

Avast One's litany of protection tools can be used across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices, with an Individual subscription covering five and a family plan covering up to 30 for six users.

And, if you want to try Avast One on for size, you can do so knowing that there's a 30-day money back guarantee if you change your mind.

Avast One special antivirus offers

Avast One features: what you get with this deal

Device:

• Antivirus, ransomware protection and malware prevention
• Advanced firewall
• Sensitive Data Shield to ensure your private documents aren't compromised
• Behavior Shield to monitor suspicious behavior in real time
• Wi-Fi vulnerability alerts
• Web Hijack Guard for safer internet banking and shopping

Privacy:

• VPN for streaming and security with servers in 55 locations across 34 countries and secure kill switch
• Connection and Network advisors
• Advertiser tracking prevention and digital fingerprint masking
• Data breach checking
• Privacy Advisor
• Password protection and data breach monitoring
• Webcam protection

Smooth performance:

• App checker to keep all apps and drivers up-to-date
• Clean-up tools
• Speed optimization tool

Our series on identity theft protection apps will evaluate the features, pricing options, competition, and also the overall value of using each app. However, these are not full hands-on reviews since evaluating identity theft protection apps is almost impossible. It would require several months of testing, purposefully hacking accounts to see if the protection app works, handing over personally identifiable information, performing multiple credit checks, and risking exposure of the reviewer’s personally identifiable information.

The homepage of ReliaShield starts with some sobering, albeit outdated stats as they are all from 2018, designed to prompt potential users to some action.  This includes things like “Consumers using social media have a 46% higher chance of account takeover fraud,” and “$14.7 billion was stolen by thieves in 2018.”

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Reliashield offers an identity theft protection solution. It claims to provide a US based service that is available on a 24/7 basis.

Plans and pricing

ReliaShield offers three tiers of identity protection plans to choose from. While there is no free trial, nor discount for the first months or year as some other services offer, we did like to see that there is an annual discount available for paying for the entire year upfront.

The starter tier is the Essential Plan, which has an affordable cost of $7.99 monthly, or $87.99 when paid annually, for a savings of just over 8%. We like that it includes 24/7/365 support, change of address monitoring, court records monitoring and up to $1 million in stolen funds and expense reimbursement. A significant shortcoming is that it does not include any credit bureau monitoring, as this requires a higher tier plan.

The middle plan is Prime, at a cost of $14.99/month, with a discounted annual cost of $164.99/year. It includes all the features of the lower Essential Plan, and adds in features such as neighborhood predator monitoring, social media monitoring, and single bureau credit monitoring.

Topping the tiers is the Elite plan, which commands the premium price of $21.99/month, with the annually discounted price of $241.89 yearly. Fairly predictably, this plan brings forward all the features of the lower two tiers, while adding some, what some would consider, pretty essential features to an identity protection plan. These include three bureau credit monitoring, a monthly credit score tracker, credit card application notification and bank account takeover notification. In all fairness, plenty of other identity protection services do relegate the tri bureau credit monitoring to a higher plan, but we still don’t like to see it.

Features

ReliaShield’s offering is fairly standard in most respects, not standing out for the most part. This is unfortunate, as with a service that is hardly a household name, we wish there were more features to differentiate it from the pack. It also does not help that on its website, the features for each tier of plan just get listed as a laundry list, without any real details on what they really do. For example, “Court records monitoring,” if you hover over it indicates that it “Tracks and alerts you if a criminal act is committed in your name,” without stating what databases are monitored, is this limited to federal or all 50 states and local municipalities, and how the alert is coming, and in what time period. Also, it seems pretty unlikely that an individual would be convicted of a criminal offense without ever being notified so that they could appear and have their so-called “Day in court.”

At least ReliaShield does offer smartphone apps, both for iOS and Android. On the Apple side, unfortunately there is a single review, and it gives this service the lowest rating. On the other hand, the Android app gets a 4.6/5 star rating, but the most recent review also gives it a single star, although other customers do indicate they are satisfied.

One feature to note among its ‘sameness’ is that ReliaShield does offer identity protection to children in the household for no additional charge. The other notable feature is that ReliaShield claims an amazingly high “100% recovery success rate,” among subscribers that needed to access its recovery service.

Support

Support for ReliaShield has two sides. On the one hand, we don’t want to take too much issue with the single support option that exists. After all, when having a problem with identity theft, it is reassuring to know that help is a simple and direct phone call away, via a toll free number. Also, it is available on a 24/7 basis.

However, in this day and age, we would like to have some other options, such as a support portal, live chat, or email. There are also no whitepapers, online videos, a forum or other advanced options.

The competition

Let’s compare ReliaShield to a top choice in credit monitoring, Aura. While Aura also has three tiers of plans, they are for individuals, and an upgrade needs to be made to a family plan, while ReliaShield includes younger family members at no additional cost. However, we prefer Aura as it includes credit monitoring at all three credit bureaus with user alerts, at anything but the bottom plan, along with useful extras like a password manager- that ReliaShield does not have on any plan. Still not sure? Aura seals the deal with a free trial that ReliaShield does not offer.

Final verdict

When it comes to identity protection ReliaShield gets some basics right with toll free support, affordable plans, $1 million in protection, and including children in the plan. Too bad this company falls short with no other support options, a poor rating on the iOS app, and making the tri bureau credit rating feature only available in its most expensive plan. We think short of some changes to ReliaShield, users should consider other options first for their identity protection needs.

We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-focused security solution that aims to hold guard over your software perimeter before the attackers actually manage to cross its line. To achieve this, it relies on artificial intelligence (AI) that helps it track down the cyber threats and block them before they are capable of inflicting damage to your system.

Its living and beating heart is its browser-linked dashboard from which you can easily both ban IP addresses and get a full overview of what happens with your network at any moment.

Sounds fine, so far? Let’s get a look into the nitty-gritty of Cisco Umbrella’s security features to see if it can really shield you from all types of cybersecurity storms out there.

Security features 

Cisco Umbrella operates on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model in which the security threats are managed at the level of the IP and DNS. This means that the threats such as malware, trojans, and botnets can be blocked via ports and protocols prior to them getting in touch with your network. 

With Cisco Umbrella, URL filtering is done via its web content filtering feature. It allows the user to manage internet access based on which sites are accessible or blocked for the user’s access. 

Appropriate allow and block lists cover individual sites for URL filtering that is also supported by various filtering categories. These include the default setting such as “high”, “moderate”, or “low” as well as support for the creation of a custom list. You are given more granular control over the content your users can access with the help of the URL filtering feature that covers the likes of Google, Bing, or YouTube and cannot be turned off by the users themselves.

All of this is done from a web-based console that allows the user to bring about URL filtering at the level of an individual IP address, user, network, or device. 

To up its game, Umbrella relies on actionable threat intelligence and real-time security. Here, “actionable” means that Cisco Umbrella will rely on the threat intelligence models supplied by its globally renowned Cisco Talos team. Be it a dangerous IP, an undesirable domain, file, or link, Cisco Umbrella will keep an eye over all of your network activities to counter any threat and, equally important, try to learn from dealing with it.

This is helped by having all of your internet activity recorded and categorized which assists your IT administrators with mapping out cyber security risks and plugging the holes based on Umbrella’s prior interaction with cyber threats. 

Thus, Umbrella’s DNS-layer security provides you with an easy detection of a breached sub-system by increasing your system’s overall security visibility.  Umbrella’s secure web gateway will constantly log and control network traffic, applications controls, URLs, and encounters with malware. 

It also relies on the cloud-based proxy that receives all forwarded web traffic with the help of IPsec tunnels and PAC files. Once forwarded, this traffic will be subjected to the existing security policies while countering all detected threats. 

Umbrella’s Firewall will apply similar diligence in logging and blocking suspicious traffic that also gets forwarded via IPsec tunnels from all devices. As the tunneling is running, the unwanted traffic gets treatment in line with the valid security policies that can be easily defined and consistently enforced at all times. 

Cloud Access Security Broker is yet another security feature that helps you stay vigilant of your collectively used cloud applications. All detected apps will be given a risk appraisal and blocked accordingly or set aside for monitoring for suspicious behaviors. Bear in mind that this level of agility comes with the nuisance of being denied access to otherwise secure sites.  Thankfully, this happens infrequently.

Finally, the integration involving Cisco Umbrella and Cisco SD‑WAN can be deployed across the network as a source of umbrella coverage against cybersecurity threats. This includes dealing with the risks posed by the remote workforce, networked devices, and all apps in use. 

If you are relying on the use of other Cisco products, you are good to go. You will have a slightly harder time integrating Cisco Umbrella with third-party products which marginally hampers its out-of-box functionality.

Management features 

Even beginner users will be happy to know that Cisco Umbrella is a walk in the park when it comes to setup.

Its intuitive dashboard plays the centerpiece role in fine-tuning your security system and logging all of its activities. First of all, you have the Security Categories around which you get to organize your threat defenses. They range from the standard malware to newly seen domains and crypto mining. The categories help you define appropriate security policies and make sense of the reports on blocked threats.

A more recent addition to the Umbrella Dashboard is the Investigate feature that allows you to keep track of the Umbrella’s threat intelligence. Its Domain Summary feature, for example, will give you information about all applications related to a particular domain, together with the domain’s creation date, IP-related data, country of origin, etc.

Next, A Unique Visitors Score serves as a measure of a domain’s popularity and its changing use patterns.

Usability 

While the use cases for Cisco Umbrella will ultimately depend on your specific situation, an ideal implementation involves larger organizations that are facing contemporary challenges such as having to manage a sizable remote workforce.

Those working outside of your premises can easily expose your organization to the malware found on the websites they use. Cisco Umbrella aims to counter this with its remote device monitoring systems that can easily block access to these sites. The same goes for the applications used on your network that you consider a security risk.   

Cisco Umbrella is an efficient web proxy system that also comes packaged with a cloud firewall. You can also block resources that do not necessarily act as active security risks at all times, such as your employees’ private email accounts. Apart from security, these resources often prove to be a source of productivity-hampering distractions which are easily blocked with Cisco Umbrella.

Pricing 

For starters, Cisco Umbrella will give you a fair 14-day free trial, which is a great way to give it a try before you opt for any of the four packages on offer.

The cheapest one, DNS Security Essentials will give you the basic threat-blocking functionality which you should be able to enjoy at the DNS layer and without latency.

DNS Security Advantage provides you with the same level of protection, with an added focus on threat and security insights for easier management of investigations.

More advanced security features and streamlined management are offered with the SIG Essentials package, while SIG Advantage is the flagship product with advanced protective features such as layer 7 firewall with IPS, etc.

Final verdict

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-based cybersecurity powerhouse that does not rest on the laurels provided by its brand name. It is a robust security system that helps you detect, record, and block network threats and cyber undesirables while relying on AI and threat intelligence to keep your assets squeaky clean.

Paired with the intuitiveness of its setup and management features, you can hardly allow yourself to pass over at least giving its trial version a spin if you are in need of a SaaS-based security solution that can handle all of the modern-day security and workforce management challenges.

We've also highlighted the best firewall, best cloud firewall and best business VPN

NG Firewall Complete is a product by Untangle, an expert provider of comprehensive network security to a variety of users - schools, banks, hospitals, government organizations, non-profits, and others.

The firewall product allows its users to manage their networks and ensure every device is properly protected. To this end, it provides a single, modular platform that aims to grow with the organization it serves.

Through a responsive and intuitive browser-based interface, NG Firewall offers visibility into all the traffic on the network. Additionally, it provides advanced threat protection, VPN connectivity, and application-based shaping for bandwidth optimization - just to name a few.

That said, its most important feature is content or URL filtering. It refers to organizations limiting their employees’ access to specific content based on specific parameters. Traditionally, this method was deployed to prevent staff from visiting certain random websites during office hours which affected their productivity.

However, URL filtering is now a popular way to protect organizations from malicious individuals or groups acting through harmful websites that employees may access from their office computers. To achieve this, IT administrators use software such as NG Firewall Complete, which compares web traffic against certain databases and blocks content the algorithm recognizes as harmful.

To get a better understanding of how Untangle’s NG Firewall Complete achieves this, we analyzed its security and management features, usability, and its pricing structure. Here’s what we’ve learned.

Security features 

NG Firewall Complete features a long list of apps, each with its own purpose in terms of security.

To start off, its open-source Firewall filters traffic based on IP address, port, and protocol. 

This allows administrators to block sessions on simple rules and fend off hacking attempts, malware, and phishing schemes.

The pre-configured signature-based Intrusion Prevention tool (also open source) stops hacking attempts in their tracks before they even get a chance to reach your internal servers and desktops. It covers more than 34,000 signature detections, including heuristic signatures for port scans. Automatic updates ensure signatures are current at all times, while an intuitive setup wizard facilitates easy configuration of environment-specific rules, providing the user with flexible control. 

Another open-source app is the Phish Blocker which provides defense against increasingly sophisticated email phishing attacks and website spoofs. The app’s SMTP protocol protection provides detailed reports and event logs of each attack and ensures signatures are always current with automatic updates.

An additional security layer, Threat Prevention allows or prevents content access to an IP address after a complete scan based on the Webroot BrightCloud IP Reputation Index. This powerful tool can analyze even encrypted data and block it when necessary.

The Virus Blocker tool stands as the first line of defense against malware threats with a 99.8% detection rate. This includes protection against HTTP, FTP, and SMTP, as well as decompressing archives and compressed files such as RAR, Zip, Gzip, Tar, Bzip2, MS CHM, MS OLE2, MS SZDD, and MS Cabinet Files. The local scan takes place simultaneously with the cloud scan, leveraging Untangle’s cloud platform ScoutIQ.

These are all complemented by an Ad Blocker, Spam Blocker, SSL Inspector, Web Filter, Web Monitor, and Application Control.

To create persistent, secure connections for a remote workforce, guests, and branch offices, Untangle uses a collection of VPN technologies, including WireGuard, Tunnel VPN, OpenVPN, and IPsec.

Management features 

NG Firewall Complete provides IT administrators with several highly practical tools to manage their organizations’ networks, security, users, as well as the product itself.

The Captive Portal includes the means to block Internet access to users until they complete a specified procedure, such as acknowledging Acceptable Use Policies (AUP). It also facilitates user authentication against Untangle’s Local Directory, RADIUS, or Microsoft Active Directory.

There’s also the Policy Manager that facilitates defining, assigning, and managing network privileges based on specific parameters, such as IP address, group, username, time, protocol, and so on. 

The Policy Manager is strengthened with the Directory Connector which connects to multiple Active Directory servers and provides users with straightforward authentication and network access. At the same time, admins get a full overview of all the users.

Finally, the Reports app offers a full view of the network traffic in reports that can be viewed online, emailed automatically, or broken down into .csv files.

Usability 

Although Untangle specializes in small and medium businesses, its NG Firewall Complete can be used in a wide array of settings. These can range anywhere from very small family businesses (up to 12 persons) to major conglomerates and governments (unlimited persons).

NG Firewall Complete equips each of its customers with a long list of dedicated apps included in the package, as well as additional ones if they need them. This way, it provides intrusion protection, control, and monitoring across all of the apps, devices, and events on the network, regardless of its size.

It also ensures secure VPN connections for all of the organization’s remote workers, clients, guests, and other allowed entities.

Alternatively, some of the apps and features included in the package can be purchased as standalone versions or in smaller packages. This is handy for an organization that doesn’t require the provider’s entire service.

Pricing 

NG Firewall Complete includes a subscription to the entire Untangle app library and starts at an equivalent of $20/month. This covers a three-year subscription ($720 for the entire term) and up to 12 licensed devices. The price increases with the number of required licenses and shorter subscription length. For instance, an annual subscription covering up to 100 devices would cost you $1,890 or $157.5/month. 

NG Firewall Complete is available at a discount for nonprofits and the public sector.

Add-ons are available at an additional cost, including System Installation & Configuration Service and System Optimization Service. The Live Support is included free of charge. 

You can run NG Firewall Complete on your own hardware, in the public cloud, or as a Virtual Appliance. However, it can also be deployed with an Untangle SD-WAN Router to expand security protocols to branch offices and get a complete overview of the network from the Command Center. The prices of NG Firewall appliances range from $299 (equivalent to a monthly payment of $14) to $3,499 - depending on the client’s specific requirements. 

Untangle also offers a 14-day free trial on its NG Firewall Complete product and all its capabilities, after which it reverts to the basic features of the NG Firewall Free.

Final verdict

Untangle NG Firewall Complete is an affordable firewall and gateway security platform that packs everything any organization might require from a platform of its type. These include powerful URL filtering, intrusion and threat prevention, SSL inspection, application control, VPN tools, as well as phishing, virus, spam, and ad blockers - and then some. 

Especially important, it provides enough ease of use and intuitiveness for an IT department and users in an organization of any size. 

And all this is accompanied by free-of-charge live customer support, if you happen to get stuck with anything. 

If all the features and capabilities included in the Complete package feel too much for your organization, then you can take your pick among any of the smaller packages and standalone options. 

If you’re still not convinced of the platform’s capabilities or you’re unsure of what you need, then make sure to take the risk-free free trial. It will allow you to test all the features and make the final decision.

We've also highlighted the best URL filtering and best business VPN

Microsoft could be set for a significant expansion of its cybersecurity activity as rumors swirl of a possible big-name acquisition coming soon.

The technology giant is reportedly considering a bid for Mandiant, a security firm that specializes in incident response and cyber threat intelligence, as well as malware and endpoint protection.

Mandiant was acquired by FireEye in 2014, but last year returned to being independent after the sale of the FireEye product business to McAfee Enterprise.

Microsoft and Mandiant

Shares in Mandiant surged almost 18% as reports of a takeover began to circulate, taking the company's market capitalization to around $4.3 billion. The company had just reported its Q4 2021 results, revealing record billings and revenue for threat intelligence and consulting.

There's been no official confirmation of any concrete takeover talks from Microsoft or Mandiant yet, but a deal would allow Microsoft to further bolster its cybersecurity ranks, particularly as the company's customer base continues to grow around the world.

In 2021 alone, Microsoft acquired a host of security firms, including RiskIQ, CloudKnox Security and ReFirm. The company also recently proved it had the money to invest in new acquisitions by announcing the $70 billion takeover of gaming giant Activision Blizzard.

The sheer scale of threats facing consumers and businesses today means that Microsoft has long been a backer of constantly improving and boosting its own security tools.

The company recently revealed a preview version of its own in-house security offering, Windows Defender, which should provide the next level of protection to users already on, or shifting to, Windows 11.

In addition to providing a basic security overview, Microsoft Defender Preview gives details of security alerts that have appeared on different devices. Perhaps the most valuable feature of the app is that it makes it possible to easily check the security of a device without the need, necessarily, to have physical access to it.

• If you still haven't updated, here are the best Windows 10 antivirus apps

Via Bloomberg

Our series on identity theft protection apps will evaluate the features, pricing options, competition, and also the overall value of using each app. However, these are not full hands-on reviews since evaluating identity theft protection apps is almost impossible. It would require several months of testing, purposefully hacking accounts to see if the protection app works, handing over personally identifiable information, performing multiple credit checks, and risking exposure of the reviewer’s personally identifiable information.

Identity theft is one of those “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” type of scenarios in the sense that it is better to select a protection plan prior to experiencing a breach on your credit, online account, or someone taking out a loan on your behalf. It is best thought about like other types of insurance, as nobody should wait to have a car accident to think about getting an auto insurance plan, or having a fire at the house prior to obtaining a homeowner’s policy on their family residence. Also realize that this is not a hypothetical situation that does not happen to anyone, as the Define Financial blog indicates that it is on the rise and that “There were 4.8 million identity theft and credit card fraud reports to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2020, resulting in a $4.5 Billion total loss.”

IdentityIQ is such a provider of identity theft protection, and is well experienced, having been around since 2009, and is based in the US. The CEO, Scott Hermann, joined in 2017. IdentityIQ is a product from the company IDIQ, which also offers related products DataBreachIQ (corporate data breach protection) and MyScoreIQ (FICO monitoring, and credit scores).

Plans and pricing

The plans, like so many in this segment, start to get confusing fairly quickly. Essentially it boils down to a choice of four tiers, although the way it is laid out, with the most basic plan out of sequence on the bottom, kind of like the store branded cans in the supermarket almost hidden on the bottom shelf out of the consumer’s eye’s line of sight. After that, there is the option to add Bitdefender Total Security to any of the plans, which for reference their least expensive plan is $3.33/month as a standalone option on the Bitdefender website.

The bottom tier is the Secure Plan, at a cost of $6.99/month, and enigmatically at $83.88 annually, which works out to exactly the same price without any discount for prepaying for the year- a situation that continues on the upper tiers of plans as well. Adding in the Bitdefender Total Security increases the cost to $8.99/month, which is a good deal for those that can bundle in their antivirus software for savings, and also gain access to the Bitdefender Premium VPN. Getting back to identity protection, the protection is somewhat basic on this entry plan with daily 1 bureau credit monitoring, dark web and internet monitoring, up to $1 million in stolen funds reimbursement, and SSN alerts.

Moving up a tier gets us to the Secure Plus plan, at a cost of $9.99 monthly. The standout feature is the addition of an annual three credit bureau report and score, although it is still missing some essentials, such as enhanced credit report monitoring.

The next tier up is Secure Pro, at a cost of $19.99/month. While the cost is somewhat higher, it has some important features, including the bi-annual three credit bureau credit reports and scores, credit score alerts, and enhanced credit report monitoring.

The top plan is Secure Max, which at a cost of $29.99/month has the tri-bureau credit reports and scores on a monthly basis. It truly has a ton of features, such as a credit score tracker, a credit score simulator, and $25k of ID theft insurance for family protection.

Features

IdentityIQ offers a comprehensive suite of services to protect users from identity theft. However, as detailed in the plan tiers, an upper tier plan is needed for a monthly credit report, and enhanced credit monitoring. After all, just getting an annual credit report can be obtained for no cost.

We are divided on the addition of the Bitdefender Security Suite to the identity theft protection plan. Part of us thinks that IdentityIQ should focus more on the features of its identity protection package, and offer the more important features, such as the credit score tracker on the lower tier. Alternately though, identity theft can certainly happen when a user gets hacked when online, and having the suite from Bitdefender that provides antivirus, and also a VPN should keep a user safer online with these tools. We also note that Bitdefender’s Antivirus solution garnered a high recommendation last we looked at it, although to nitpick, a 200 MB daily limit is not going to be enough for most users of the VPN other than for basic email when on Wi-Fi.

A shortcoming is the lack of a smartphone app for any of the major platforms.

Support

The support for IdentityIQ is pretty limited, with just a single option available. We found a toll free number, but there are no specified hours of operation. We also did not find any other options, so no chat, support portal, or email.

The competition

IdentityIQ includes a comparison chart to Norton LifeLock right on its website, so we took a closer look. The pricing is a little difficult to compare directly, as LifeLock offers an annual discount, and significantly discounted offers for the first year of use, which gives it an edge right away. We also like that LifeLock bundles in the anti-malware protection, along with a password manager, and VPN, without requiring another package, at an additional cost like IdentityIQ, however only the top tier LifeLock plan has an unlimited VPN, so it will be more for occasional use (for example, an email on public Wi-Fi), rather than for constant protection.

Final verdict

IdentityIQ offers a useful offering for identity protection. We like the affordable starting cost, the option to add in the Bitdefender Security Suite at a low additional cost, and the $1 million of insurance even on the bottom plan- a feature that competitors frequently lower on the starting tier. The misses are here too, such as high price on the upper tier, the lack of an annual discount, and lone support option. Still, overall, IdentityIQ is a more than fair and decent offering in this important segment.

We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection

The best internet security suites are a handy way to protect a whole household of devices. Offering coverage across multiple platforms and operating systems, packages often come with the best antivirus, firewall protection, parental controls, a VPN, password manager, and then some.

TechRadar's team of experts has spent tens of thousands of hours putting security products to the test. Using a combination of our own real-world experience and evaluation with specialist tools, we get to the bottom of which security suites truly prioritize your online safety.

In our reviews, we look at AV-TEST scores for each antivirus package before examining what each part of the internet security suite has to offer. Whether it's VPN server count, ransomware protection, or fraud insurance.

Bitdefender is our top pick right now, and we think it's the best option for most users. Its antivirus tools are reliable and thorough, and plans don't cost a small fortune. Still, if you're after something different, keep reading to check out which security suites made our shortlist.

Top 3 internet security suites

In a hurry? Here are our top 3 picks for internet security suites:

Best overall internet security suite

Bitdefender Total Security is the well-respected security firm’s top-of-the-range package and tops the lot when it comes to all-singing, all-dancing internet security suites.

Total Security is a suite that’s positively bristling with features. You get – deep breath – standard antivirus tools plus impressively capable multi-layered ransomware protection, a firewall, a Wi-Fi security advisor, a secure browser (Safepay) for online banking, a file shredder, a vulnerability scanner (to check for missing apps and OS updates), password manager, email spam filter, parental controls, webcam and microphone defenses, and more besides including a superb web protection module for blocking malicious URLs.

As well as security features, Total Security provides various PC maintenance and optimization tools. These are somewhat useful for cleaning out superfluous files and streamlining boot times – but more importantly, Bitdefender’s flagship package also covers more than just Windows devices.

In fact, an app is provided for Mac users (the software is compatible with M1 Macs and has been improved to run faster virus scans), as well as clients for iOS and Android mobiles. The Android app also has the capability to block more link-based mobile threats.

As it’s only a bit more expensive than Bitdefender Internet Security – the firm’s mid-tier security suite – we'd say it’s certainly worth upgrading to Total Security if you have multiple devices across various platforms to protect. (You can see what we think of the range in our full Bitdefender review).

The other good news is that Bitdefender has a minimal impact on system performance, which we were glad to note in our own testing (some rivals do a touch better in this department, but it’s not a difference you’ll ever notice in real-world use).

Finally, it’s worth remembering that a 30-day free trial is available with no payment details needed; you just have to supply an email address. That means you can try out Bitdefender for a full month before committing to a long-term plan.

Best internet security suite for families

When we evaluated all of Norton’s security suite options, we picked out Norton 360 Deluxe as the best value all-around choice for anyone looking to protect more than a single device – which is likely the majority of folks.

Norton delivers good basic protection – although some of the independent test lab results have been a little mixed – alongside a wealth of features, including webcam protection and dark web monitoring (for users in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and a few other countries), an impressively smart firewall, plus a system of parental controls.

The parental controls are top-notch, by the way, including in-depth monitoring systems to keep an eye on what your kids are doing online, and even GPS tracking for their mobile devices.

There are some truly worthwhile extras included here, too, like a fully integrated Norton VPN that massively adds to the value proposition of this suite (assuming you don’t have a VPN already, of course), and 50GB of cloud backup storage that's another handy bonus.

As for negative points, a flaw worth bearing in mind is that we found Norton 360 Deluxe had more of a drag on system performance than most internet security suites. That said, it’s rated as about average in this department by independent test lab AV-Comparatives, and odds are you likely won’t even notice any impact on the speed of your system in everyday usage.

Norton 360 Deluxe covers up to five devices, either Windows or Mac PCs, and there are mobile apps for Android and iOS. Pricing is highly competitive compared to rivals, particularly given the bundled VPN, so you should definitely consider this Norton package (compare it to the company’s other offerings with our guide to choosing your Norton plan) – especially for family usage with those very thorough parental controls.

Best internet security suite for multiple devices

Avast One is the trusted security outfit’s revamped suite, which offers an umbrella of protection across various bases. That means not just antivirus and ransomware defenses, but also a firewall, webcam protection, data breach monitoring, and a software updater to keep apps patched up with no need for user intervention.

On top of that, Avast One provides a full VPN (with unlimited data – although it’s not the fastest we’ve ever seen, by any means), and some device speed-up and maintenance tools.

There are also some more unusual features like a Sensitive Data Shield, which scans drives for files that may contain sensitive info like passwords and phone numbers, and stops other users of a device from accessing these. In short, you get a lot with the paid subscription of Avast One (there’s a free version which is impressive, too, but it drops a number of features, and the VPN function is limited).

All this is wrapped up in a smart and easy-to-use interface, which has been thoughtfully redesigned for Avast One, and the cherry on top is the strength of the protection delivered. Avast’s antivirus engine is rated as excellent by the independent test labs, and its web protection is among the best around, too. Furthermore, system slowdown is negligible when running this suite.

Overall, Avast One packs in a lot of features, and while some of these capabilities may not be as robust as the top performers in this roundup, the sheer weight of what you’re getting means this is one of the best all-rounders out there.

Best internet security suite for beginners

There’s a lot to like about Trend Micro’s flagship security suite – Trend Micro Maximum Security – not the least of which is its polished and user-friendly interface, backed up by superb virus protection. Trend Micro is highly ranked by the independent testing labs, and it offers sterling multi-layered anti-ransomware defenses, too.

The package also gives you first-class URL filtering for safer web browsing, further bolstering the overall defenses provided here. That said, one slight weak point with Trend Micro’s offering is that there isn’t a huge amount of low-level control – such as virus scan options – so more demanding users may find it lacking here.

Maximum Security provides parental controls, social media privacy features and PC maintenance tools, although the latter isn’t its strongest suit. It also boasts data theft prevention countermeasures, a secure vault for storing sensitive files, and a decent integrated password manager.

Less tech-savvy types will appreciate the ease of use here, which also goes for the capable mobile apps. There’s a 30-day trial as well, so you can thoroughly check all this out for yourself before pulling the trigger on a purchase.

Best value internet security suite

As the name suggests, McAfee’s basic security product, Total Protection Individual, only covers one individual device. And if you’re thinking of buying that and you own more than just a Windows PC, then you’re almost certainly better off purchasing McAfee Total Protection Multi-Device.

For not much more money at all, you get a sound internet security suite that protects up to five Windows, ChromeOS, or Mac computers, and Android or iOS devices. US customers also benefit from a useful additional extra in the form of identity theft protection.

McAfee’s interface is simple and streamlined, which keeps things easy for beginners, although it’ll likely be too sparse for more experienced users. The UI also suffers from some annoying quirks, but nothing too frustrating.

Independent test lab reports suggest McAfee Total Protection offers solid enough defenses, if not class-leading. Indeed, evaluations of McAfee’s antivirus engine vary, with some being more scathing than others.

Overall, McAfee’s suite represents reasonable value and a decent choice in the Multi-Device package, with some nifty extras for boosting web browsing and app performance, plus an integrated (but very basic) free VPN that’s commendably user-friendly.

Best internet security suite with VPN

Avira’s top-level package is missing some of the core security features you might find in other internet security suites, but it more than makes up for this in other ways, which might be tempting depending on your own personal needs.

So, while a firewall and parental controls might be missing from Avira Prime – or a backup facility (save for a contacts backup feature on the iOS app) – you do get some nifty stuff instead. That includes a decent VPN and some seriously high-quality PC maintenance tools.

If you want those speed-up tools and/or have been considering getting a VPN as well as a new security suite, then Prime could be a perfect fit. In fact, in the latter case, Avira Prime works out as a storming value for money, providing a solid engine to keep you safe, and that Avira VPN on top to keep you safer still online. Others, however, may miss the aforementioned core suite features like parental controls, of course.

Best configurable internet security suite

ESET Smart Security Premium packs a lot of features, including parental controls, webcam protection, network monitoring, additional network protection, and an anti-theft feature for Windows devices, allowing for location tracking is an interesting bonus. Furthermore, Linux systems are covered here, as well as Windows and Mac computers.

However, while ESET delivers lots of features, their quality can be variable. For example, the system of parental controls is very bare-bones, but the password manager is well fleshed out. ESET also offers plenty of configuration options, which will please experts, although computing novices may find it tricky to get to grips with in some respects.

ESET’s antivirus protection seems solid, albeit with some mixed evaluations from independent testing labs. It’s also worth noting that the suite’s defenses have recently been bolstered with Live Guard, an extra layer of cloud analysis to detect newly emerged threats.

Smart Security Premium provides some interesting extras, too, including the aforementioned password manager and a secure, encrypted file vault to protect any sensitive data on your PC, which some folks will doubtless find very useful additions.

That said, unless you really want this additional functionality, it’s not the best value-for-money internet security suite out there.

Fastest internet security suite

Webroot majors in being incredibly lightweight and fast-performing. Indeed, it has a minuscule memory footprint and takes up next to no space on your system drive, as the product’s virus definitions are all stored in the cloud.

Yet despite this minimal impact on your machine, Webroot Internet Security Plus comes with plenty of features. There’s online banking protection, an Identity Shield to prevent data theft from the likes of keyloggers, ransomware defenses, an accurate anti-phishing system, a smart firewall, plus a password manager as you get a LastPass subscription bundled.

Downsides? Well, you might get lightning-quick malware scans, but Webroot hasn’t fared very well in recent antivirus testing by the independent labs (or at least one of them, as the other big players don’t evaluate this product). The accuracy of its engine is mixed at best, so that’s a somewhat worrying question mark at the time of writing.

Still, Internet Security Plus is a well-rounded package, and as we pointed out in our review, Windows users could always run it alongside the free Microsoft Defender to get the benefit of Webroot’s bonus features while doubling up on protection. The company’s 70-day ‘no questions asked’ money-back guarantee is also noteworthy, showing Webroot’s confidence in its suite.

Find the best deals on Webroot products with our Webroot promo codes.

Internet security suites FAQs

Panda Dome Advanced is a capable security suite which sits right in the middle of Panda's product range. That means you don't just get the antivirus and 150MB/ day VPN of Panda Free, and the firewall, network protection and cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Android) of Panda Dome Essential. Panda Dome Advanced adds three more tools: parental controls for Windows, identity protection and an extra security layer to keep you safe from ransomware and 'advanced threats.'

• Want to try Panda Dome Advanced? Check out the website here

Panda does have more powerful suites available. Dome Complete throws in encryption, a password manager, and device cleanup and maintenance. And Dome Premium gives you a full unlimited VPN, a Windows and software update manager and unlimited 'Premium 24/7 Technical Support.' 

If you're not looking for every possible security extra, though - or you're just tired of overweight suites crammed with features you never use - then Panda Dome Advanced could be the perfect balance of power and price.

Plans and pricing

Panda Dome Advanced has a flexible but also complicated pricing scheme, with many more options than we usually see.

You could pay $42.74 to cover one device for a year, for instance, $57 on renewal. But covering three devices only lifts the price to $64.49 ($86 on renewal), and there are also options to cover ten devices ($88.50 in year one, $118 afterwards) and there's even an unlimited license ($102 in year one, $136 afterwards.)

Extending the license to two or three years saves some cash. A three-device, two-year license is $114.74 initially, $153 on renewal; a ten-device, three-year license is $267 in the first term, $356 on renewal.

If you're not ready to commit big money, just yet, you can also opt for monthly billing at $5.99 (Panda even gives you the first month for free.)

This is a little more expensive than some, and there are cheaper deals around. Bitdefender Total Security has more features, for instance, but steep introductory discounting means you can cover five devices for just $40 in year one ($90 on renewal.) It's a similar story with Kaspersky, where you get 50% off in the first term. But Panda does win out for billing flexibility: most providers don't have unlimited device licenses, or a monthly payment option.

Interface

Panda Dome's interface stands out immediately for its desktop-style wallpaper background. This looks good, but creates an immediate usability issue. The app has four rows of buttons for various functions, but Panda is so keen on leaving free space for you to view the photo, that only the first row of buttons is visible. You must scroll down to access everything.

There's another small annoyance in a regularly updated banner at the bottom of the dashboard, with links to various blog posts on the Panda site. We found a 'Show Panda News' switch in Settings, and turned off, hoping this would help; but no, it didn't make any difference at all. (We checked Panda's Support site to find out what 'Show Panda News' was supposed to do, but couldn't find it mentioned anywhere. Not an encouraging start.)

Otherwise, the main interface works well. Functions are accessed via 17 buttons (Scan, Firewall, Support and so on.) That's a lot, but button icons do a reasonable job of telling you what they do, and you can turn on captions for all buttons with a click. Selecting a button takes you to that function, where a Back button returns you to the main dashboard when you're done. It's not perfect - too many buttons just open a browser tab, rather than do anything locally - but we found it reasonably easy to use.

Self-protection

Malware sometimes tries to disable an antivirus before launching a full infection attempt, so it's important any security app can defend itself. 

Testing Panda's self-protection revealed a couple of vulnerabilities. One of our test attacks successfully disabled part of Panda's real-time file scanning system, allowing us to download malicious files without detection. The second effectively removed all Panda's protective layers, enabling malware to do whatever it liked.

These exploits required an attacker persuading you to run a malicious script or macro on your system, with Administrator rights. A common example might be via a spam email, with text which persuaded you to open an attached Office document, and then run an embedded macro.

We reported our findings to Panda. The company said these security flaws: 'could only be exploited by malware that has escalated admin rights and has not been detected by any of our technologies (signatures, Cloud, heuristics, contextual routines, behavioral protection,…).' Panda also said it had 'taken note' of our suggestion for a fix for the most significant attack, though didn't commit to applying it.

While it's true this attack may not succeed very often, the reality is most of the antivirus competition does a far better job of protecting itself. 90% and more simply block our attacks, ensuring they have no effect. Kaspersky and Trend Micro go further, recognizing the attacks as malicious actions and killing our testing tool immediately, preventing it trying anything else. Panda looks weak, by comparison.

Antivirus

Panda Dome Advanced has several scanning options. A Critical Area scan checks the most commonly infected areas of a PC in around five minutes; the Custom scan only inspects the files or folders you specify; and the Full System scan, of course, checks everything.

If that's not enough, you can also set multiple scheduled scans. These start with a Critical Areas, Full System or Custom scan, but you can also exclude particular folders or file types (handy for speeding up scans.)

We noticed one unusual omission. Panda Dome Advanced doesn't integrate with Explorer, so right clicking a file or folder doesn't get you a 'Scan with Panda' option. The only way to check a specific item is to manually open the app, choose the Custom scan and select a folder manually. That's a hassle we don't see elsewhere.

Scan times were reasonable during testing. Panda Dome Advanced checked our 50GB of test executables in 39 minutes for the first scan, within the 15–50-minute range we typically see. There's some optimization for subsequent scans, and Panda took 24 minutes for scan #2. Others go further, though: Bitdefender checks only new and changed files, and in a recent review its second scan completed in less than a minute.

Protection

AV-Comparatives' Real-World Protection Test is a comprehensive benchmark which pits 17 top antivirus engines against the latest malware.

Panda scored well in the July-October 2021 report, achieving second place as one of only three vendors to block 100% of test threats (Trend Micro and Norton were the others.)

There's a potential issue in Panda's relatively high number of false positives: 25, the second highest in the report. That's important, because it's much easier to block all threats if you stop every process which looks faintly suspicious. Most companies are much more precise in their targeting; Kaspersky reached 4th place, blocking 99.9% of threats, but with no false positives; Avast also blocked 99.9%, and had only two.

Panda isn't currently tested at SE-Labs or AV Test, so we weren't able to get confirmation of AV-Comparatives' scores.

Ransomware

We test antivirus by checking how each engine handles our own simple custom ransomware. As it's never appeared in the wild, there's no way an antivirus will have seen our simulated threat before, making this a useful test of its behavior monitoring abilities.

Panda Dome Advanced began poorly, ignoring our ransomware and allowing it to encrypt thousands of Office documents, images and more. Our test threat isn't real malware, and we can't say for sure why Panda missed it, we're not going to treat this as a huge black mark. But many competitors do better. For example, Bitdefender, Kaspersky and Trend Micro all recognized the danger in a fraction of a second, killing our test app before it could cause any more damage.

But Panda wasn't finished yet. It also includes a Data Shield feature which monitors access to key folders, alerting you to unknown apps which try to modify files, and not allowing that access until you've confirmed the app is safe.

There are problems with this scheme. It's not turned on by default, for instance. It only covers your Documents folders, initially. This isn't made clear to users, either, who might only realize if they tap Settings and browse the folder list.

If you enable Data Shield, though, and you see how it works, and you manually add whatever folders you'd like to protect, we found the feature worked well. When we ran our test ransomware this time, Panda raised a new 'is this okay?' prompt for every file access, giving us a warning of what was going on.

This still can't compare with competitors which detected and removed our threat in the first place (even though it couldn't encrypt files in protected folders, the simulator was still running, and in theory could launch some other type of attack.) But our data was at least safe, and that's a big plus.

Anti-phishing

One of the weaknesses of Panda Free Antivirus is it doesn't block phishing or other dangerous URLs. Fortunately, that doesn't apply to Panda Dome Advanced and the other commercial suites, which add a Safe Browsing module to protect you online.

To try this out, we obtained a list of the very latest phishing URLs, confirmed they were still active, then tried visiting them on a Panda Dome Advanced-protected system.

Measuring the reliability of phishing detection is tricky, but we found Panda did add useful extra protection, stopping us accessing dangerous websites which Chrome missed.

There's one small usability issue. Panda's 'Page blocked' warning box has no 'Ignore' or 'Visit anyway' checkbox, which you might need if a site is incorrectly flagged as malicious. You can add that URL to a whitelist, ensuring you can access it anyway, but even if you realize that's possible (and most users might not), it's a tedious manual process.

Panda's approach still has some security advantages. If there's a 'Visit anyway' button, a user might be tempted to click it to get past an annoying alert. But at a minimum, we'd like to see the user informed that there is a way to access the URL, even if it's only a 'click here' link which takes them to a page with more warnings.

VPN

Panda Dome Advanced includes a simple free VPN. It's powered by the excellent Hotspot Shield, which is good; but it doesn't allow you to choose a location (it always connects to your nearest server), and you're limited to 150MB of data a day, which is pretty bad.

Panda's VPN app has almost no functionality. Forget changing protocols, split tunneling, 'auto-connect when accessing insecure Wi-Fi' or anything similar: all Panda can do is optionally connect when Windows starts, then connect or disconnect when you hit the button. That really is it.

At least it's going to be really well engineered underneath, we thought, reliable and safe to use? Uh, no. We found in some extreme situations it was possible for Panda's VPN connection to be down, and your traffic unprotected, while that app still displayed a reassuring 'Connected' message, as though everything was safe.

Put it all together, and although it might be handy to have a VPN around if you're installing Panda Dome Advanced regardless, it's not much use to anyone else.

(Upgrading to Panda Dome Premium gets you the full unlimited VPN, but at a significant extra cost. A five-device, one-year Premium license is $122 in year one, $163 on renewal, compared to $64.50 and $86 for Dome Advanced. That's another $57.50, just in year one. Meanwhile, Private Internet Access gives you a full year of VPN coverage for only $40, and you can save even more by signing up for longer. As we write, a special deal offers a three year and three month license for just $79.)

Firewall

Panda Dome Advanced includes a firewall to protect you from network attacks, and control which apps are allowed to connect to the internet.

Although this worked, we found it regularly displayed alerts asking if this or that process can go online. This even applied to some common Windows systems processes, which we would expect Panda to know were safe. 

Once you've approved (or denied) a connection, the firewall remembers the result and you're not asked again. But the problem is even expert users won't always know for sure which connection is safe, and which isn't, and it's tempting to just hit the 'OK' button to make the message go away. In our experience, firewalls from Bitdefender and Norton do a better job, reliably blocking malicious processes without requiring user intervention.

Wi-Fi Protection

A Wi-Fi Protection module displays devices connected to your network, and maintains a connection history, allowing you to spot intruders.

A Security Audit feature supposedly offers 'recommendations to improve the security of the Wi-Fi network', but we found these too vague to be useful. 

The Audit found our 'Connection mode' offered only medium protection, for instance, warning 'the detected mode (Automatic mode) does not have an adequate security level', and recommending we 'change the connection mode to a more secure one.'

Do you know what that means? We have no idea. The app said 'if you don't know how to do it or which method is the most appropriate, click 'More Information.' So, we did, and it took us to a support page. Unfortunately, this should probably have been tagged as 'Less Information', as it didn't tell us anything Connection Mode checked, which modes might be 'more secure' or how to change them.

Parental Control

Panda Dome Advanced claims to include Parental Controls, but this has barely any of the features you'd expect from a specialist parental controls application. You can't control app use, for instance. There's no way to limit screen time or restrict internet access to your custom timetable. And there's no clever geofencing support, where the app alerts you when your child arrives at (or leaves) certain locations.

The only option you get is content filtering. Choose a user account on your device and you're able to restrict access to websites by category, and... No, there is no 'and' - that's it.

Panda does at least give you lots of categories. Instead of a single catch-all Adult category, for instance, you can individually block or allow subcategories like 'Lingerie and Swimsuit', 'Nudity', 'Sex' and 'Sex Education.'

Too complicated? Choose a built-in filters - Kids, Teen, Employee - and Panda sets the various categories accordingly.

Although this works, it's extremely basic. Microsoft's Family Safety gives you more options for free, and Bitdefender, Norton and particularly Kaspersky's Safe Kids (which also has a useful free version) provide more comprehensive and effective parental control tools.

More features

Panda Dome Advanced includes a number of other privacy and security features.

A Dark Web Scanner checks to see if your email address is included in any data breaches. That's worth knowing, but the service is limited to checking emails, and it can only use the address you entered when registering your Panda account. Meanwhile, anyone can check multiple email addresses and phone numbers at Have I Been Pwned for free.

An Application Control feature doesn't allow unknown programs to run without your approval. It's an effective strategy in theory, as if a brand-new undiscovered threat tries to launch, you'll get an alert. The problem is you'll also regularly see prompts for legitimate programs. That's not just a hassle, it also means you'll get used to assuming these alerts are false alarms, and over time may allow apps to run without really looking at the details.

The Process Monitor is more interesting, especially for experienced users. It watches what Windows processes do online, and can display all the URLs they've accessed recently. If an app looks suspicious, or you're curious what any process is doing online, you can check its web activities in a couple of clicks. And if the process seems a concern, you can even ask Panda to block its future internet connections.

Elsewhere, a Virtual Keyboard allows you to bypass keyloggers by clicking letters on a keyboard window, rather than typing on your physical hardware. It worked in our tests, but it's a hassle to use. In real world use we'd probably hope the antivirus detected and killed any keylogging malware, and carry on using our regular keyboard as before.

Finally, a USB Protection tool enables 'vaccinating' USB keys to reduce the chance of infection by autorun malware. USB keys aren't the most likely vector for a virus attack, these days, and these 'vaccinations' don't guarantee protection, anyway. Still, this is an unusual feature which should improve your safety, just a little, and we're glad to see it bundled with the package.

Final verdict

Panda Dome Advanced has a decent core antivirus engine, detecting and removing malware with ease. But although it has a lot of other features, they're mostly underpowered, and can't begin to match the best of the competition. Take a look if you're a Panda fan, but everyone else will be better off elsewhere.

We've also highlighted the best antivirus

Small businesses looking to boost their security tools can now sign up for the new Microsoft Defender for Business platform.

The company says that its new endpoint protection offering is specially built for businesses with up to 300 employees, providing enterprise-grade protection.

Now officially in preview, interested businesses can sign up now to be one of the first to get Microsoft Defender for Business, ensuring they stay protected from all the latest threats.

Microsoft Defender for Business

First announced at Microsoft Ignite 2021 back in November 2021, Defender for Business will launch with an initial set of scenarios, Microsoft's Jon Maunder announced in a blog post announcing the news.

"As an endpoint security solution, Defender for Business is more than just traditional anti-virus," he noted. "It delivers next-generation protection, endpoint detection and response, threat and vulnerability management, and more. It offers simplified configuration and management with intelligent, automated investigation and remediation. Defender for Business helps you to protect against cybersecurity threats including malware and ransomware across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android  devices."

Successful preview applicants will get 90 days to try out Microsoft Defender for Business, which is available if you are a direct customer of Microsoft, or an IT partner acting on behalf of customers and you want to deploy to your customers and test in your own environment.

Businesses will need to be activated within an existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium tenant, or as standalone with the appropriate testing prerequisites in place for mobile scenarios. After the trial is over, you will need to purchase a license at time of general availability and beyond, either through standalone license or included within Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Once the tool is available, customers will be able to buy it as a standalone offering costing $3 per user per month. It will also be included as part of Microsoft 365 Business Premium accounts and can be integrated with Microsoft 365 Lighthouse. 

• Check out our guide to Windows 11: The pros and cons for businesses

As one of the the best antivirus software you can protect your mobile devices and computers with, McAfee has been around for more than 30 years, making sure that your data and devices are safe and secure.

As antivirus deals go, this one saves you a staggering $200 on McAfee Total Protection software bundle, the best McAfee has to offer, netting you two years' worth of protection on 10 devices from as little as $34.99 a year, with compatibility across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices.

It also throws in nifty extra features including VPN for five devices as well as its proprietary McAfee Gamer Security plus Identity Theft Protection. Read more about McAfee's current savings below and cash in on this fantastic saving before it ends.

The Best McAfee antivirus deal

Why do we think McAfee is one of the best antivirus?

There's a multitude of reasons why we rank McAfee as one of the world's best antivirus, all of paramount importance to the user.

The company really does have all the bases covered when it comes to creating top-notch online security software. Naturally, it offers powerful anti-malware and spam detection tools, but it's also incredibly easy to set up and use while having minimal impact on the performance of your devices.

Below we have listed our top five reasons for why we consider this antivirus software to be the best:

1. Protects all systems: If you’re worrying that it won’t be able to defend your device, Bitdefender’s Total Security covers Android, Mac and iOS systems.
2. Security: In our rigorous tests, we found that McAfee was one of the most impressive services out there for pure blocking of malicious software. So it will give you peace of mind once installed.
3. Anonymity: All of its antivirus software seeks to ensure you remain anonymous online, also offering file encryption, firewall and anti-spam perks. 
4. Affordable: Despite its lofty position in our best antivirus countdown, McAfee still has extremely competitive prices in comparison to other antivirus software.
5. No compromise necessary: McAfee says that all of its antivirus software preserves your battery and the speed of your devices, so they keep running smoothly. We found that it doesn’t significantly interfere with your system’s speed or battery life, unlike other antivirus software.

With the best encryption software, you can store important files and other data in a secure vault on your computer. In short, encryption programs are designed to ensure your files can’t be viewed by hackers or other malicious third parties, even if they gain access to your device. 

• Interested in CryptoForge? Check out the website here

Our CryptoForge review takes a close look at a popular encryption program. On the surface, it appears to be affordable yet powerful, and we analyze every aspect to determine whether this is really the case. 

• Also check out our roundup of the best ransomware protection

Plans and pricing

CryptoForge is available with a 30-day free trial that includes everything you need to test the program. Once this expires, you won’t be able to encrypt files anymore. However, you will still be able to decrypt files that you previously encrypted, which is nice to see. 

For full lifetime access, you will need to purchase a perpetual license. A single license comes in at $39.70, which is very affordable. Significant discounts are available with bulk purchases, and each license supports up to two computers. You will also get access to free updates for the lifetime of the current major version of the program. 

There are also a couple of options for large businesses which need to install numerous instances of the program. A Site license costs $1475 and enables you to install the program on as many devices as required in one geographical location. Or go for a custom-priced Enterprise license if you need to use the program in multiple locations across the world.  

Features

All CryptoForge users will benefit from a neat range of file encryption tools, enabling you to secure files and other data with the click of a button. We’ve listed a few of the most noteworthy below. 

CryptoForge’s portable decryption app is excellent. Let’s say, for example, that you want to send an encrypted file to one of your work colleagues. They won’t be able to access it until it’s decrypted. Fortunately, they can take advantage of the decryption app, which is fully portable, to quickly unlock the required content. 

There’s also a file shredder that you can use to delete files forever. Usually, when files are deleted, a memory of them remains on your hard drive. People with the right knowledge and software can often recover these. But a secure file shredder like this enables you to erase all traces of a file, meaning that it won’t ever be able to be recovered. 

CryptoForge uses four different encryption algorithms—Blowfish, AES, Gost, and TripleDES. These are known as the best in the industry, and they were unbreakable at the time of writing. 

Interface and in use

There are actually a few different CryptoForge apps that come with the standard download package. CryptoForge Files is the main one that deals with encryption. Once installed, encryption, decryption, and file shredding options will be added to the menu that opens when you right-click on a file or folder. 

Actually encrypting files is as simple as right-clicking on them and hitting the encrypt button. Decryption is handled by CryptoForge Decrypter. Either open the app and select the files you would like to decrypt or simply right-click on them and select the Decrypt option. Enter your passphrase when prompted and your files should be decrypted immediately. 

The CryptoForge Updater is a separate utility app that scans for and will notify you when program updates are available. And finally, CryptoForge Text comes with tools that you can use to create and send encrypted text information. 

Support

CyptoForge offers a few different support streams for all users. If you would like to speak with a team member, you can get in contact via the online form or by emailing CryptoForge directly. All users can have their queries addressed, but registered users will be given priority. 

There’s also a neat user guide that comes packaged with the product download. This contains a full guide to getting started, as well as information about virtually everything you need to know. There are even a few FAQs for those looking for quick answers. 

Security

As an advanced encryption program that’s designed to help you secure your files, CryptoForge naturally boasts great security features. It uses industry-standard encryption algorithms, including Blowfish, AES, and others to ensure all files are protected from prying eyes. The program’s code contains mechanisms that prevent it from being modified, ensuring hackers can’t access your files by going down this path. 

The competition

If you don’t think CryptoForge is quite right for your needs, Folder Lock is an alternative worth considering. It’s mainly targeted at mobile file management, enabling you to encrypt photos, documents, and other files through the app. 

Another great option is AxCrypt, which can be used to encrypt standard files on your computer as well as files on various cloud storage platforms. The smartphone app enables you to access your files on the go, and the program is available in numerous languages. 

Final verdict

All in all, CryptoForge provides excellent encryption services that can be used by both personal and business users. It’s affordable, backed by a decent selection of features, and very easy to use. 

In addition, its encryption tools are built with industry-standard algorithms which are virtually impossible to break. But customer service is limited to email and online ticketing, and the free version is only available for 30 days. 

Overall, though, CryptoForge is worth considering if you’re looking for advanced encryption software to help secure your files. 

• We've also featured the best encryption software

The best encryption software is usually designed to provide a fast, intuitive way to protect files and folders on your computer or other devices. Generally, advanced encryption algorithms are used to eliminate the risk of a successful brute-force attack, and all files can be protected from prying eyes. 

• Interested in Advanced Encryption Package? Check out the website here

In our Advanced Encryption Package review, we take a close look at this file encryption program. After an in-depth analysis, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about this program and whether or not it’s as useful as it appears to be on the surface. 

• Also check out our roundup of the best ransomware protection

Plans and pricing

An evaluation version of the Advanced Encryption Package software is available with a 30-day free trial. You can use this to test the full capabilities of the program, or else you could just purchase a lifetime license from the start. 

Prices start at $49.95 for a single license, but there are significant volume discounts available For example, prices go down to just $21.55 each if you need 100–199 licenses. You can also get in contact with the team to discuss prices for bulk license packages. 

Nonprofits and educational organizations will benefit from a great 30% discount across the board. There are numerous payment methods available, including PayPal, credit/debit cards, and bank transfer, and the checkout is simple and easy to navigate. 

Features

Although it’s far from the most advanced file encryption program we’ve used, the Advanced Encryption Package still boasts a number of noteworthy features. 

There are two different encryption methods available to those who want to secure their files. Go for symmetric encryption using one of the 17 provided encryption algorithms and provide a password for future access. Or, use asymmetric encryption with a private and a public key for extra security. 

There’s also a batch encryption tool that you can use to encrypt numerous files at once. Secure a selection of files, an entire folder, a group of folders, or an entire branch of your directory with the click of a button. 

Benefit from extra security by storing your encryption/decryption keys on a USB flash drive. Store all passwords and keys in a single USB storage vault and access them by remembering one single master password. 

Interface and in use

To get started, you will need to download Advanced Encryption Package from the company website. There’s a 30-day free trial available for you to evaluate the program, or you can enter a license key and use the premium version from the beginning. 

Actually using the program is very straightforward. Using the built-in file navigator, you can select the files and/or folders that you want to encrypt. Add a password and a riddle to help you if you forget your password, and then hit the Encrypt Now button. You can select from a number of different algorithms, ensuring you’re using the encryption standard you want to. 

Decrypting is just as easy. Simply select the files that you want to decrypt, enter your password, and hit the Decrypt Now button. 

Support

As is the case with most file encryption programs we’ve used, Advanced Encryption Package only offers email support. There are no live chat or phone options, which could make things hard for those who need fast technical support. 

Fortunately, there’s an in-depth online user manual that covers virtually everything you will need to know. There are also a few security how-to articles, along with FAQs and other self-help resources. 

Security

Advanced Encryption Package comes with a number of built-in security tools and features. For starters, it enables you to choose from 17 different encryption algorithms, including industry-standard options such as AES 256-bit, Blowfish, and Gost encryption. 

There are also a few useful tools, including an advanced password generator. Use this to create unique passwords that are difficult to crack using brute force attacks. Another notable feature is the ability to add a riddle when you encrypt files, making it possible to recover your password if you forget it. 

The competition

If you’re looking for a more powerful alternative to the Advanced Encryption Package file encryption software, we’d recommend checking out Cypherix Secure IT. This is one of the best programs we’ve used, and it comes with a suite of advanced tools such as a secure email sender and an advanced file shredder. 

Another standout option is AxCrypt, a mobile-oriented file encryption program that uses full AES encryption. It’s available in a number of languages, encrypted files can be accessed via the mobile app, and there are even tools to help you encrypt files on cloud storage drives such as Dropbox and Google Drive. 

Final verdict

Although it’s far from the most powerful file encryption tool we’ve used, the Advanced Encryption Package does have a few things going for it. It enables you to use symmetric or asymmetric encryption, there are 17 different algorithms to choose from, and there’s a decent selection of built-in tools. 

On top of this, the user guide is excellent. The desktop interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, and there are no major flaws. 

The bottom line: If you’re looking for a simple file encryption program, Advanced Encryption Package could be a good choice. But if you want something more powerful, look elsewhere. 

• We've also featured the best encryption software

Reigning supreme as the best antivirus software you can equip your devices with, you can rest assured you'll get a good price for Bitdefender, too. 

As antivirus deals go, this one saves you a fantastic 60% on Bitdefender's choice of three cybersecurity packages, securing a year's worth of coverage for your device from as little as $19.99/£16.

Save 60% off Bitdefender: in the US | in the UK

With such a great discount, you could opt for Bitdefender's go-big-or-go-home package, Total Security. This offers you protection on up to five devices, with compatibility across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices.

It also throws in nifty extra features including a basic VPN, as well as device opimization. Read more about Bitdefender's current market-smashing savings below, and cash in on this fantastic saving before it ends.

Bitdefender's antivirus deals with 60% off:

Why do we think Bitdefender is the best antivirus?

There's a multitude of reasons why we rank Bitdefender as the world's best antivirus, all of paramount importance to the user.

The provider really does have all the bases covered when it comes to creating top-notch online security software. Naturally, it has powerful anti-malware and spam detection tools, but it's also incredibly easy to set up and use while having minimal impact on the performance of your devices.

Below we have listed our top five reasons for why we consider this antivirus software to be the best:

1. Protects all systems: If you’re worrying that it won’t be able to defend your device, Bitdefender’s Total Security covers Android, Mac and iOS systems.
2. Security: In our rigorous tests, we found that Bitdefender was one of the most impressive services out there for pure blocking of malicious software. So it will give you peace of mind once installed.
3. Anonymity: All of its antivirus software seeks to ensure you remain anonymous online, also offering file encryption, firewall and anti-spam perks. 
4. Affordable: Despite its lofty position in our best antivirus countdown, Bitdefender still has extremely competitive prices in comparison to other antivirus software.
5. No compromise necessary: Bitdefender says that all of its antivirus software preserves your battery and the speed of your devices, so they keep running smoothly. We found that it doesn’t significantly interfere with your system’s speed or battery life, unlike other antivirus software.

Buying a parental control app from a big security name isn't always as sensible as it seems. The best antivirus companies rarely see parental controls as a key feature, and what you get is often underpowered and distinctly short on features.

Kaspersky Safe Kids is different. It's stuffed with functionality: content filtering, app management, screen time controls, location tracking, geofencing and more. There are extras you won't always see in even specialist parental control software, like YouTube Safe Search and history monitoring. And Safe Kids isn't an Android-only app, unlike some of the competition – it's also available for iOS, Windows and Mac.

Curious? You don't have to hand over any cash to check out the service, because Safe Kids has a decent free version. This 'only' includes web content filtering, YouTube Safe Search, app usage controls and device time management, but that's enough to understand the basics and confirm it works on your devices.

• Want to try Kaspersky Safe Kids? Check out the website here

Upgrading to Safe Kids Premium adds screen time scheduling, YouTube search history support, GPS location, geofencing and real-time alerts. That's not bad at all, especially as it's priced at just $15 to cover unlimited devices for one year. ESET Parental Control asks $30, and you can pay truly astonishing prices for some specialist parental controls apps. MSpy charges $100 to cover a single device for one year, for instance, and that's just the introductory deal – it's $200 a year on renewal.

If you're looking for antivirus, too, it might be worth considering Kaspersky's Total Security suite. This includes antivirus, a firewall, network protection, password manager and Safe Kids Premium, and is priced at $50 to protect up to five devices in year one, $100 on renewal.

That looks like good value to us (Bitdefender's similar Premium Security suite protects up to 10 devices for $65 in year one, $150 on renewal). Of course, you shouldn't choose your antivirus on the basis of the bundled parental controls, especially when they're so cheap – if you're interested in a suite, check out our Kaspersky antivirus solutions review for an in-depth look.

Setup

Safe Kids' setup works much like any other parental control app, maybe apart from the fact that you don't have to pay to try it out. Installation is mostly about approving all the permissions Safe Kids needs (nothing unexpected: access location, manage phone calls, run as a device administrator), choosing whether this is the parent's or child's system, and creating a PIN which prevents others from changing app settings.

Kaspersky Safe Kids' Parent Mode opens with a summary page for one child. Their location is displayed at the top (if you're using Safe Kids Premium), with any recent requests underneath ('can I use this app?', 'can I access this website?'), and any recent internet or app-related alerts.

If you're just getting started then you'll bypass all that and head to the Settings page, where you can set per-child rules for internet access, app management, device usage and location tracking.

You're also able to configure Safe Kids from Kaspersky's web dashboard, allowing you to tweak settings from any device, and perhaps get a better view of Safe Kids' detailed reports by browsing them on a higher resolution laptop screen.

Content filtering

Kaspersky's web content filtering uses a well-judged mix of approaches to keep your child away from dubious sites.

This starts with enforced safe search on Bing, Google, Yahoo, Yandex (unusually – but Kaspersky is a Russian firm, as is this search engine) and YouTube, reducing the chance that your kids will find inappropriate content.

Safe Kids Premium adds the option to send an alert if your kids are actively searching for restricted content, a very handy extra. (Keeping your kids away from particular types of site is welcome, but if they're repeatedly trying to find that content, that might also be worth knowing about.)

You're able to restrict websites by category (Adult, Violence, Drugs, and more). Safe Kids doesn't just support allowing or blocking site types, though: unusually, you can also set a category to 'Warn'. When your child tries to access a site in that category, they see a warning that it's not recommended, but it's up to them to decide what to do.

The 'Warn' approach could encourage older kids to buy into the idea of using the app, if it feels more like you're offering gentle advice rather than laying down the absolute law. And if you know your kids will completely ignore that advice, no problem, you don't have to use 'Warn' – just set categories to 'Block' instead.

No category-based system can ever work 100% of the time, but Safe Kids provides a couple of ways to handle exceptions.

If your kids find the system blocks them from viewing a legitimate site, they can ask you for access from within the app.

And if you notice they're able to view sites which you'd rather they didn't, then you're able to add those domains to a blacklist.

As with any parental control app, none of this gives you a complete guarantee of safety. It's better than most competitors, though, with sensible default settings and plenty of ways to customize them for each child.

Safe Kids also includes limited social media monitoring, though it is very limited, with the ability to monitor Facebook and VK posts only.

In an unusual plus, Safe Kids also handles other security issues, for example replacing Chrome's standard 'invalid site certificate' warning with a more child-friendly version of its own. It's a smart feature which could help kids avoid dangers that other parental controls miss.

App management

Kaspersky's app controls aren't as versatile as its web content filtering, but they do a fair job of covering the basics.

Safe Kids applies Google Play and App Store age restrictions by default, blocking apps which your child is (officially) too young to access.

You might not agree with those restrictions, so Safe Kids also supports blocking apps by categories like Communications, Email, File Sharing, Games, Online Shopping, Social Networking and more. (Note: there is no 'Warn' option here, just 'Blocked' or 'Allowed'.)

If that doesn't quite deliver the results you need, you can allow or block specific apps via an Exclusions list. This also provides an option to limit app use by time, for example to make sure your kids only get to play a particular game for 30 minutes a day. It's a very useful feature, but hiding it away in the Exclusions list means parents may not even realize the option is there unless they go exploring.

Overall, all of this is very easy to use and works as advertised, but other apps can be just a little more flexible. Boomerang adds an extra option enabling apps to be run at certain times of the day, for instance ('you can only play that game in the evenings'), a neat extra touch.

Screen time

Safe Kids makes it easy to set an overall screen time limit for individual days of the week, and Safe Kids Premium enables scheduling specific times when device use is allowed.

You can treat these limits as absolute, and block the device if they're breached. But Safe Kids also supports another 'Warn' option, where the app tells your child it's bedtime, but allows them to decide what to do. That gives them a little more control as they're not forced to follow fixed rules 100% of the time, but you get a notification if they carry on, so you can ask them to explain later.

Alternatively, you can opt to collect stats only. Your kids will be able to use the device as necessary, without automatic blocks or even warnings, but you'll see any breaches in the app's activity reports.

A neat bonus touch enables specifying apps which can be used even if the device is blocked, maybe something which allows your child to read a bedtime story. Any app time limits you set are still effective, though, so if you set the 'Bedtime Story Reader' to a maximum 45-minute usage per day, that's all your child will get.

Location monitoring

Location monitoring isn't available in Safe Kids Free, and it's not turned on by default in Safe Kids Premium, but once you've upgraded it's easy to set up.

After enabling the feature and choosing a device to monitor, Safe Kids displays the current device location on a map. If that's all you need to know, there's no need to go any further: glance at the Safe Kids' app and you'll see where your child's device is right now.

Safe Kids also supports geofencing, though, which is the ability to receive alerts when your child leaves important defined areas: home, school, a sports field, houses of friends or family, anywhere you might expect them to regularly spend a lot of time.

You can create as many of these 'allowed areas' as you need by selecting them on a Google map. This is easy, but a little limited: zones can only be circular, and the minimum diameter is a sizeable 0.44 miles (Kidslox can go as low as 50 meters). If your child is skipping school, but only to travel a street or two, they may stay in range and Safe Kids won't register an issue.

There's a big plus in Safe Kids' ability to schedule when your children should be at a particular location, though. Set your school area times to 8am-3pm, for instance, and Safe Kids will raise a notification if your child leaves the area within that time period, but ignore it otherwise. That could avoid a lot of unnecessary notifications if, say, your child must enter and leave one area to reach another, something that could easily happen with 0.44-mile zones.

Final verdict

Kaspersky Safe Kids doesn't have the best geofencing tools, the smartest content filtering or the most versatile app controls. It more than covers the basics, though, and what you do get is as reliable and well-designed as you'd expect from a top security firm. Go try it out immediately.

• We've picked out the best parental control software

Lots of the best parental control apps try to layer features over the top of conventional software tools, but Boomerang takes a slightly different approach by including its own safe browser, called SPIN.

Beyond that, this app promises 24/7 location tracking, message monitoring and a more positive approach to app control, although there are vast differences between the experience you get on Android when compared to iOS.

Boomerang review: Plans and pricing

Boomerang gets off to a good start with attractive pricing. There’s a 14-day free trial and, if you want to invest, the Family Pack costs $40 per year and includes licences for ten devices. If you want a single licence, it costs $20 per year per device.

That Family Pack is the best option, then, and if you want to purchase the easiest way to get started is to conduct an in-app purchase via Google Play or the App Store. But bear in mind that you may hit that ten-device limit quickly if you’re a large family with lots of devices.

Boomerang review: Features

We’d certainly recommend Google Play, though, because Boomerang is far more powerful on Android than on iOS.

On Android, for instance, you can control your children’s screen time limits and schedules, always allow them to use preferred apps, and inform your children about how much time you’ve got left. Apple’s OS misses out on all of those features – on an iPhone you can only give your children a time-out from Boomerang.

The situation continues to be this one-sided. On Android you can automatically block unfiltered web browsers, set daily timers for individual apps, block apps and schedule app usage – and none of that is available on Apple’s devices.

Call and text messaging safety is far more robust on Android, too: on Google’s platform you can see call logs, restrict calls and block numbers, view text message logs and set filters for specific words. You’ll get notified when inappropriate words are used or when children are texting with unauthorized contacts.

On Android you’ll get notified if your child removes Boomerang protection, blocks access to device settings, tries to uninstall the app or change the date and time – and none of this is available on iOS.

On both platforms you’ll get to see your child’s web history and block certain websites, but Android’s reporting is much stronger thanks to detailed email summaries, daily reports, lists of installed apps and per-app usage reporting. Android is also the only platform where you can control installed apps and use a “find my device”-style feature on your children’s phones.

It’s not all bad for iOS users. The SPIN safe browser works on both platforms, and you can block specific websites on both, too.

Location tracking works across both platforms, you can access location histories and automatic location reporting, and parents can set up impressive geofenced radii on both, too. And no matter what platform you use, you’ll get access to a family messaging group, one-on-one chatting and activity reporting.

Dive into Android, then, and far more is available. You get bedtime routine scheduling, daily app time limits, “encouraged apps” that are exempt from those rules, and the option to give kids a time out to pause their device usage.

Boomerang’s text message monitoring is extensive, with detailed logs and the option to collect all text content, and you can control who your child calls – and who can call them. You can pair family devices with your email address, so you don’t have to create new email accounts for your children, and you can block new app installs or allow for parental approval.

Elsewhere, Boomerang monitors YouTube history and searches on Android, and it’s one of the only parental control apps to use Samsung Knox security if you’re using Samsung devices.

The SPIN browser impresses, too: searches in browsers like Bing, Google and Yahoo are automatically filtered and the browser has strict built-in filtering. It doesn’t have a private browsing mode, those content filters can be customized, and its filter watches out for 20 different categories of potentially inappropriate content.

Less impressive is Boomerang’s social media functionality. It doesn’t natively monitor social media apps or emails in the same way as Bark, for instance. The app will pick up certain things by tracking messaging and typing, and you can add social media sites to its web filters – but it’s not as good as Bark or Qustodio here.

At least, because you’ve got control over what apps are installed, you can prevent your children from installing social media tools in the first place.

Boomerang review: Interface and in-use

It’s not unusual for the installation and setup of parental control apps to be a bit fiddly, and that’s certainly the case with Boomerang.

To get call and SMS monitoring, you’ll have to install Android apps on your children’s devices via the Boomerang website, rather than the Google Play Store. You may also have to delve into the settings on the device to allow for non-store installations.

Thankfully, the parent apps can just be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store, and it’s far easier. And when everything is set up, the interface is a mixed bag: the phone app is relatively slick, but the web dashboard is archaic and harder to use when compared to the web interfaces offered by most rivals.

Boomerang review: Support

Boomerang’s support is rudimentary. Users can submit a support ticket, but the website hasn’t got any indication of how long it’ll take to get a response.

Elsewhere, there’s a knowledge base and FAQ section online, and a forum that wasn’t particularly active at the time of writing. There’s a podcast and a blog, but that’s it for support.

Boomerang review: The competition

We’ve already mentioned Bark and Qustodio, and both rival apps do a better job with email and social media monitoring – but, negatively, both are a little more expensive than Boomerang, too.

Boomerang is stronger than the competition when it comes to geofencing and screen time management thanks to its granular controls in both areas.

Qustodio is better for iOS, with a more robust offering on that platform, and OurPact is also a better alternative for Apple’s platform.

Boomerang review: Final verdict

Boomerang has its negatives, then, especially when it comes to iOS support and monitoring of email and social media apps, but it’s much stronger with geofencing, filtering, scheduling and web browsers – especially thanks to the proprietary SPIN app.

This means Boomerang is ideal for Android-based families with children who don’t currently use email or social media. The price is pleasingly affordable, too.

• We've picked out the best parental control software

All of the best parental control apps focus on different features and take their own approach to protecting children – and for Kidslox, that means a significant concentration on location services.

Using this app, you’ll be able to see your kids’ locations, track their location history, and even view the routes they’ve taken. And beyond that, Kidslox offers screen time schedules, web filtering and app blocking.

On paper, then, that’s a solid selection of features, but can Kidslox compete with big names like Qustodio, OurPact and other strong competitors?

• We've also featured the best parental control software

Plans and pricing

Kidslox is available in two pricing tiers: Basic and Family. The Basic package costs $3.09/£2.39 per month if paid annually, and the Family option is $4.64/£3.59 per month with the same year-long deal.

As the name suggests, the Basic package is more limited – it works with one device, while you get support for ten on the Family option.

And while you get web filtering, location tracking, screen time limits, and app blocking using both pricing models, if you opt for the Basic service, you miss out on more advanced location abilities, alongside more innovative settings like remote screen view.

Features

Kidslox has one of the best location-tracking modules we’ve seen on any parental control app. As well as providing real-time tracking so you can see your child’s location on your map, you can view their location history over the past seven days – so you can see routes, where they stopped, and for how long.

Geofencing is supported with instant alerting when your child arrives or leaves your designated zones. The geofencing radius of 1,000 metres is generous, and you can easily edit zones you’ve already created.

By default, Kidslox sets a two-hour device limit on weekdays and a three-hour limit on weekends. Users can customize these limits as needed, with scheduling available for every day of the week. The limits are easy to adjust, and children can request more screen time directly from within their version of the app.

Screen time is even lightly gamified in Kidslox: parents can assign children chores and reward them with more time if they’re completed.

Elsewhere, Kidslox offers bedtime lock scheduling, prevents notifications during nighttime hours, and the app supports up to five different screen time schedules.

The parent app offers easy options for locking apps immediately, and parents can also create a list of allowed apps for permanent access – a handy feature for educational software. Parents can also lock the device entirely if needed.

Web content is filtered through a blocklist with over four million URLs, and parents can easily add more sites to the list. Internet access can be locked entirely if needed, and children are not allowed to disable the safe search settings built into browsers like Bing and Google.

Kidslox also allows parents to see browsing histories and app usage – with the latter only available on Android. If the children’s device uses Android, parents can take a screenshot at any time and receive reports with periodic screenshots of the device.

This is a good range of features, but it’s worth taking a deeper dive into what features are only available in the Family version of the app.

You only get alerts for inappropriate searches, nudity, new app installations and locations in the more expensive package, for instance. You’ll need to pay for the Family package to get the gamified time rewards, location histories, and the option to view your child’s search, YouTube and TikTok activity. That handy remote screen view option is only included in the pricier version, too.

It’s also worth noting what features are not available in either of the Kidslox pricing tiers. You can’t block websites by category or type – unlike other apps, which offer dozens of options. Instead, you’re limited to using the full Kidslox block list and adding your own sites individually.

Other apps keep data for longer – some of Kidslox’s histories are only available for seven days – and this app does not monitor text messages, calls or social media apps.

It would have been useful if differing screen time limits could be set for different apps. Additionally, there is no keylogging functionality available with this app.

Interface and in-use

This is one area where Kidslox excels. Download the app from Google Play or the App Store, use a handy code to pair it with the child app on the kids’ phones, give the app the necessary permissions, and you’re good to go.

GIFs during the setup process show you precisely what to do, which makes installation even easier.

Once that’s done, the impressive design continues. As well as being visually attractive, it’s very easy to use, with features laid out sensibly in a straightforward and intuitive layout.

Statistics are displayed clearly, too, and it’s very easy to see what changes you’re making. The same goes for the child’s app, too – everything is simple to understand.

Support

This is another area where Kidslox performs well. Its knowledge base and FAQ section are comprehensive and an excellent starting point for solving most problems. There are also videos available for solving various common issues.

Support is accessed by emailing Kidslox, and it’s also possible to fill out a web form and attach files if you prefer that approach.

Customer feedback indicates that Kidslox email support is highly responsive, too, with responses within a matter of hours.

There’s no live chat or phone support, though, so you’ll need to explore apps like Qustodio if you’d like that level of access. That said, at the time of writing, a message within the app was asking parents if they’d prefer to use phone support as it’s an option that Kidslox is considering – so that feature may be added in the future.

The competition

Bark is better than Kidslox when it comes to social media monitoring – indeed, Bark is one of the best options on the market for monitoring those kinds of apps.

And if you want to see how long your children have spent on specific websites, then you should investigate Qustodio.

Kidslox, though, competes well with its location abilities, it’s reasonable in other areas, and it’s easy to use. And it’s also a little cheaper than both of its rivals: the Family package is over $40 cheaper than Bark’s annual Premium plan, and Qustodio is pricier as well.

Final verdict

Kidslox is very strong when it comes to location features, and its monitoring, reporting and screen time abilities are all impressive – we like the option to reward your children for completing chores.

When it comes to web filtering and monitoring social media, calls and texts, though, Kidslox is weaker. It would be better if web filtering had categories. Beyond its screenshot abilities, this app can’t monitor social apps, calls, or texts at all. And the Basic package is just that – it misses out on many of the features that justify buying Kidslox in the first place.

It’s easy to set up and use, though, it’s strong when it comes to location abilities, and it’s cheaper than the competition. Kidslox is not ideal if you need to monitor social media or if you want better filtering, but for affordable location-based tracking, it’s good.

If your family uses Android devices and you don’t want to pay extra for one of the best parental control apps, then it can be tempting to turn to Google Family Link – Android’s own parental control suite.

Unsurprisingly, this tool works well with Google’s own apps, like Search, Chrome and YouTube, and it can save you money because you’re not investing elsewhere.

But a deeper dive into its features reveals some missing capabilities when compared to other apps – so let’s find out if it’s a false economy.

• Want to try Google Family Link? Check out the website here

Features

We’ve skipped our usual “Plans and pricing” section because there’s nothing to say beyond the fact that this app is free.

Before you get started, it’s worth checking Family Link’s device compatibility, too. For kids, Family Link is compatible with Android devices running version 7.0 or higher. However, only certain settings will function on devices using Android 5.0 or 6.0. There’s no kids app for iOS.

For parents, the control app runs on Android devices running Android 5.0 or higher or iOS devices running iOS 11 or higher.

That last point is a boon because it means you can use Family Link on children’s devices even if you’re a parent on iOS.

Family Link allows users to set screen time controls, including downtime and app-specific time limits. Parents can also manage app, website, and extension permissions and downloads through the control software.

You can always see your child’s location thanks to Google’s mapping prowess, too.

Delve into many of these features, though, and you’ll discover that they’re relatively basic.

You can set device usage limits and restricted times for your children, with support for 15-minute increments, so they won’t be browsing their phones during school hours or bedtime, for instance.

Device locking is supported, and you can also give your children always-on access to certain apps. But when compared to other tools, like Bark or Qustodio, Google’s Family Link is pretty basic here.

The filtering is relatively rudimentary, too. While there’s no doubt that Google’s SafeSearch filtering works very well by blocking or blurring unsuitable text and images, other apps offer dozens of categories to choose from if you want to block specific topics, and you can’t go any further than SafeSearch here. You can block certain sites and allow others, but you’ll have more control elsewhere. And while Family Link filters YouTube, too, the options here are still fairly basic.

More impressive is Family Link’s app capability. You can see exactly which apps your children have installed and either block or limit their usage individually.

Content restrictions are available for Google Play, and you can prevent your children from making purchases as well – handy if you want them to stop spending a lot of money on addictive games. You can also prevent app installation from unknown sources and stop your children from adding or removing users from their devices or delving into the Developer options.

Unsurprisingly, Google’s location tracking is very accurate, and you can set up geofenced locations with decent radius limits – although other apps are even wider here.

You’ll get notified if children leave the area. One smart addition is the ability to view your child’s battery status, allowing you to spot if they’re about to run out of charge, too.

One notable omission here, though, is location history – it’s simply not available.

Elsewhere, Family Link doesn’t include text or call monitoring, and across basically every part of the app you don’t get the granular control you’ll find on other tools. Other apps also offer more comprehensive activity monitoring, including email and social media monitoring. And when your kids are 13, they can opt out of the monitoring if they wish.

Interface and in-use

As you’d expect from a Google app, Family Link is a sleek and minimalist piece of software that looks clean and uncluttered. It’s easy for parents and kids to navigate most of the settings available, which means setup is quick.

That’s great if you want an app that doesn’t overwhelm you with information, but it also means that some crucial bits of info can be hard to find.

You’ll need to use different screens to check children’s app and YouTube usage, for instance, and you'll also have to delve into various menus to view their web history. Many competitors make it easier to access this information, offering more centralized access to reports, alerts, and details.

Setup is easy, at least: because this is an official Google product, you don’t have to deal with the sideloading that's sometimes required elsewhere.

Support

Unsurprisingly, from a computing behemoth like Google, Family Link’s support is a little sporadic and impersonal.

If you need help you’ll need to go through Google’s official channels, and you’ll probably not get a fast response.

Thankfully, there are plenty of good knowledge base articles in the help center, but that’s it. If you want more extensive or faster support, a dedicated app will be far better.

The competition

Norton Family, for instance, has much better support, with live chat, and Qustodio has phone support available for people in certain tiers.

There’s also no denying that those apps are more extensive in terms of features, even if competitors fall short in certain areas: Norton doesn’t do well with text and call monitoring either, and Qustodio can be pricey.

Final verdict

Google Family Link’s free price is one of its biggest selling points, then, and elsewhere its key strength comes from its granular, powerful app controls and its decent screen time and scheduling options.

Go beyond this, though, and Google Family Link is lacking. You may have to pay for rivals, but they have far more extensive filtering and location tracking and work on a broader array of devices.

Google Family Link is ideal if you want to use it alongside one of those apps, perhaps to control Google Play usage or double up on filtering to have an extra safety net. But it’s just not powerful enough to function as your primary parental control tool.

• We've picked out the best free parental control software