The World Cup final. One match, one night, and then a four-year wait until the next one. Whatever can go wrong with your stream, tonight is not the night for it.

The threats are real and they're varied. If you're watching from abroad, geo-restrictions could lock you out of the coverage you'd get at home. If you're on public Wi-Fi – at a bar, a hotel, a fan zone – your connection is shared, unsecured, and unpredictable. And if you're at home on your own broadband, your ISP can see exactly what you're doing – and has every incentive to throttle a 4K stream on one of the busiest nights of the streaming year.

Using one of the best VPNs solves all three at once, routing your traffic through an encrypted tunnel that sidesteps geo-blocks, secures public connections, and hides your activity from your ISP.

Norton VPN currently tops our best streaming VPN rankings, and with a deal running right now that brings it to $3.33 per month, there's no better time to get it sorted before kickoff.

How does Norton VPN compare to other top VPNs?

Surfshark is our pick for the best cheap VPN, and at $2.49 per month it's a very affordable option – with the added bonus of unlimited device connections that Norton doesn't offer. The gap is streaming consistency. Norton has been the more reliable performer across every major platform in our testing, and for a final that comes around once every four years, that's the gap that matters.

NordVPN is our top-ranked VPN overall, and earns it – 9,000+ servers across 148 countries, speeds of over 1,000 Mbps, and a near-flawless unblocking record. At $3.49 per month it costs more than Norton's current deal, though, and its 30-day guarantee is half the safety net Norton gives you for a night this important.

It's also worth remembering that the World Cup final isn't a game you can quietly catch up on tomorrow. The result will be everywhere before you've even found a replay link – on your phone, in your group chats, across every headline. Whatever VPN you go with tonight, just make sure it's one you've actually tested before kickoff.

For a night with no replay, no second viewing, and a four-year wait for the next one, Norton makes the strongest case.

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

You already know about Microsoft’s desperate ploys to get you to use Edge on Windows 11 — chances are you’re one of the folks who have gone through the test of patience to install Firefox or Google Chrome.

Well, new research by Mozilla reveals that the Redmond crew are not only still up to their old tricks, but getting worse. All kinds of “harmful design” shenanigans are at play here, in order to “not allow people to download and install an alternative browser, to set it as their default, or to continue using it as their default, without harmful interference.”

If only we could only get the same treatment as Windows users get in the EU...

Staying desperate

So what did the research find? Well, Mozilla discovered that a lot of the shady tricks Microsoft was called out for in the past are still happening:

• Visual interference: Searching for different browsers to download in Edge still brings up the “All you need is right here” banner, as well as a banner promoting the browser when you go to Chrome’s download page.
• Default browser selection trickery: There is a button at the top of the default apps screen to change to a different browser, but not every file type is switched over.
• Trick wording: Things like “Use Microsoft’s recommended browser settings,” “You’re almost done setting up your PC” and more still persist.
• Dark patterns: In the setup screens you normally see a few days later, Edge-preferential options are shown as big blue buttons, whereas keeping the same settings is usually smaller, greyed-out text.

And that’s just a few of the many different harmful patterns Mozilla found — including Copilot opening links in Edge instead of your default browser, pre-selecting checkboxes to sync data to Edge, and resetting it as the default browser when you migrate from Windows 10 to 11.

Just make a better browser

It screams “inferiority complex” if I’m being real, which is a shame because Edge is indeed a good browser. It runs on the same Chromium engine as Chrome (to support all the same extensions), but also has some efficiencies built into it to not drain the battery as badly.

But this aggressive lock-in, some high RAM resource usage in the background and the clutter of Copilot and MSN news does make it falter. It’s not like Microsoft doesn't have a history of doing this — they were taken to court over an antitrust lawsuit in 1998 for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows and making it difficult to install a competing browser.

The only difference now is that users are committed enough to jump through those hoops to get to their favorite browsers. I mean “Google Chrome” is one of the most searched terms on Bing after all!

If you want to compete, build something better. Don’t go about it this way.

More from Tom's Guide

• SK Hynix warns 2027 will be 'worst year' for RAM prices — right as a damning report reveals something that will add fuel to the price-fixing lawsuit
• Router overheating? The simple mistakes killing your Wi-Fi this summer — according to a networking expert
• Dangerous new CrashStealer Mac impersonates Apple's own tools — and bypasses Gatekeeper — to steal your passwords and more

Even with one of the best MacBooks, you can never be too careful when downloading new apps. Case in point: a new malicious Mac app is posing as a legitimate Apple tool to steal passwords, keychain data and more from vulnerable systems.

As reported by BleepingComputer, the app in question serves as a means to infect vulnerable Apple computers with a new Mac info-stealer. While security researchers at Jamf first observed it back in May when it was still in development, this malware is now being actively used by cybercriminals in their attacks.

Dubbed CrashStealer, what makes this Mac malware strain so dangerous is the way in which it perfectly mimics Apple’s own macOS crash reports. Although something might seem off to more discerning users, others could easily fall for this attack given how much care and attention has gone into impersonating this legitimate tool.

Here’s everything you need to know about this new Mac malware and how you can keep your own MacBook and all the sensitive data it contains safe from hackers.

Impersonating a legitimate Apple utility

In their report, Jamf’s security researchers explain how the malware hides in plain sight by posing as a meeting platform called Werkbit. While they don’t go into details about the malware’s initial distribution method, a malicious app like this could be distributed via fake ads or on a developer-focused site like GitHub.

After downloading the app, it’s mounted on your desktop just like with any new software you download for your Mac. Surprisingly, though, the hackers behind this campaign are using a signed and Apple-notarized installer to distribute their fake app. Not only does this add a sense of legitimacy to the app but it also allows it to bypass Apple’s built-in Gatekeeper security feature without any warnings whatsoever.

When launched for the first time, the app displays a fake macOS password prompt that looks strikingly similar to what you’d see when downloading new software manually as opposed to through the Mac App Store. Once a victim puts in the password for their Mac, the hackers then have everything they need to unlock their Apple Keychain which acts as macOS’ encrypted password vault and contains all sorts of sensitive info like saved credentials in Safari, app passwords, Wi-Fi passwords and more.

The CrashStealer malware isn’t just limited to stealing from your Keychain though. It can also steal browser credentials and cookies from Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers as well as Firefox. Likewise, it can steal data from 80 different crypto wallet extensions and 14 of the best password managers including 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane and more.

To get all of this stolen data off your Mac, the malware encrypts it before packaging it into hidden ZIP archives and uploading it to a hacker-controlled C&C server.

By using a signed and notarized dropper and a re-signed payload, CrashStealer is a sophisticated Mac malware that’s especially good at avoiding detection.

How to stay safe from Mac malware

If you’re worried about CrashStealer and other Mac malware, the first thing you should do is to avoid sideloading apps, or in this case, installing new apps from anywhere besides the Mac App Store.

Just like on one of the best Android smartphones, when you download new apps from websites instead of an official app store, you’re putting your devices and the data they contain at risk. Apps submitted to the Mac App Store go through rigorous security checks while those you download from a random website don’t.

Normally when you download an unverified app from the web, macOS’s built-in Gatekeeper security feature will block it or warn you before you install it. In this case, though, that doesn’t happen since the installer used in this campaign is signed and appears to be legitimate. Well, at least in Gatekeeper’s eyes.

While Gatekeeper can keep you safe from most threats, there are ones like this that manage to bypass its defenses. For this reason, you might want to consider using one of the best Mac antivirus software solutions alongside Apple’s built-in ones. That way, if something slips past Apple, your third-party antivirus software will be able to stop the threat before it can do serious damage.

Since CrashStealer is still a relatively new Mac malware, this likely won’t be the last time we see it. This is why you always need to be extra careful when downloading and installing new software onto your Apple computer.

More from Tom’s Guide

• New PamStealer Mac malware poses as a clipboard manager to steal login info
• Apple’s ‘Hide My Email’ reportedly exposing real email addresses
• GTA 6 warning: Pre-order scams are stealing users' info and spreading malware

The official Grand Theft Auto 6 launch isn't for several months, but pre-orders have been in full swing since the end of June. You may want to be careful if you try to order the game, though.

Security researchers from Kaspersky recently released a warning via email to Tom's Guide that cybercriminals are using the hype around GTA 6 to deploy a "wide range of fraud schemes." The most common scheme appears to be fake pre-order websites or false video tutorials on how to get the game.

"Highly anticipated game releases have long presented significant opportunities for cybercriminals, and we are already detecting related fraudulent activity," Olga Altukhova, a Senior Web Content Analyst at Kaspersky, said in the report. "These schemes are carefully timed to capitalize on heightened consumer excitement: attackers understand that periods of intense anticipation can lower users’ guard and create a false sense of urgency."

The fake sites utilize graphics and copy that mimic Rockstar's branding, including real trailers and promotional artwork. They offer gamers the ability to pre-order the game for the PS5 or Xbox.

Unfortunately, when users enter their personal details and payment information, it sets them up to potentially have their bank accounts drained and sensitive data compromised.

According to Kaspersky, the false pages have been found in multiple languages, which indicates that scammers are targeting unsuspecting people across the globe.

Other frauds to avoid

Fake websites aren't the only scam. At least one website was offering what it claimed to be a beta version of the game as a download framing it as a leak.

The false beta was promoted on social media and streaming platforms where scammers showed gamers how to "safely" download the game. Downloading and opening the file enabled malware to be installed on your system which could lead to compromised data and unauthorized access.

Finally, cryptocurrency owners are also being targeted via suspicious websites promoting tokens using GTA 6 branding.

How to safely pre-order and avoid scammers

As always, when it comes to software, whether games or programs, we always recommend you purchase or download from official sources.

GTA 6 is only launching on PS5 and Xbox Series S and X this November. If you're interested, purchase the game through the storefronts on your console of choice. Or you can go to the official Rockstar GTA 6 site and pre-order there.

Kaspersky recommends using a prepaid card when purchasing games to avoid exposing your credit card or bank account information. It's an extra step but good practice for keeping your financial information safe.

Even beyond of GTA 6, you should always double-check the URL formats of websites you're visiting, especially ones you're not familiar with. Also check the spelling of names and organizations where typos can reveal falsehoods.

Online scams often end up with nasty malware infections, so you want to keep your devices protected as well. Make sure that you're using the best antivirus software on your Windows PC, the best Mac antivirus software on your Apple computer, and one of the best Android antivirus apps on your Android smartphone

For even greater protection and help recovering any funds lost to scams, you may also want to consider signing up for one of the best identity theft protection services.

Finally, consider enabling multi-factor authentication and monitoring accounts regularly, which can help warn you about unauthorized access.

More from Tom's Guide

• 3 cloud gaming services I recommend if gaming platforms are too expensive
• Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a remake done right — and the best pirate game I’ve ever played
• I grinded enough Microsoft reward points to get GTA 6 for free — here's how you can do it too

ExpressVPN has expanded its global server network to 214 "app-selectable locations" across 113 countries – its broadest coverage to date. The expansion adds new connection points across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North America, with cities including Nuuk, Lagos, Doha, Valencia, and Manchester among the new additions.

For users of one of the most popular best VPNs on the market, more locations means more precise control over where their encrypted connection appears to originate – which affects everything from latency to which local services and content are accessible. The expansion also builds on ExpressVPN's earlier rollout across all 50 US states, extending that same local-first approach to its global network.

The headline figure of 214 deserves some scrutiny, however. ExpressVPN counts multiple connection points within the same city – Toronto 1 and Toronto 2, for example – as distinct locations. By our count, the network sits closer to 196. Both figures tell a real story, but they're measuring different things.

How much has changed?

The expansion represents a meaningful step up for ExpressVPN's network. By country count, the service has grown from 108 to 113 – an increase of 5. By location count, our latest testing puts the figure at 196 unique locations, up from 188 – an increase of 8. The gap between that 196 and ExpressVPN's stated 214 comes down to methodology – the company counts multiple connection points within the same city as distinct "app-selectable locations."

However, the most significant new addition is one ExpressVPN hasn't drawn attention to: China. The service now offers a Chinese IP address, though the physical server is hosted in Singapore – a setup ExpressVPN lists transparently on its virtual server locations page.

For those who need a Chinese IP for work, travel, or accessing local services, this is a genuinely useful addition, even with that caveat. It's also a selling point over big rivals NordVPN and Surfshark, which don't offer any locations in China.

How does ExpressVPN compare?

In terms of country count – the metric that matters most for most users – ExpressVPN's 113 puts it behind NordVPN (149 countries) and Proton VPN (148 countries). However, these are the only two reputable providers we can confidently say offer broader reach, and finishing third in this particular race is far from embarrassing.

The gap narrows when location depth is taken into account: ExpressVPN's 196 unique locations trails NordVPN's 224 and Proton VPN's 193, but comfortably outpaces Surfshark, our pick for the best cheap VPN, which covers 100 countries across 142 locations.

It's also worth noting that country count and location count measure different things. Country coverage determines where a VPN can get you. Location count determines how precisely you can get there – useful for reducing latency or accessing city-specific content in large countries. ExpressVPN has historically punched above its weight on the latter, and this expansion keeps it competitive.

Taken as a whole, this is a meaningful upgrade rather than a transformative one – with one exception. The addition of China changes the calculus for a specific group of users in a way that no location count figure can capture.

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

USA vs. Belgium is one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and millions of fans will be settling in front of their screens on Monday to watch it unfold.

But there is a good chance your stream won't go quite as planned. Just as the referee blows the whistle for kickoff, your crisp picture could easily drop into a pixelated, low-res mess — or freeze entirely.

The culprit? Your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

During major live sporting events, internet service providers frequently throttle bandwidth to manage the surge in users.

The good news is there's a straightforward technical fix, and you don't need to be particularly tech-savvy to use it.

The best VPNs encrypt your internet traffic before it leaves your device, masking it from your ISP. Because your provider can no longer see what kind of data you're consuming, it won't trigger its throttling algorithms — leaving you with a stable, high-def stream from kickoff to the final whistle.

Is it worth keeping after the match?

If you decide to keep the service beyond Monday's match, an annual plan breaks down to less than a single match-day takeaway — and it will cover your connection for every remaining game for the rest of the year.

Because it comes with an industry-double 60-day money-back guarantee, you can essentially test it out completely risk-free. If it doesn't instantly stabilize your stream, you can claim a full refund without any hassle.

Either way, don't leave it until the last minute. Get the app downloaded and run a quick speed test before kickoff today — so when the first whistle blows, you're confident in your stream.

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

Security researchers who focus on Apple devices have discovered a new macOS malware that appears to be surprisingly clever while it harvests data and login credentials.

According to the IT firm Jamf (via ArsTechnica), the new malware, dubbed PamStealer, can get on your Mac in two stages. First, it disguises itself as Maccy, a clipboard manager.

Apparently, PamStealer is compiled as AppleScript written in Rust that uses the Pluggable Authentication Modules interface that is built into macOS to target the device's login password, which is then sent to an attacker-controlled server.

What makes PamStealer unique is that it combines AppleScript and disk images to stealthily enter your computer. When you click the AppleScript, it opens the macOS Script Editor where the malware is buried in the file.

"Rather than relying on shell commands such as curl or zsh, the AppleScript executes a self-contained JavaScript for Automation (JXA) downloader that retrieves and stages the payload using native Objective-C APIs," the Jamf team wrote. "Combined with a Rust-based second stage and a password capture workflow that validates credentials locally through PAM, the result is a quieter execution chain than we typically observe in commodity macOS stealers."

How PamStealer works

When someone installs the false Maccy and opens the disk image, they're prompted to enter Command-R immediately. Doing so executes the malicious code inside AppleScript. This allows it to bypass com.apple.quarantine, a normal macOS feature that offers warnings and restrictions when you're opening executable files from the internet.

The second stage is a Mach-O file specifically written for Macs running Apple M-series CPUs. Rust is apparently an uncommon code for macOS infostealers. This bundles SQLite and calls it read interface, meaning it opens and reads databases files directly.

PamStealer will pop up a native password prompt that is meant to resemble a system authorization request. It reads, "“Maccy wants to make changes. Enter your password to allow this.”

Once a password is entered, it's validated through the PAM API, meaning its harder for malware defenders to detect. Additionally, it can either give a malicious actor full disk access or inject code designed to access Ethereum accounts.

“Together, these behaviors illustrate how commodity macOS stealers continue to evolve, adopting quieter execution chains and native implementations that reduce traditional detection opportunities while remaining compatible with standard macOS features,” Jamf said.

How to stay safe from PamStealer

First and foremost, Maccy is a real, legitimate app that is quite popular. If you are interested in checking the app, the only real website is maccy.app.

Jamf found the fake Maccy was being hosted at maccyapp.com, a site you should not visit.

Secondly, it's a good reminder to double and triple-check website URLs. Specifically for macOS apps, you can also see if the app in question is available in the Apple App Store. Maccy, for instance, is in the App Store.

Apple is still a pretty closed garden so if you're looking for something and want to be sure it's real, I would recommend starting there before venturing into the hinterlands of the internet.

Beyond that, your Mac does come with built-in security software in the form of XProtect. But if you need some extra protection, it might be worth investing in one of the best Mac antivirus software solutions to run alongside it.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple’s ‘Hide My Email’ reportedly exposing real email addresses
• What is Q-Day?
• 'Amazon put identity theft victims through a Kafkaesque ordeal': FTC issues $2.5 million fine over denying requests

Back when it was first revealed alongside iCloud Plus, Apple’s Hide My Email always seemed like magic as anyone could use it to avoid handing out their ‘real’ email address. However, a newly disclosed vulnerability just revealed that this privacy feature isn’t so private after all, leaving a way for attackers to completely uncover your actual email address.

For those unfamiliar, Hide My Email is one of the built-in perks that comes with a paid iCloud account. Once enabled, it masks your primary email address and replaces it with a randomly generated one that ends in @icloud.com. From there, Apple makes it easy to view any emails sent to that random address as they’re automatically forwarded to your main email address.

Think of Hide My Email as a fast-tracked way to get a burner email address from one of the biggest names in tech. And the best part, you don’t need one of the best iPhones to use this feature since even Android and Windows users can sign up for iCloud Plus.

From signing up for newsletters to free trials, Hide My Email can be an incredibly useful feature, especially for those times when you don’t want to use your work or personal email to avoid ending up with loads of spam in your inbox.

Personally, I always thought it seemed too good to be true and according to a new report from 404 Media, that just might be the case. Here’s everything you need to know about this new Hide My Email vulnerability along with some alternatives you might want to try out in the meantime until Apple finally rolls out a real patch for this major flaw.

Not your standard disclosure

Normally with high-profile vulnerabilities, security researchers discover them and then inform the company in question about their findings. Once this is done, they usually give companies a 90-day window to verify the bug, patch it, and test that their fix actually works. Sometimes though, companies might ask for an extension if they’re dealing with a difficult-to-patch, high-severity vulnerability.

According to 404 Media’s reporting, security researcher Tyler Murphy went above and beyond when reporting the Hide My Email vulnerability to Apple back in June of last year. Instead of 90 days, he reported the issue and showed how to replicate it to Apple over a year ago. After waiting all that time, Murphy has finally come out and disclosed the vulnerability to 404 Media.

It’s worth noting though that neither Murphy nor 404 Media have revealed the exact details of this major vulnerability. Apparently though, it’s still exploitable as the news outlet independently verified the flaw this week, uncovering their own reporter's real address using a hidden email alias.

After reporting the issue to Apple, the company told Murphy that it was looking into the vulnerability. From there, Cupertino said that it was fixed back in March of this year. However, during his follow-up investigation, Murphy discovered that it was still exploitable. He then contacted Apple about the vulnerability again, and Apple effectively begged him not to go public, stating they would "appreciate" him keeping quiet until an actual fix rolls out.

As it stands now, Hide My Email can reveal your real email address since a patch that actually fixes this bug hasn’t been released yet.

Hide My Email alternatives you can try right now

Given this is a major vulnerability that completely undermines Apple’s privacy-first focus, I guarantee that if the company wasn’t actively working on a fix, it absolutely is now. However, since your real email address could have been exposed as a result of this bug, you might be considering other alternatives.

Another reason you might want to ditch Hide My Email is due to an upcoming change Apple recently announced in a blog post. Instead of just providing you with a random email address ending in @icloud.com, going forward, all of your new burner email addresses will end with the dedicated @private.icloud.com subdomain. This might seem like a small change, but it’s actually quite a significant one. By switching to a unified, obvious subdomain, the very websites on which you previously used Hide My Email could soon start blocking your burner addresses automatically because they are so easy to identify. If you want to get ahead of that change, here are some alternatives worth considering.

Proton is well-known for its privacy-first tools, and just like Apple, it also has an email forwarding service called SimpleLogin. It’s considered one of the best alternatives to Hide My Email overall, and along with dedicated iOS and Android apps, it also works seamlessly in any web browser. Another cool feature is that you can instantly toggle your email aliases off with a single tap.

Another alternative worth considering is DuckDuckGo’s Email Protection. The privacy-focused search engine’s email alias service is both completely free and very lightweight. It’s built into both its browser extensions and mobile apps and generates a @duck.com email alias. Besides hiding your real email address, this alternative also strips out hidden ad trackers before forwarding replies from your email alias right to your real inbox.

Finally, there’s Mozilla’s Firefox Relay. It provides you with email aliases via a simple browser extension and has a user-friendly dashboard that lets you manage, mask, and delete your email aliases very easily.

Apple’s Hide My Email made email aliases mainstream and has been a godsend for many iCloud users. However, given this recent vulnerability and its potential fallout, no one would blame you for giving a similar service a try.

More from Tom's Guide

• 'Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt ': DuckDuckGo CEO says installs are surging after Google I/O
• What are anti-censorship features and how is Proton VPN leading the way?
• We asked cybersecurity experts to build a privacy toolbox for $10 per month – here's what they came up with, and more

The Federal Trade Commission is fining Amazon $2.25 million over allegations that the retail giant regularly denied records requests from identity theft victims. The U.S. agency accused Amazon of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Per an FTC press release, a complaint was filed by the Department of Justice as a referral from the FTC. It alleged that Amazon failed to comply with Section 609(e) of the FCRA, which requires companies to provide victims of identity theft with records about transactions made in their name within 30 days of a consumer's request.

FTC accusations against Amazon

Amazon apparently did not have a written policy for responding to 609(e) requests until last year.

“Amazon often put identity theft victims through a Kafkaesque ordeal by demanding they identify the thief who stole their information before Amazon would release the records the law entitles them to—records that could help victims protect themselves and recover from the fraudulent conduct,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said in the release.

The complaint claims that customers who reached out to Amazon were often told that the requested records could not be provided for "security" or "privacy" reasons. In one provided example, a consumer tried to get business records related to unauthorized charges from a fraudulent account. However, Amazon reportedly refused for security reasons unless the consumer "guessed the name on the [fraudulent] account," which they were unable to do.

Penalties and resolution

Alongside the $2.25 million civial penalty, the DOJ's proposed order requires Amazon to provide records lawfully requested by identity theft victims and law enforcement agencies. It also requires the company to provide notice to customers about how they can request FCRA records.

Additionally, Amazon is required to contact any customers who requested records since April 2024.

An Amazon spokesperson told Tom's Guide that it has implemented process improvements and resolved the matter with the FTC.

“We are committed to providing customers with their detailed account information when they need it most. We've resolved this matter with the FTC and have implemented process improvements for customers who believe they may be victims of identity theft. Customers who need assistance requesting their records can visit our Help Page to learn more."

How to contact Amazon for Identity Theft records

Amazon has a portal for Identity theft called "Report Suspicious Activity." There you can report unrecognized orders, chargers to your payment methods that aren't from your Amazon account and other unauthorized activity.

You can request records relating to fraudulent transactions via the Request Your Data portal. If that's not enough you can also send an email or physical mail:

By Email: fcra-requests@amazon.com

By Mail: Amazon Legal Department
Attn: FCRA Records Requests
P.O. Box 80161Seattle, WA 98108-9990

You will need to provide a copy of a government ID, a copy of a police report concerning identity theft, or a government-issued Identity Theft Report, found at IdentityTheft.gov. You'll also need relevant details about the fraudulent transaction and contact information so Amazon can reach out.

Amazon says that it will fulfill your requests within 30 days unless more information is needed.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon kills Fire Stick sideloading — apparently, malware and piracy are to blame
• Amazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it
• Still shopping blind on Amazon? This ChatGPT trick helps me avoid bad buys — and it works every time

As AI tools become part of everyday life, many people are rethinking their online privacy. A new survey from All About Cookies found that 40% of VPN users say they now use a virtual private network (VPN) specifically to protect their data from AI companies.

It's an understandable concern. Every time you interact with an AI chatbot, upload a document or generate an image, you're sharing information with an online service. But there's one important catch: while a VPN is a great privacy tool, it probably doesn't protect your AI data in the way many people think it does.

Here's what you need to know.

Why people are turning to VPNs

According to All About Cookies' annual VPN survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, concerns about AI are beginning to influence how people think about online privacy.

The survey found that:

40% of VPN users say they use a VPN to protect their data from AI companies.

19% use a VPN when accessing AI tools.

For that reason alone, it's no surprise that VPN awareness has risen sharply over the past year. At the same time, very few respondents correctly identified everything a VPN actually does. Perhaps that last finding may explain the first.

What a VPN actually does

A VPN creates an encrypted connection between your device and a VPN server. There are valuable privacy benefits, and they're one reason VPNs remain popular.

That means it can:

• Hide your IP address from the websites you visit.
• Encrypt your internet traffic, especially when you're using public Wi-Fi.
• Prevent your internet service provider from seeing the contents of your browsing activity.
• Make it appear as though you're browsing from another location.

What a VPN doesn't do

This is where AI enters the picture. If you open ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or another AI service and type in a prompt, you're voluntarily sending that information directly to the company operating the service.

A VPN doesn't stop that.

Similarly, if you're logged into an AI account, the service can still associate your conversations with your account regardless of whether you're using a VPN.

In other words, a VPN protects the connection, but not the information you choose to share once you reach the website.

How to better protect your AI privacy

A VPN is still a smart addition to your privacy toolkit, especially if you frequently use public Wi-Fi or want to hide your IP address. Just don't expect it to prevent AI services from collecting information that you intentionally submit.

If your goal is to reduce how much information AI companies collect, these steps are usually more effective than relying on a VPN alone:

• Review each AI service's privacy settings.
• Turn off chat history or model training where the option exists.
• Avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information.
• Use temporary chats or anonymous sessions when appropriate.
• Read each company's data retention policy before uploading documents.

The takeaway

The survey highlights the fact that people are increasingly concerned about what happens to their data when they use AI.

A VPN is an excellent tool for improving online privacy, but it's not an invisibility cloak for AI. If you're using ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or another AI assistant, the most important privacy controls are usually found inside the service itself — not in your VPN app.

More from Tom's Guide

• ChatGPT isn't just a chatbot anymore — here are 11 things it can do in 2026
• I built five ChatGPT agents — then replaced them with one 'master' AI
• I used ChatGPT to audit my subscriptions — these prompts helped me find nearly $2,000 a year in recurring charges

The biggest WhatsApp privacy update in years is officially underway. WhatsApp is finally shifting away from phone numbers and introducing usernames, giving its three billion users an entirely new way to connect securely.

But with username reservations going live this week, the clock is ticking to claim your digital identity before the scramble begins. While the platform is offering first dibs to users wishing to port over their existing Facebook or Instagram handles, unreserved names are up for grabs.

Here is how to beat the global rush, navigate the new settings, and secure your WhatsApp username right now.

More from Tom's Guide

• You can use WhatsApp on Apple Watch — here's how to set it up
• Message like a boss — these are the 7 WhatsApp features you should be using
• WhatsApp finally lets you pin messages — here's how

Stadiums, airports, and fan parks are some of the worst environments imaginable for public Wi-Fi. Tens of thousands of people competing for the same signal means packet loss, crawling speeds, and connections that drop without warning. So, for example, if you're heading to a few games at the FIFA World Cup 2026, things might not be as smooth as you'd like.

One of the best VPNs is a handy tool to have at your disposal on networks like these. While it's fairly unlikely nowadays you'll be caught out by a man-in-the-middle attack, boosting your privacy can only be a good thing – and when a VPN is set up right, a VPN may also be able to increase your connection speeds significantly.

Here, I'll run down a few quick settings to tweak to make your public Wi-Fi experience more bearable.

Pick your protocol

A VPN protocol is the set of rules that determines how your device encrypts and moves your data. On a congested or restrictive network, the wrong protocol can mean failed connections, throttled speeds, or both – and switching is often the quickest fix.

WireGuard should be your first port of call. It's a modern protocol built with a low data overhead and near-instant reconnection times, making it well suited to the kind of unstable connections you'll find in a packed stadium or airport terminal. Most VPN apps already default to it – but if you're on an iPhone, check your settings, as IKEv2 is often the default instead.

IKEv2 is a solid runner-up for mobile users who switch frequently between Wi-Fi and cellular data. It handles network changes smoothly, though speeds won't quite match WireGuard.

If you're struggling to connect at all, try OpenVPN. It's generally slower than WireGuard, but its ability to run on port 443 – the same port used by standard web traffic – means it's more likely to work on networks that try to block VPNs. For a deeper look at how the fastest VPNs handle different conditions, our dedicated guide is worth a read.

Stay stealthy

Many stadiums and airports actively manage their networks by throttling heavy data users – a necessary measure when tens of thousands of people are sharing the same connection, but one that can reduce your speeds to near-unusable levels during a big event.

VPNs can sidestep this by hiding your traffic from the network – if it can't see what you're doing, it can't single you out for throttling. The catch is that many venues have wised up to this, and will throttle any traffic that looks like VPN traffic too.

The fix is Stealth Mode – sometimes called Obfuscation or Scramble depending on which app you're using. It disguises your VPN traffic as ordinary web traffic, so the network treats it accordingly. You keep the speed benefits of bypassing throttling while your actual activity stays hidden.

Unfortunately, if the network you're connected to flat-out throttle's everyone's connection, regardless of how much data theyre using, a VPN won't make much of a difference. As always, there's an element of trial and error to this.

Set switches to kill

Switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data – or simply dropping out of range in a crowded venue – can cause your VPN connection to drop momentarily. That split second is enough for your real IP address to be exposed before the VPN reconnects, which defeats the purpose of using one in the first place.

A kill switch solves this by blocking all internet traffic the moment your VPN drops, preventing any leaks until the connection is restored. Pair this with Auto-Connect, which ensures your VPN engages automatically whenever you join an untrusted public network, and you've closed off the two most common sources of accidental exposure.

As a side-note, your VPN "blocking all internet traffic" sounds drastic, but in reality, it's nothing to worry about. This only equates to a second or two of downtime, which is very unlikely to be noticed.

Split the tunnel

Running all your apps through a VPN simultaneously puts extra demand on both your device and the network – bandwidth you can't afford to waste when thousands of people are competing for the same signal.

Split tunneling lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which don't. Route your sensitive apps – banking, email, social media logins – through the encrypted tunnel, and let everything else connect directly. Checking live scores or streaming music in the background doesn't need VPN protection, and bypassing it for those apps can free up enough speed to make a real difference. Plus, by reducing the amount of data you need to encrypt will also save you precious battery life.

Bottom line

A few seconds spent in your VPN's settings can be the difference between a working connection and a frustrating one.

Switch your protocol – WireGuard for speed, OpenVPN if you're struggling to connect – enable Stealth mode, turn on your kill switch, and set up split tunneling. Do all of this, and you'll be in a far better position than the thousands of other people on the same network.

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

USA vs Turkey is a chance for the USMNT to really flex their muscles, seeing as they're through to the Round of 32 regardless of the result. However, even if you've got a solid broadband connection at home, there's no guarantee of a smooth stream. ISPs routinely throttle bandwidth when they detect heavy streaming activity, and with millions of fans tuning in simultaneously, the risk of a buffering-plagued match is very real.

The best VPNs tackle this by making your traffic unreadable to your ISP. Without knowing what you're doing, it can't make the decision to slow you down – so instead of throttling your stream mid-match, it simply lets your connection run at full tilt.

Right now, Norton VPN sits at the top of our best streaming VPN rankings, and a compelling World Cup deal makes it particularly well-timed for anyone wanting a buffer-free tournament.

How does Norton VPN compare to other top VPNs?

When it comes to sheer breadth, NordVPN is hard to beat. Its network spans more than 9,000 servers across 149 countries, and in our speed tests it hit over 1,249 Mbps locally – figures that put it ahead of most of the competition. That firepower does come at a cost, though. NordVPN starts at $3.49 per month, and that requires you to commit for two years. What's more, it comes with only a 30-day money-back guarantee, compared to Norton's 60-day window.

Surfshark undercuts both on price, with two-year plans coming in at just $1.99 per month – and unlike Norton, it places no cap on device connections, making it an appealing option for households with a lot of hardware. Speed-wise it's no slouch either, ranking among the fastest VPNs we've tested. Where it falls short is consistency: in our streaming tests, it has occasionally failed to unblock certain Netflix regions that Norton handles without issue.

For throttling specifically, what matters most is that your VPN can reliably access streaming sites and mask your traffic from your ISP – and that's precisely where Norton's streaming credentials count most. Add in the 60-day money-back guarantee, which is double the industry standard and comfortably covers the entire tournament, and the choice is easy.

NordVPN and Surfshark are both worth considering once the final whistle blows on the group stage, but if a buffer-free World Cup is the goal, Norton is the one to back.

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

Scotland vs Brazil is one of the most anticipated matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026's group stage – and whether you're watching from a bar, a hotel, or any other network that isn't your own, your connection may be more exposed than you think. Plus, if you accidentally end up on websites that aren't trustworthy, exposing your IP address to them can spell danger.

Using one of the best VPNs closes that window by encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address, so nobody on the same network can see what you're doing. It also means your ISP can't monitor your streaming habits, and websites can't see your real IP – useful if you'd rather keep your viewing activity to yourself.

We currently rate Norton VPN as the best VPN for streaming, and there's a sensational deal running right now that makes it an easy choice for World Cup coverage.

How does Norton VPN compare to other top VPNs?

NordVPN continues to outperform Norton VPN in our overall VPN rankings, and its testing record backs that up: speeds of over 1,249 Mbps locally, a server network spanning more than 8,000 servers across 135 countries, and a near-flawless streaming unblocking record. In comparison, Norton VPN only offers servers in 65+ countries – meaning potentially less choice when it comes to streaming services.

The catch is price – even on the discounted two-year plan, NordVPN works out at around $3.49 per month, which is a little more than Norton. What's more, it only comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Norton also has the edge when it comes to raw streaming performance, unblocking every major streaming platform in our latest round of testing, despite its smaller network.

Surfshark is a budget alternative, with plans starting at a very reasonable $1.99 per month and the bonus of unlimited device connections. This is a contrast to Norton VPN, which has strict limits on how many devices you can install the VPN on. Surfshark's a capable all-rounder, too, and one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. However, its streaming unblocking has been less consistent than Norton's in our reviews, occasionally struggling with certain Netflix regions.

If your main priority is keeping your streaming activity private without interruption, Norton VPN is the clear choice. What's more, that performance currently comes with competitive pricing against NordVPN and a 60-day guarantee which is double what most competitors offer, giving you the entire tournament to decide if it's right for you.

NordVPN and Surfshark remain solid options for general use once the World Cup wraps up, but for streaming this tournament privately and securely, Norton's combination of unblocking power and excellent pricing is hard to beat.

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

Users experienced issues across multiple services like Reddit, X, Canva, Zoom — giving it a serious feeling of another mass-internet outage.

At around 9:40 a.m. this morning, thousands flocked to Downdetector to report issues with the popular sharing website, and other services like X followed shortly after.

During this time, we suspected it could be something to do with Cloudflare's routine server maintenance in New Jersey, as the company's status page notes it could cause latency and connection issues.

We received an email from Cloudflare's PR firm saying that there was nothing on its end that would cause an outage, and instead said, "Zayo, a network provider, is experiencing an outage on some of its network routes. That may cause some sites using Zayo exclusively to be unreachable, whether they use Cloudflare or not."

We'll keep a close eye on it ourselves, but if you spot any issues, let us know!

Live outage updates

Reports are coming in fast

We're seeing around 2,200 reports on Reddit at the moment, which is a large number in a very short time. It's too early to say if this outage will last, but it definitely seems that large quantities of Reddit users are having problems.

Part of something larger?

While Reddit was the first major service to see a large Downdetector spike, we also noticed several services jumping, including Teams, Whatnot, Crunchyroll, Toast and tons of others.

We're also seeing spikes in reports to Cloudflare and AWS, two services that are the backbone of much of the internet. We've looked into AWS and found it to be a false flag at this point. Cloudflare's status page shows it's performing maintenance at its EWR (Newark) data center.

"Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable."

This could certainly explain why services like Reddit are having issues.

Current Cloudflare status

Reddit still showing all systems operational

Something seems to be happening on the backend that's causing problems for Reddit, which started this whole ordeal, but the company hasn't acknowledged it yet. The company's status page still shows "All Systems Operational," despite thousands of Downdetector reports suggesting otherwise.

That's a lot of X reports

Currently, X has around 33,000 reports on Downdetector, which is a shockingly high number.

It's not surprising that X would have the most reports, though, as it's the most popular service among those dealing with issues at the moment.

Reddit declining

The reports for Reddit are starting to drop (X is still climbing), but it could mean that some of the traffic is being rerouted to other servers successfully (if that is ultimately what's causing the problems).

Cloudflare's on the case

We've been thinking these outages could be tied back to some scheduled maintenance of Cloudflare's datacenter in Newark. The company's just updated its system status saying they are "investigating increased error rates and latency in multiple services."

With all of these services taking a dip, looks like they may have resolved it already. But we'll test it ourselves!

X outage reports are dropping like a stone

Hope you enjoyed your time away from X — the feed is loading for me and outage reports on Down Detector are going down sharply!

And there goes Zoom

Had a nice Zoom call with my family who are on vacation at the moment to test it — can confirm it's working and outage reports are dropping off too!

We're calling it!

And with a confirmation of a fix being implemented by Cloudflare and all the service outage reports for X, Zoom, Reddit and more dropping all the way back down, we're calling it.

My guess is it could've been a bit of a kettling scenario. The routine maintenance caused some latency issues, that caused more people to refresh more regularly/check the pages. An increase in traffic to an already re-routed datacenter causes more pressure on the re-routed server and here we are.

Even though you should always download new apps from official sources like the Google Play Store, some Android users still end up getting tricked into downloading them from websites which can be extremely dangerous. Case in point, a new Android banking trojan is currently making the rounds online that’s distributed via fake apps from malicious websites.

As reported by BleepingComputer, once installed on vulnerable Android phones, the banking trojan in question is capable of targeting over 200 banking and financial apps to drain accounts and steal crypto. Unsurprisingly, it does so by impersonating Google Chrome and TikTok as both apps are extremely popular.

The trojan installs the new Rokarolla malware which also steals lock screen credentials, your contacts, SMS data and even uses keyloggers to record everything you type into your phone.

Here’s everything you need to know about this new Android banking trojan and how you can keep your bank account safe from the cybercriminals using it in their attacks.

Masquerading as Google Play Protect

Although you should never sideload Android apps unless you absolutely have to, many people still do despite the risk. The hackers behind this campaign use fake websites to trick unsuspecting users into installing Chrome or TikTok unofficially instead of downloading these apps directly from the Google Play Store like they should.

According to a new report from the cybersecurity firm Zimperium, after downloading either app though, the hackers use an interesting trick to give potential victims the illusion of safety. For those unfamiliar, Google’s built-in security app Google Play Protect checks any new software you download for viruses. However, in this case, a fake Play Protect pop-up appears before the Rockarolla malware is actually downloaded. Given the fact that the pop-up perfectly impersonates a Play Protect warning, most users wouldn’t think twice before proceeding with this secondary download.

At this point, the damage is done and the Rockarolla malware gets to work. In total, it’s able to spoof 217 different banking and financial apps to steal your credentials. It does so by using overlays that mimic each individual app. While to the end user it appears as if they’re just logging into their online bank account, they’re actually handing over their username and password to hackers.

Another interesting trick up Rockarolla’s sleeve is that it can steal SMS notifications from your online bank as well as intercept any calls trying to warn you that something is amiss. This way, you won’t get a fraud alert and the hackers can proceed to empty your accounts one by one.

While Google continues to improve Android’s security, if you don’t download apps the right way, you too could easily end up falling victim to this and other malware.

How to stay safe from Android banking trojans

I can’t stress this enough, unless you really know what you’re doing, you should avoid sideloading apps. Sure, malicious apps do manage to sneak past Google’s defenses from time to time but for the most part, if you download new apps from the Play Store, you should be safe. The same goes for other official Android app stores like the Samsung Galaxy Store too.

From there, you want to make sure that Google Play Protect is installed and enabled on your smartphone. It’s enabled by default on all of the best Android phones but it’s always a good idea to check to make sure. For extra protection though, you can also use one of the best Android antivirus apps alongside it. You have to pay for many of them but they typically add other useful features like a VPN or password manager to help keep you safe online.

Despite constant warnings, people keep installing apps from websites instead of official stores. As long as this keeps happening, hackers are going to use it to their advantage. However, if you install new apps the way you’re supposed to, you can avoid falling victim to Rockrolla and other banking trojans like it.

More from Tom's Guide

• Popular Steam wallpaper app hijacked to spread dangerous malware — how to stay safe
• Update your Nvidia GPU drivers now to protect your PC from 9 "high-severity" vulnerabilities — here's what's at risk
• I just got hit by the Ultrahuman data breach — here's what hackers stole from my account

Facebook users started seeing more problems today, June 18, less than a week after users were unable to log into the social network.

Reports started to spike on DownDetector at 6:30 am ET / 11:20 am BST with over 1,000 users reporting problems. According to the reports, 80% of affected users claimed there was an issue the Facebook app loading.

Earlier this week, Facebook's parent company Meta experienced issues for around four hours that also impacted other services like Instagram and WhatsApp. Today's problems lasted little more than a couple of hours and seemed to affect primarily Android users. It could have been due to an update to Facebook's Android app that was released yesterday.

Here's how our coverage of the reports unfolded:

Full recap

Reports surge past 1,000 on DownDetector

Our clearest picture that there's some trouble at Facebook comes from the website DownDetector, which has suddenly shown a spike of over 1,000 users reporting trouble with the social network. Less than a week ago, similar problems hit Facebook for over four hours.

New York, Chicago and Dallas

Most of the reports of Facebook's troubles on DownDetector appear to be coming from three main cities: New York, Chicago and Dallas. If you're based in one of those regions and are having trouble accessing your Facebook profile right now — let us know!

Meta isn't reporting anything, yet

Meta doesn't have a status page for its consumer products, so we can't see if there's anything officially amiss, but it does run an equivalent for its business products. As we can see at the time of writing, there are no reported problems there.

So, if people are experiencing issues this morning, it may be a more localized problem and one that hasn't touched Meta's central nervous system yet. We'll keep circling back to this page and let you know if there are any updates.

Instagram and WhatsApp unaffected

While we're seeing reports spike across Facebook, there seemingly aren't any issues with Meta's other services at present. Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Threads all appear to be working normally.

Facebook failing to load?

When issues started to occur for Facebook earlier in the week, users trying to access the app were bumped right out to the login screen of the app. This affected the app both on Android and iOS.

I'm based in London in the U.K. and — for me at least — the app appears to be working as normal. If you're seeing something different, let me know in the comments.

Reports are starting to slip

This could be little more than a blip for just a few folks. The reports on DownDetector — while still north of 1,000 — are starting to slip. Sometimes this can indicate the issues were only very temporary.

They could be a result of a small update or configuration change that's been pushed through by Meta that's caused a hiccup in servers along the network.

It could be an Android issue

Android users may be feeling today's Facebook problems more than iPhone users. One commentator on DownDetector says that the issue is persisting on their Samsung Galaxy Note 20.

If that's the case then it could be that the problems being reported today are specific to one particular app version rather than anything more widespread.

Reports falling, but users report problems on X

Reports are continuing to decrease sharply on DownDetector right now — falling down to below 800. Usually, if there are prolonged issues we would expect to see another small spike occurring right now but that hasn't happened.

Users are still reporting problems with the service over on X/Twitter. But this looks very much like it could just be a flash in the pan.

Are you having problems with Facebook this morning?

A problem we're seeing reported is that users are able to log into the Facebook mobile app for a few seconds before it then bounces them back out again to the login screen.

It seems like reports are starting to subside, so this might not be an ongoing problem but if you're experiencing an outage on Facebook today, let us know in the poll below. We'll continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.

How to clear your Facebook cache

If these recent problems with Facebook have got you concerned about how the app is running, one thing you can do to juice up the performance is clear your cache.

Providing you can access Facebook's app, you'll need to tap Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings. Then, under the Preferences section, tap Browser, then select Clear next to Cookies and Cache.

Less than 500 DownDetector users now reporting problems

Reports on DownDetector have now sunk to below 500 reports and there's been no official statement from Meta on any problems with its app.

A quick glance at the Play Store shows the Facebook Android app was given an update yesterday, June 17, so it's highly likely that it has caused some teething problems with Android users. Especially if those users own older devices. For the vast majority of Facebook users, it appears that the social network is operating as normal today.

Calling time on today's outage

We can call time on today's outage as reports have dwindled to under 100 on DownDetector, and the comments on social media have dried up. Unlike the outage earlier in the week, this one was just a blip. We can all rest comfortably now that Facebook is back up and running — thanks for reading along, everyone.

If accidentally downloading malicious apps and getting your computer infected with viruses wasn’t enough, these days, you can’t even trust your own eyes and ears thanks to deepfakes.

Just a few years ago, you only had to look out for phishing emails, fake websites and dodgy attachments from unknown senders. Now though, thanks to AI, you can just as easily be fooled by a very convincing fake image or video.

Fortunately, in the same way that cybercriminals are now using AI in their attacks, so too are cybersecurity firms. While Norton and the rest of the companies behind the best antivirus software use cloud-based AI to better analyze and detect new threats, this isn’t your only option when it comes to staying safe online.

You can also do so yourself locally but you will need a computer with its own neural processing unit or NPU. Thankfully, the best AI laptops with chips from Intel, AMD, Qualcomm and even Apple have you covered. However, when I bought my trusty ThinkPad a few years ago, this wasn’t an option yet.

After trying out Norton’s Deepfake Protection for myself though, I’ve become an NPU believer. While laptop makers tried to sell us on AI-powered features like portrait lighting, auto-framing and live captions, as it turns out, set–and-forget online security was what finally convinced me in the end.

No more second guessing

In the past, you always had to be careful when checking your inbox or navigating to unfamiliar sites. With the rise of deepfakes though, online scams can appear where you’d least expect them like on a job interview or even a video call with a loved one.

For instance, let’s say you’re looking for a new remote job and make it to the interview stage. You hop on Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams and expect the other attendees to be actual people, right? Well with deepfake videos becoming more advanced every day, they might not be.

Alternatively, maybe an urgent video or audio clip arrives in your messages from a loved one who’s in trouble. The message may look and sound just like them but the whole thing could actually be fake and an attempt to con you out of your hard-earned cash.

AI-powered scams are here to stay but if you use Norton’s Deepfake Protection, they’ll get flagged before they can do any real damage just like how its antivirus detects and prevents you from interacting with malware. From giveaway scams to crypto fraud, this feature runs locally on your device to analyze and detect synthetic voices so you don’t have to keep guessing whether or not something is real.

While I know most of us believe we’re tech-savvy enough to spot these kinds of things, that isn’t always the case. And all it takes is one slip up to end up in a very bad situation. Likewise, for those of us with older parents or relatives, we can rest easy knowing we won’t get a frantic phone call in the middle of the day as they’ll be protected.

Just like with deepfakes themselves, I had to experience this new feature for myself, so I installed Norton 360 on my laptop, toggled Deepfake Protection on and took it for a spin.

Deepfake protection (at a cost)

With Norton 360 installed on my laptop, I headed to the Scam Protection tab where in addition to Deepfake Protection, you can also enable Safe Web to keep you protected from risky websites and other online scams as well as Safe SMS which uses AI to flag scam text messages.

In Deepfake Protection’s settings, you can toggle on an auto-scan feature and another one that notifies you when AI-generated voices are being used on a site you’re visiting or in a video you’re watching. It’s all fairly simple and there aren’t too many settings to configure which makes it easy to set up regardless of how skilled you are on a computer.

In my case though, there was just one catch. Since I don’t have an AI laptop, Norton’s Deepfake Protection does require more system resources. Thankfully, my ThinkPad was powerful enough that I could just enable it right from within Norton 360. However, if you’re using an older laptop with fewer than six CPU cores and less than 8GB of RAM, you will need to manually install it but Norton walks you through the process in this support article.

While Deepfake Protection works automatically in the background, you can also manually enable it too. On the right side, there’s a Start button and clicking on it analyzes the audio or video playing in any app. This could be particularly useful if you’re on a video call in an app as opposed to through your browser.

Although I like the simplicity of Norton’s Deepfake Protection, I was a bit let down that I couldn’t manually select files for local analysis. I get that the feature runs in the background but it would be nice to be able to drag and drop pictures or videos saved on your computer — perhaps from a messaging service like WhatsApp — to have them analyzed just to be sure.

Finally sold on an NPU

During my testing, I didn’t see much of a performance hit on my ThinkPad. However, that doesn’t mean that over time, running Norton’s Deepfake Protection on a non-AI laptop won’t affect your workflow. If you’re trying to do something intensive like render video, you’re going to need all of your laptop’s processing power and something like this running in the background could slow things down.

While you can run Norton’s Deepfake Protection on older laptops, this feature and the added peace of mind it brings is what finally convinced me that paying a bit more for a computer with an NPU in its processor is absolutely worth it.

When AI laptops first hit store shelves, they were a harder sell as the features offered at the time just weren’t useful enough to justify the higher prices of these new devices. Now though, you can put that extra bit of silicon to much better use by having it proactively keep you safe from deepfakes and other online scams in the background.

Years ago when I first started covering antivirus software, its performance impact was a critical factor that couldn’t be overlooked. While this is still true today and we continue to see how running scans can affect performance, NPUs have changed things significantly. I never thought deepfakes would sell me on NPUs, here we are.

As for Norton’s Deepfake Protection, I expect it will only get better over time just as the effectiveness of its antivirus has. Sure, cybersecurity will always be a game of cat and mouse but with an NPU inside your laptop, at least you can fight that fight locally instead of over the cloud.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried 3 AI-powered scam detectors to help keep me safe online — and there's a clear winner
• Popular Steam wallpaper app hijacked to spread dangerous malware — how to stay safe
• I found a phishing email in my inbox and a malicious app in my news feed — here’s how I knew they were scams

Aussie internet speeds are achieving consistent measures across fixed-line and wireless broadband plans, according to ACCC's final quarterly report.

As per the last Measuring Broadband Australia report, Australian homes have averaged an impressive 99.4% of their internet plan's download speeds during the test period from March 1 to March 31, 2026. Comparatively, the results recorded in the previous report showed the average during peak evening hours was 98.5% of advertised plan speeds.

In recent years, these results have gotten closer to 100% of advertised plan speeds, which is a solid uptick from the 80% average when the reports were first published in 2017. The reports were established to provide Aussies with impartial quarterly data on NBN and home broadband services, including speed, latency and outages recorded by volunteers using different telecommunication providers.

At Tom's Guide, we regularly check and analyse the ACCC reports to make informed recommendations about NBN and broadband plans. Even though the reports have concluded, we often consider them a sounding board for our own in-depth monthly research, using the data in collaboration with our findings to inform our choices. Moving forward, we will lean on other reports, such as those by OpenSignal, to provide unbiased and genuine recommendations.

The ACCC's Commissioner, Anna Brakey, noted that the reports have "brought transparency and scrutiny to broadband performance, and it has helped to ensure that consumers receive the quality of service that they pay for".

The conclusion of the quarterly reports comes after several key changes to NBN Co's wholesale products, less differentiation between NBN providers' performance and considerable improvements in overall performance since the program's inception.

Brakey also stated that "internet providers have a responsibility to deliver a service that meets the speed and performance that they advertise and the ACCC will continue to take strong enforcement action where we see evidence of misleading claims". The consumer watchdog has also confirmed it will continue to closely monitor broadband performance using its data.

Improvements across the board

Further, the quarterly reports have seen an improvement in underperforming services on the fixed-line network. In May 2018, over eight years ago, 13.9% of fixed-line services were considered underperforming. In the last report, the figure is now just 5.6% across the network.

The final performance report also reveals that NBN Co's fixed wireless network has continued to supply a high-speed broadband alternative for homes in rural and regional areas outside the fixed-line footprint.

The latest findings recorded 160.5Mbps average download speeds and 12.6Mbps uploads for those on NBN's Fixed Wireless Plus plan, which rivals the best NBN 100 plans in terms of speed.

As for high-performing NBN providers, Dodo and iPrimus take the cake for hitting advertised plan speeds, with the telco reaching up to 102.8% of speeds during all hours of the day and 102.3% of speeds during the busy hours. Leaptel, TPG and Exetel follow closely behind, each reaching above 102% across all hours of the day.

While there's no confirmation yet of a new ACCC report of broadband data, these great performance standards have now cemented the evolution of NBN Co's network, giving consumers confidence in the Australian internet landscape. At Tom's Guide, we will continue to provide the best deals, data and reviews when it comes to NBN and broadband plans, so if you're weighing up your home internet options, we've got your back — and will continue to do so.

If you have yet to take full advantage of your NBN connection type and upgrade to a speedy plan with a top-rated provider like those mentioned above, I've selected some options that will cater to most Aussie households below. If these picks don't quite satisfy your speed needs, you can check out the best NBN EOFY deals or the best NBN plans in June for an extensive range of hand-picked plans.

More from Tom's Guide

• EOFY sales 2026: Australia's end of financial year sales are now on

England take on Croatia in a one of the most hotly anticipated games of the 2026 World Cup's group stage – and if you're traveling abroad or just away from your usual setup, you don't want to miss it. Streaming services often restrict access based on location, which can leave you locked out of the coverage you'd normally get at home.

Using one of the best VPNs solves this by routing your connection through a server in your home country, letting you access your usual streaming service as if you'd never left. It also encrypts your traffic, which is useful if you're connecting via public Wi-Fi at an airport, hotel, or bar to catch the match.

We currently rate Norton VPN as the best VPN for streaming, and there's a sensational deal running right now that makes it an easy choice for World Cup coverage.

How does Norton VPN compare to other top VPNs?

NordVPN remains our top-rated VPN overall, and its testing backs that up: speeds of over 1,249 Mbps locally, a server network spanning more than 8,000 servers across a staggering 167 countries, and a near-flawless streaming unblocking record. In comparison, Norton only offers servers in a measly 65 countries – meaning potentially less choice when it comes to streaming services.

The catch is price – even on the discounted two-year plan, NordVPN works out to around $3.49 per month, more than Norton's current World Cup deal. Norton also has the edge when it comes to raw streaming performance, unblocking every major streaming platform in our latest round of testing, despite its smaller network.

Surfshark is a budget alternative, with plans starting at a very reasonable $1.99 per month and the bonus of unlimited device connections. This is a bonus compared to Norton, which has strict limits on how many devices you can install the VPN on. Surfshark's a capable all-rounder, too, and one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. However, its streaming unblocking has been less consistent than Norton's in our reviews, occasionally struggling with certain Netflix regions.

If your main priority is locking in reliable access to every match without interruption, Norton VPN is the clear choice. What's more, that performance currently comes with competitive pricing against NordVPN and a 60-day guarantee which is double what most competitors offer, giving you the entire tournament to decide if it's right for you.

NordVPN and Surfshark remain solid options for general use once the World Cup wraps up, but for streaming this tournament specifically, Norton's combination of unblocking power and deal pricing is hard to beat.

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

Hackers are once again targeting gamers on Steam, but this time, instead of using malware-filled games to do so, they’ve switched to hiding malicious code in desktop wallpapers.

As reported by BleepingComputer, these infected wallpapers can prove quite dangerous for unsuspecting gamers as they can provide an easy way to install a backdoor on one of the best gaming PCs or even to hijack their Steam accounts.

Any image you download online could contain malware. However, the hackers behind this campaign are leveraging an incredibly popular Steam app to do so instead. With 20 to 50 million installs according to SteamSpy, Wallpaper Engine is one of the most downloaded apps on the platform.

What makes Wallpaper Engine so popular, though, is that users can download hundreds of thousands of desktop wallpapers made by other users through Valve’s community hub, Steam Workshop. By abusing this feature, the hackers are easily able to disseminate their infected wallpapers.

Here’s everything you need to know about the latest malware threat on Steam and how you can keep your account — and your gaming PC — safe from hackers.

Malicious application wallpapers

For those unfamiliar, in addition to static wallpapers, Wallpaper Engine also supports four dynamic wallpaper types that can render videos, interactive scenes, webpages with audio and video, and applications. That last one is incredibly important in this campaign.

Unlike a JPEG or PNG file, Wallpaper Engine’s application wallpapers are full-on Windows executables that run like any other program on your PC. According to researchers at the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, not only do they pose a built-in security risk, but they’re also currently being used by hackers to deliver malware to unsuspecting Steam users.

In a blog post, Kaspersky’s researchers explained how they discovered dozens of malicious application wallpapers on Steam Workshop, many of which had been downloaded thousands or even tens of thousands of times. By analyzing the application wallpapers in question, the researchers found that the malware is either bundled directly into their installation packages or hidden inside password-protected archives that users are then tricked into opening. Unfortunately, the damage is done immediately after one of these compromised wallpapers is installed.

After a user installs one such asset posing as a game called NTRaholic, the wallpaper launches as expected. However, in the process, a backdoor file belonging to the DarkKomet malware is also installed in the background. In order to search for and steal Steam credentials, a custom version of a system library called ‘AggregatorHost.dll’ is installed as well.

In addition to DarkKomet, Kaspersky’s researchers also found other malware families installed in these malicious wallpapers, like the Lumma and Vidar infostealers. They were even used to spread ransomware, too.

How to stay safe from malware

Fortunately, after Kaspersky alerted Valve about this campaign, all of the infected wallpapers in question were removed from the Steam Workshop. Still, this is an excellent reminder to always be careful when downloading files online, even if they come from a trusted platform.

In order to stay safe from any malware contained within desktop wallpapers, game mods, or games themselves, you definitely want to make sure your gaming PC is protected with the best antivirus software. If you want to be extra careful, you might also consider investing in one of the best identity theft protection services. That way, if your credentials are compromised as a result of what you download online, you have a safety net to help monitor your data and recover financial losses from fraud.

When in doubt, stick to trusted creators when downloading new wallpapers and be extra cautious before running any executable on your gaming PC. This likely won’t be the last time hackers target Steam in their attacks, but Valve has an excellent track record of quickly responding to and dealing with malicious activity on its platform.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just got hit by the Ultrahuman data breach — here's what hackers stole from my account
• Update your Nvidia GPU drivers now to protect your PC from 9 "high-severity" vulnerabilities — here's what's at risk
• I just tried Asus’ upgraded Xbox Ally X20 for ROG’s 20th anniversary — and it isn’t just another special edition handheld

Google Chrome's next update could be the final nail in the coffin for some of the best ad blockers like uBlock Origin. As per a Cybernews report, Chrome is set to finally drop support for Manifest V2 extensions, which would mean the end of support for Chrome's ad blockers.

Google began the shift over to Manifest V3 last year, but the report notes the next iterations of the browser — either version 150 or 151 — will remove the older framework completely.

“MV2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and we are removing support for them and the associated functionality," Google engineer Devlin Cronin wrote in a Chromium commit confirming the change.

"We won't be able to provide/maintain this functionality indefinitely due to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it entails."

Shifting Chrome fully to Manifest V3 won't stop new ad blockers from being developed (in fact, some services like AdGuard, AdBlock, and Ghostery have been updated for V3), but it does impose restrictions. Manifest V3 will cap the number of filtering rules an extension can apply, which could theoretically foil ad blockers' attempts to respond to the latest ad-deployment technology.

Of course, there are some benefits to this new system. Many Chrome extensions that seem legitimate are actually loaded with malicious code. Chrome's new, more rigid Manifest V3 system will be better equipped to put a stop to that.

What does this mean for those that want to block ads?

The simplest answer for those who want to continue blocking ads after the latest version of Chrome rolls out is to switch browsers. This change will likely affect other Chromium-based browsers like Opera, Edge, and Samsung Browser, albeit not for a while yet.

However, Mozilla's Firefox browser doesn't use Chromium and has no current plans to remove the MV2 framework extension, so switching over could be a viable option if people want to continue running uBlock Origin. Similarly, the privacy-focused Brave browser could be another way to keep your favorite extensions running.

Finally, if you're determined not to see ads, you could investigate signing up for a desktop app that will block ads for you — rather than relying on a browser extension. This may be more costly, but it will also likely be more effective at catching those adverts that interrupt your browsing.

More from Tom's Guide

• A VPN will be an essential part of my summer vacation packing — here's why
• 3 hidden ChatGPT settings most people never turn on — and why you should
• Verizon MVNOs: A complete listing, plus the best option for your money

The World Cup only comes around every four years, and whether you're making the trip to the US, Canada, or Mexico, or you're based abroad for work, the last thing you want is to hit a geo-block on match day. Using one of the best VPNs solves that by routing your connection through a server back home, giving you access to the same free streams you'd get on your couch – BBC iPlayer, ITV, or whatever your local broadcaster happens to be.

The good news is that Norton VPN has you covered with a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans – double the 30-day industry standard – which means you can sign in, stream every group stage game, knockout round, and the final itself, and still claim a full refund if you're not satisfied. That makes it completely risk-free for the entire tournament.

Before you dive in, though, there's one thing worth knowing: your smart TV's operating system determines exactly how you set up your VPN. Get that part wrong and you'll be troubleshooting during kick-off.

Device matters

Your TV's operating system dictates how – and whether – you can run a VPN directly on it, so it's worth knowing which camp you're in before kick-off.

If your TV or streaming device runs Google TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire OS, or Apple's tvOS (tvOS 17 or later), you're in luck. All of these platforms feature native app stores, meaning you can download the Norton VPN app directly, sign in, and be connected within minutes.

Samsung and LG owners face a different situation. Tizen and webOS – the operating systems powering those TVs respectively – block third-party network configurations entirely and offer no native VPN support. Your options are Smart DNS, which reroutes only your location data without full encryption, or setting up Norton on your router so that every device on your network is covered automatically.

If none of those options work for you, there's a reliable fallback: connect a laptop to your TV via HDMI. Run Norton VPN on the laptop, set it to your home country, and your stream plays on the big screen just as intended. Two things to sort before kick-off – set your laptop's power settings so it stays awake with the lid closed, and if sound isn't coming through the TV, manually switch your system's audio output to the TV speakers.

VPN Limitations

A VPN adds a layer of encryption to your connection, and during a global event with millions of viewers doing the same thing, that comes with a couple of practical trade-offs worth knowing about.

The first is resolution. Many broadcasters stream in native 4K, and modern VPNs are fast enough to handle it under normal conditions – but when large numbers of users crowd onto the same VPN server simultaneously, that headroom shrinks quickly. If your stream starts buffering, drop the resolution manually to 1080p. A smooth, uninterrupted match beats a stuttering one in 4K every time.

The second concerns casting. If you're planning to stream from your phone and cast to the TV via AirPlay or Chromecast, you may run into connectivity issues. A VPN creates an encrypted point-to-point tunnel between your device and the server, which cuts your phone off from the local area network – and casting relies on that local connection. Some VPNs include a "allow local network access" setting that resolves this, but not all do. If yours doesn't, the HDMI + laptop method is your most reliable alternative.

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

It's officially EOFY season, and there are discounts to be had across everything, including NBN plans. As Tom's Guide's resident broadband expert, I've crunched the numbers and found some seriously cost-friendly options for all kinds of households this June.

Every month, I analyse monthly pricing data to find the best NBN deals. My selections typically depend on a few key factors: speed tiers, connection types and attractive pricing, particularly introductory offers and low monthly fees. I also check user reviews, typical evening speed (TES) claims and, of course, quarterly ACCC broadband data reports.

This June, NBN plans have been slashed across the board, thanks to end-of-financial-year sales. Some of the best broadband discounts I've found include Kogan's lengthy introductory offers that extend to a full year, Origin's half-price sale and Superloop's buy one, get one modem free deal.

With all of that in mind, here are my top NBN recommendations for June 2026.

Best EOFY NBN deals

More from Tom's Guide

• Best NBN deals in Australia June 2026
• Best NBN plans in June 2026: I've compared the top choices for value, speed, gaming and more

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is here – and with free streams available in many countries around the world, it's one of the most accessible mega-events on the sporting calendar. However, if you're away from home – or even in the US, Canada, or Mexico to support your country in person – you'll notice that your regular streaming services are blocked.

The most effective way of accessing your home country's free streams is to use one of the best VPNs to change your location virtually. For example, if you're a Brit in the US, you'll need to set your VPN to connect to a UK server in order to watch all the coverage on the BBC and ITV.

Often, it's as simple as just clicking and connecting. But, in my experience, there can often be some stumbling blocks that can hold up your progress. That's why I'm going to run down some key VPN preparation steps to make sure all you need to do is connect, and kick off with confidence.

Set up your streaming accounts before kick-off

It might seem obvious, but it's well worth putting in a few minutes of prep several hours – or even days – before kick-off. Don't worry, it's not complicated.

Whether you plan on streaming with BBC iPlayer, Peacock, or any other regional service, connect your VPN before you do anything. This ensures the app or webpage doesn't see a frequently changing location, which can tip it off to the fact you're using a VPN.

Once you're connected, make sure you know your streaming service login, and you have the requisite streaming app installed if you're using a mobile device or a streaming device like a Fire Stick or Apple TV.

Once you've connected to the VPN and you've got the app installed – or the webpage open – log in, or create an account.

Finally, try watching something. If everything works seamlessly, this could be the last step you need before kick-off, but if you notice any small issues – or if you're blocked entirely – keep reading.

VPN troubleshooting

So, you've run into an issue. That's fine – it's why you've done this before kick-off.

The first step you should take is to look at your VPN's protocol. A VPN protocol is what the app uses to encrypt your data, and move it from one place to another. Some are better for streaming than others.

If your VPN is set to "Automatic," I'd recommend manually selecting the "WireGuard" option. WireGuard is generally very fast, and it's also very effective at getting around streaming site geo-blocking. Avoid specialist "obfuscating" protocols like Norton VPN's Mimic or Proton VPN's Stealth protocol. These are best reserved for when you need maximum privacy, not maximum streaming performance.

Many VPNs now support something called "post-quantum encryption." In everyday use, this is a great tool for making sure your data is not only safe now, but also in the future. However, it can slow down your connection, and may also give the streaming site more reason to believe you're using a VPN, and therefore block access. So, I'd recommend you turn off post-quantum encryption.

Make sure to turn off any browser protection tools like Surfshark's CleanWeb, NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro, or Proton VPN's NetShield. Again, these are great for daily usage, but blocking trackers and ads can lead streaming sites to block your access.

Finally, if you're mid-match and you find that your VPN is suddenly blocked, it's not the end of the world. Some VPNs like Norton VPN allow you to manually refresh your IP address. This means that even if the IP you're currently using ends up blocked, you can get a fresh one in seconds. If you VPN doesn't allow this, you should close your streaming tab, disconnect and reconnect the VPN, and start your stream again.

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

Starting around 9:30 am ET, multiple Meta services suddenly stopped working, including Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. From what we can tell, WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, was not affected.

Initially, it was hard to track since the outage tracking site Downdetector appeared to be having issues as well. However, that resolved soon enough and we were able to see reports hit highs of 110,000 for Facebook, 15,000 for Messenger, and 10,000 for Instagram.

In total, the outage lasted for about four hours, though some services came back quicker than others. The Facebook and Messenger outage only lasted for an hour.

Instagram unfortunately took longer to resolve.

Meta doesn't have a specific status page for the three services, but there is one for the developers and business accounts. We were able to see "High Disruptions" in several parts, including Ads Manager. "We are aware of an issue that may be impacting ad delivery. Our engineering teams are aware and are actively looking to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," read the page.

Outside of the page, only Andy Stone, Meta's VP of Communications, made any kind of statement when he tweeted, "We're aware people are currently having trouble accessing our services. We're working on it." That was at 10 am ET. An hour later, he tweeted, "We're coming back, though it may take a bit of time for everything to be fully back to normal."

Otherwise, the company did not release a statement, and eventually things returned to normal around 1 pm Eastern.

Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are down — live outage updates

What's happening at Meta?

Meta services aren't working for many members of the Tom's Guide staff and we saw a spike in reports on Downdetector before the website stopped worked, so we're quite confident that something is off.

Meta acknowledges the issues

Facebook Ads manager is showing "High disruptions" as the status right now, which is a clean indication that something isn't right with the social network.

"We are aware of an issue that may be impacting ad delivery. Our engineering teams are aware and are actively looking to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," reads the Meta outage page.

Downdetector working?

It looks like Downdetector is back, which will make it a lot easier to keep track of this massive Meta outage.

Or is it?

When you click on a service on Downdetector, it's going to a 404 page. So while you can see the massive spikes in reports on the Downdetector homepage, we can't get any actual numbers.

What are users seeing?

Users trying to access Facebook right now aren't seeing much of anything. I just tried to log into my own profile and I was bumped right out to the login screen of the app. I tried to fire up the social network on both an Android phone and an iPhone and neither would load.

Are you having the same trouble? Let me know about it in the comments box below.

Meta's Status page is listing two incidents

When service outages like this happen, one of the best places to look for updates is the provider's own status check page. Unfortunately, Meta (which owns Instagram) doesn't have one for its consumer products.

However, there is a status page for its business tools, which does tell us the company is facing two incidents right now. Both Facebook Ads Manager and WhatsApp Business Platform are listed as facing "High Disruptions" while the rest of the company's services are apparently unaffected.

It's kind of working for me?

Sometimes, I can get Facebook and Instagram to load on my laptop and sometimes it just gives me a big Facebook and Instagram logo on a white page. There doesn't seem to be much predictability about it — sometimes I refresh and doesn't work and sometimes it does.

Hit the comments on this post and share your experiences with Meta services like Facebook, Instagram and Messenger and let us know what you're seeing and we might feature your comment in this live blog!

Now showing issues with all parts of Ads

Before, the Meta status page was only showing issues with serving ads, but now it's showing all three categories as having issues: Ads Creation and Editing, Ads Reporting and Ads Delivery all appear to be having problems, which is likely affecting Facebook and other platforms.

More Meta status issues popping up

Taking another dive into the Meta status page shows that more issues are popping up, now with Messenger. The Messenger API for Instagram and Messenger Platform are being reported as having "High Disruptions," which is obvious to anyone trying to use either service.

Still, it's nice to know that Meta is aware of the situation, though it hasn't offered a timeline for when we can expect things to be fixed.

Downdetector showing almost no reports

Downdetector is showing a giant drop in reports and then a small increase. Presumably, this is because no one could access Downdetector to report issues, but we'll keep monitoring to see if that's the case or if the outage is actually coming to a close.

Personally, I think it's the former, as Meta's status page is still showing everything being down, but we'll see.

Higher than they look

The visual graph is actually deceiving, as it looks like there are few reports at first glance. However, that's only because the peak was more than 100,000. Even with the dramatic decline, it's still at more than 12,000 reports.

Ad delivery fixed

Meta has apparently fixed Ad Delivery on its platforms. "We have recovered from an earlier outage impacting ad delivery across our platform, and services have now been restored. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused," reads the status page.

'I can't access my profile'

According to a user on Downdetector, profile access is limited. "I can't access my profile, and I get an error "Unable to load" or something similar. I've tried both on mobile and PC, and I've also tried using the browser on my phone and computer. I still get the same error message," said user Brian Reid.

Instagram declining less

While the number of reports on Instagram didn't come anywhere close to the Facebook numbers, it didn't drop as much, either. It's currently still at more than 5,000 Downdetector reports.

Meta Business Suite joins the problem

Well, it looks like Meta Business Suite is the latest service to find itself on the Meta Status page. "We are aware that some people may be having trouble with messages in Inbox in Meta Business Suite. Our team is actively working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," reads Meta's status page.

Like the other outages, Meta is working to resolve it, but there's no indication of how long it'll be down for.

Downdetector reports lower than they've been

Despite Downdetector working again for a little while, the reports are still trending downward, dropping by just over 4,000 as of this post.

Marketing and Graph API join

Marketing API and Graph API are now on the Meta Status page, showing as having "Medium Disruptions."

"We are recovering from an earlier outage impacting editing and creation for Marketing API, and services are in the process of being restored. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused," says the status page.

Instagram is the highest

Currently, Instagram is the highest in terms of raw reports at 4,860. Facebook has dropped to around 2,400 and is down to just over 600.

"May take a bit of time" to get back to normal

Meta's Andy Stone said that everything is coming back about an hour ago.

"We're coming back, though it may take a bit of time for everything to be fully back to normal," Stone posted.

That does appear correct, as Facebook seems to have recovered. However, Instagram still seems to be having issues.

Reports take a steep dive

Starting around 9:00 am PT, reports on Down Detector started to decline but in the last 15 or minutes or so they've taken a steep dive.

As of this posting, I'm seeing 1500 reports, down from the steadier 5,000 earlier and the peak of 10,000 reports around 7:00 am PT.

Resolving issues

Meta doesn't really have a status page for Instagram or Facebook that we can use to get updates on what's happening with the social platforms.

However, the company does have a business status page for advertisers and developers that we can use to infer how things are going.

For example, previously, Facebook Ads was showing High Disruptions, but now it reads resolved.

That said, the developer platform is showing more issues but seems to be affecting more background APIs and business accounts.

Meta has remained mostly quiet

Beyond the two tweets from Meta's Andy Stone, the company has largely remained quiet about the outage.

And since Stone said the company was working on it he has also gone silent.

Fortunately, I suppose, it appears things are getting to normal.

Meta outage appears to be over

With reports finally under 500 reports for the first time today, it finally appears that the Instagram and Facebook outages are have pretty much resolved.

The Meta developer status page is basically green across the board.

Anecdotally, I've been able to access Instagram and Facebook fairly consistently for the last 15 minutes or so.

I will keep an eye on things for a little bit longer, but I am going to call it for now.

The 2026 World Cup is finally here, and Norton VPN has rolled out a massive price drop just in time for kickoff.

Over the past year or so, Norton has undergone a major overhaul, turning it into a legitimate challenger to the best VPNs overall. In fact, it recently climbed to the #1 spot in our best streaming VPN guide thanks to its ability to unblock virtually every platform we threw at it.

Now, you can get Norton VPN Plus, for the same price as its standard service. That means you'll get a password manager, cloud storage and dark web monitoring effectively for free.

Every subscription features an industry-leading 60-day money-back guarantee and a variety of other useful tools to keep you protected online. Full details are below.

A serious VPN from a household name

Norton VPN has evolved from a basic antivirus add-on into a premium standalone service that’s nipping at the heels of the likes of NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN. Combining household-name brand credibility with high-end performance, it is easily one of the most improved services on the market.

The provider covers all the privacy essentials. It features an independently audited no-logs policy — meaning your personal browsing data is never tracked or stored — alongside a reliable kill switch and advanced security tools like Double VPN.

However, the real standout feature ahead of the tournament is its streaming power. In our latest rounds of testing, Norton VPN successfully bypassed geo-restrictions on every single streaming site we tried. It’s a massive step up for the provider, delivering a level of unblocking performance that matches or outright beats the established heavyweights in the space.

With the World Cup kicking off today, it's a great choice whether you're traveling to watch the games or just following all the action at home.

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

Like many people, I've started using ChatGPT for shopping. I'm already using the chatbot throughout the day, and when it started recommending products and retailers, it felt like an easy way to save time. Instead of opening a dozen browser tabs, I could compare products, find alternatives and track down the best deals in a single conversation.

At first, it worked surprisingly well. Then I got scammed.

[UPDATE]

The following is a response from OpenAI:
"We're aware of a small number of potentially deceptive sites that have appeared in shopping-related results in ChatGPT. We've taken action on the ones we've identified and are continuing to improve our safeguards to make them less likely to appear in the first place."

I thought I was buying from a real store

What I thought was the official website of a popular swimsuit company turned out to be a fake store. The site looked legitimate and the branding matched, even the product photos looked authentic. I had no idea scams like this existed so I placed an order for a swimsuit and a pair of shorts and waited for them to arrive. But, when they never came, I contacted the real company and I learned they had never received my order.

That's when I realized that just because ChatGPT recommends a retailer doesn't mean that retailer is legitimate.

To be clear, this is largely a web problem rather than an AI problem. ChatGPT is pulling information from the internet, and scammers have become remarkably good at creating websites designed to look trustworthy. Some fake stores copy branding, product photos, customer service information and even entire website layouts from legitimate businesses. In fact, I've previously covered how easy it has become to clone a website using AI tools and a simple prompt.

That experience changed the way I shop online. Now, whenever ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI assistant recommends a retailer I've never used before, I spend a few extra minutes verifying it's real before I buy anything.

Here are the seven warning signs I look for now.

1. The URL doesn't match the brand

This is always the first thing I check. Scam websites often use addresses that look almost right but contain extra words, numbers or unusual domain endings.

For example, a legitimate retailer might use 'brandname.com" while a fake version might use "brandname-sale.com" or "brandname-outlet.shop" or "official-brandname.store." At a quick glance they can look convincing, especially when you're focused on finding a product.

Before entering payment information, I always double-check that the website address matches the retailer's official domain.

2. The discounts seem too good to be true

A sale alone isn't suspicious, but a 90% discount on nearly every item usually is something to question. In my case, the price was 50% off, which seemed particularly good, but not suspicious. But scammers know that urgency and excitement can override common sense. If every product appears heavily discounted and inventory seems unlimited, that's a major red flag.

Whenever I see prices that seem dramatically lower than every other retailer, I compare them with a few trusted stores before moving forward.

3. The site's contact information is vague or missing

This wasn't a red flag until I went back to the website to look for a contact number to find my order. There wasn't any "Contact Us" section. Legitimate retailers generally want customers to contact them, which is why most established stores provide some combination of customer service phone numbers, email addresses, physical business addresses, return policies and support portals.

If a website offers little more than a generic contact form, I become cautious immediately. A missing customer service presence doesn't automatically mean a site is fake, but it's enough to make me investigate further.

4. The writing feels strange

Ironically, in the age of AI, bad writing is still one of the easiest warning signs to spot. Many scam websites contain awkward grammar, random capitalization, poorly written policies and generic product descriptions. Yet, some are incredibly good, so good that they might have even been copied directly from the real company's site.

Take a few minutes to poke around the site and make sure things seem legit. After I was scammed, I looked around the site and everything appeared well written and professional, so you may just need to trust your gut or call the real company directly.

5. The reviews only exist on the website itself

A page filled with glowing five-star reviews doesn't tell me much anymore. Instead, I search independently. I look for mentions on forums, Reddit, Trustpilot, Google Reviews and other third-party sources.

If a retailer has supposedly been operating for years but has almost no presence outside its own website, that's something I pay attention to.

6. The checkout process feels rushed

Most websites have a checkout that asks you to confirm your order. But many scam stores try to create artificial urgency and leave out steps for confirmation once they have your credit card locked in.

The site or checkout might have messages such as: "Only 1 left!" "Sale ends in 10 minutes!""23 people are viewing this item right now!"

I've been to plenty of legitament websites that do that, but fake sites do these types of pessure tactics to push shoppers into making quick decisions. Now, if I feel rushed, I slow down. Scammers benefit when buyers don't stop to think.

7. AI is the only place I found the store

This may be the biggest lesson I learned. If ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI assistant recommends a retailer I've never heard of, I don't assume the recommendation has verified the company's legitimacy. In my case, the store was legitamate but the swimming suit was not available anywhere else.

If the website or stock seems strange, leave the AI chat and do a few independent checks. If you can't find the retailer through a normal Google search or no other website mentions it and its reputation can't be verified outside of the AI reccomendation, it's a giant red flag.

My takeaway

Getting scammed made me feel a variety of emotions. Besides being out of $150 and a swimming suit, I learned a tough lesson: don't treat AI recommendation as endorsements.

AI can be an excellent shopping assistant, but the same web that helps AI find useful information also contains misleading information, fake stores and sophisticated scams. Today, whenever an AI tool points me toward a retailer I've never used before, I take an extra minute to verify what I'm looking at.

That small pause may be the difference between finding a great deal and becoming someone else's cautionary tale.

More from Tom's Guide

• Google just supercharged NotebookLM — these are the 3 new features I'm testing first
• Apple Intelligence just got its biggest upgrade yet — here are all the new features announced at WWDC 2026
• Apple finally fixed Siri — here's all the features for the new Siri AI announced at WWDC

Apple's WWDC is taking place from June 8-12, 2026. While we're not expecting a major device release, the unveiling of iOS 27 and macOS 27 presents a good moment to think about securing your iPhone. The best VPNs are one of the simplest ways to do this, and right now, my favourite VPN for iPhone is on sale.

ExpressVPN has long been our top-rated iPhone VPN, and it's currently available from $2.49 per month on a 28-month plan ($69.72 upfront, pre-tax). A 30-day money-back guarantee means you can try it risk-free.

The app's design, set up, and features make it the ideal iPhone VPN. It looks great, and it compliments Apple's ideas of simplicity and functionality. Plus, it's very beginner friendly.

If you're an iPhone user who has never used a VPN before, or you're switching from something that hasn't impressed you, here's why ExpressVPN is the VPN worth getting.

The best iPhone VPN

ExpressVPN earns its place at the top of our best iPhone VPN guide for a few reasons, but the biggest is how effortless it is to use. The app is clean and uncluttered, built around a single large connect button that gets you protected in one tap. No menus to dig through, no settings to configure – it just works.

Beyond the simplicity, ExpressVPN doesn't cut corners on security. It uses post-quantum encryption as standard, and backs it up with a verified no-logs policy, meaning your data is never stored or shared.

For iPhone users specifically, it also offers a kill switch – something not every VPN bothers to include on iOS, making it a solid choice for anyone who takes their privacy seriously. This will cut your internet connection if your VPN fails, ensuring your data is never left unprotected.

The iOS app has also picked up some genuinely useful upgrades recently. You can now connect via a home screen widget or tell Siri to do it for you. Network Insights displays your connection speed and VPN status directly on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, so you always know you're protected without opening the app.

There's even an automation feature that connects you to ExpressVPN the moment you join public Wi-Fi, which is a handy safety net when you're out and about.

ExpressVPN is great for streaming, boasts 188 server locations worldwide, and delivers decent speeds – although it's not the fastest VPN we've tested. It now offers a complete privacy suite, with up to five apps included in one subscription, depending on which plan you've chosen.

So if WWDC has inspired you to protect your iPhone, a $2.49 per month ExpressVPN subscription is hard to ignore.

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

Instagram's new optional subscription plan is rolling out today, starting at $3.99 a month. Instagram Plus comes with "exclusive" features, which the social media platform says are for people who want "more control, deeper insights, and premium features."

In a blog post, Instagram announced that its Plus plan will be available globally.

The subscription plan is part of a trio of new paid offerings that include Facebook Plus and WhatsApp Plus. Instagram's Adam Mosseri posted a video saying you can sign up for it via your profile right now. He promised that the free version of the app will not change.

The plan gives you 11 new features. Here's what they are and how they work:

Sharing

For sharing, Plus gives your stories a higher priority to your friends. It also adds "Super Hearts," which are vibrant, animated hearts to cheer on your friends' stories.

You can make different Story audiences, meaning that you can share specific stories with specific groups of people. This is in addition to lists like the "close friends" tag that already exists.

Finally, you can extend your stories to last 48 hours and not just 24.

Insights

For those who care about the data, Plus gives you some very specific analytics. You can preview Stories without the need to react. You'll also be able to see how many times your stories were rewatched.

And if you need to, you can search through the list of people who viewed your stories.

Customization

With Plus, you can get a custom app icon from a curated selection designed by Instagram and some Instagram creators. Plus lets you customize the font in your profile bio.

On your profile, you can pin up to six posts, double the current amount for free accounts. Finally, you can post directly to your profile or highlights without them appearing in your friends' feeds if that's something you want.

Instagram says that all of these features are available at launch and promises that more features will come to Plus in the coming months.

Will you sign up for Instagram Plus? Let us know in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• Instagram's new 'instants' feature is driving users crazy. Here's how to disable it
• What is an instant on Instagram? How to use the latest feature that’s taking on Snapchat
• Meta and YouTube aren't the only ones who should be worried after landmark social media addiction ruling

There's a major change coming to Microsoft Edge today that removes the Master Password.

In a press release shared with TechRadar Pro, NordVPN said that as of today (June 4), Edge would be retiring the master password feature. It will be replaced by device-based authentication like Windows Hello, which is more secure than a master password. This comes shortly after Microsoft decided to drop passwords as the default option for new Microsoft accounts.

According to the VP of engineering at NordPass, Ignas Valancius, biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition (along with PINs) are more secure. The VP rightly states that folks who manage too many passwords tend to reuse them or make simple changes like swapping a letter or number (things I'm certainly guilty of).

Naturally, if someone with malicious intent has a hold of one password, they could potentially have access to all of a person's data if said person used the same password everywhere. Moving away from a master password for more secure login methods is more logical.

If you already use Windows Hello, then you can log in with your Windows device's login. This latter authentication method is the best way to go since it doesn't have to send data over the internet.

The NordVPN exec says he expects backlash as some folks are set in their ways when it comes to passwords. For those unhappy about this change, you can still use services like LastPass, which still has a master password.

I use LastPass myself, but I certainly see the benefit of passwordless authentication, such as fingerprint readers or facial recognition. Even if some users grumble about this change, it seems ultimately for the best.

More from Tom's Guide

• 'Concentrate on keeping it simple': Bill Gates wanted PCs to be straightforward, and Windows 11’s AI push is a betrayal
• Windows 11 is getting 3 new features in a major quality of life update — is Microsoft starting to pull back on AI slop?
• Microsoft is reportedly 'pulling back' on stuffing Windows 11 with AI — and I couldn't be happier

I'm sorry to report that I'm one of the victims in the Ultrahuman data breach, which includes wellness data. Yesterday, certain Ultrahuman users got an email from Mohit Kumar, the company's founder and CEO, alerting them of a “security incident” that occurred on 27 March 2026.

Kumar said: “The most important facts first: no passwords, card details, or payment data were involved, and we have found no evidence of misuse.” As a health and fitness editor, I'm constantly testing the latest wearables, and it turns out I've been compromised and, according to Ultrahuman, my data is now at risk.

The company, best known for its smart rings, reportedly has up to 700,000 users globally. The breach targeted an internal analytics system, rather than Ultrahuman’s core user database, so it’s thought that only around 1,000 users are affected. Let’s look at what’s been taken and the steps Ultrahuman has taken to reassure users like me.

What have the hackers stolen?

According to the email that landed in my inbox last night, the “affected dataset” contained just one single piece of personal information: my email address. In the grand scheme of things, that's not too bad.

A statement on the Ultrahuman website confirms that for other users, this won’t be the only data accessed by hackers.

“The information visible to the unauthorised individual varied by account. The dataset that was accessed contained, depending on the user, contact and account details, order and transaction history, and for a smaller group of users, some fitness related data associated with their product usage and purchases.”

Kumar goes on to write: “No passwords, payment or credit card information, account details, transaction history or wellness data were accessible or affected by this incident. Your Ultrahuman Ring continues to operate normally and to record accurate wellness information.”

What has Ultrahuman advised?

The email goes on to advise me to “be alert to phishing attempts. If you receive any unexpected email, SMS, or telephone call referencing Ultrahuman, your orders, or your personal data, please treat it with caution, particularly where it conveys urgency or requests that you click a link.”

In a week that’s seen Oura launch the Oura Ring 5, and reports building about a new Samsung Galaxy Ring, what this data breach will do to Ultrahuman’s reputation remains to be seen.

I reached out to Ultrahuman, and they responded with the following statement:

"On March 27 2026, the wellness data of 0.1% of users was accessed via unauthorized access to an internal tool. No passwords or payment data were accessed, and the Ultrahuman Ring and production system weren’t compromised.

"We’ve taken our time to properly comply with the process of informing regulators and auditing the full scope of what was and wasn't affected. We wanted to inform users precisely what data was involved rather than guessing, and have taken steps to ensure this never happens again."

Have you had your personal details stolen through a data breach? Let me know what happened in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I've been using the Fitbit Air for over a week, and my favorite feature has completely changed the way I wake up
• The Fitbit Air is basically just a screen-less Fitbit Inspire 3 — and that’s a very good thing
• Forget the Whoop 5.0 — The new Fitbit Air is a screen-less, subscription-free fitness tracker for the masses

The World Cup is underway! The world's best teams have traveled to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to face off in the most popular sporting event on the planet.

If you're going to a game — or watching it from the comfort of your home — we have everything you need to know right here. We'll let you know how to watch every match (for free!), the best TVs and soundbars to enjoy the games in all their glory, and the best deals if you want to upgrade your setup for less.

We'll even have tips and tricks for getting the most out of the gear you have, from optimizing your TV's performance to tweaking your audio so you can hear every GOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!

We're going to update this page regularly throughout the contest, so be sure to come back each day.

How to watch all the games

Our top World Cup TV deals

Best deals for TVs, soundbars, and more

The best settings for your TV

Tips for going to the games

Host the ultimate watch party

Apparel and other gear

Test your World Cup knowledge

Try our TV product finder!

The web has always been full of trackers, but the AI boom has made personal data feel even more valuable. Every click, search, sign-up, or payment can feed the systems building profiles around your online behavior, whether that’s for advertising, analytics, or the next wave of AI tools.

The best VPNs alone won’t stop every company from scraping public web data, but NordVPN Plus gives you a stronger layer of protection where it counts. It includes NordVPN’s core privacy tools alongside its newly rebranded "next-generation antivirus," which blocks ads, trackers, phishing links, malware, and suspicious downloads before they get too close.

At $3.59 per month ($96.93 upfront, pre-tax) for 27 months, NordVPN Plus costs more than budget picks like Surfshark and PIA, but it gives you a broader security bundle than a standard VPN deal. You get antivirus, NordPass, and Dark Web Monitoring.

Protect your data from AI scraping

NordVPN Plus is built for people who want more than a private connection. The main attraction here is Threat Protection Pro, now styled as NordVPN’s next-generation antivirus, which works in the background while you browse.

Its job is simple: block the junk before it reaches you. That means fewer ads, fewer trackers, fewer phishing pages, and stronger protection against malicious files. In our testing, NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro was the best VPN-based threat-protection tool, blocking 92% of phishing sites and 80% of malware sites.

That tracker blocking is the part that feels especially timely. AI companies, advertisers, and analytics platforms all rely on data trails to understand what people read, click, search, and share online. NordVPN won’t erase you from the internet, but it can help cut down the amount of tracking activity attached to your browsing.

NordVPN Plus also covers browser and email protections. NordVPN’s email protection scans visible links in open emails on supported web browsers, then flags suspicious URLs before you click. If it spots a phishing, scam, or malware link, you’ll see a red shield icon and a warning banner, without NordVPN needing to scan the actual content of your emails.

NordVPN Basic still gets you the VPN, but Plus is the tier built for everyday web protection – it throws in the NordPass password manager too. If your main concern is trackers, phishing links, suspicious downloads, and breach alerts, this is the NordVPN plan to go for.

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

People are flocking to the privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo as Google goes all-in on its expanded AI-driven search interface. At Google's I/O conference last week, the company rolled out its biggest search upgrade in decades, replacing the standard page of links with an AI-powered search agent that does the leg work for you, complete with support for follow-up questions.

Considering how often the company's flagship AI Overview feature still struggles with hallucinations, users weren't thrilled at the news. Many are jumping ship for DuckDuckGo, which lets users tailor how much AI they want in their search experience. A representative for DuckDuckGo told CNET that, in the U.S., installations jumped 21% week over week from May 20 through May 26, directly following Google's announcement of several AI initiatives. Browser installs on iOS spiked by 33%, including 69% on Memorial Day.

The company also told MacRumors that traffic for its No AI search page has tripled since Google's announcement. This feature ditches AI-assisted answers, AI-generated images, and DuckDuckGo's own AI tools from results altogether, letting you browse Search pages as you always have. We've reached out to clarify those figures, and will update this article once we hear back.

DuckDuckGo's standard browser offers a Search Assist function that uses AI to help answer search queries, though you can choose how often you want it to appear or nix it entirely. Similar to Google, there's also an Ask AI button to the right of the search bar, which you can use to get AI-generated answers.

According to cloud network and cybersecurity company Cloudflare, DuckDuckGo was the No. 2 most-used search engine on mobile and No. 3 overall in the U.S. in December 2025. Given the clear appetite for AI-free search, DuckDuckGo plans to add No AI search settings to its original extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera sometime in the near future.

More from Tom's Guide

• I hate that I love Google’s new AI-powered search bar — it makes the internet easier to digest, but my career is cooked now
• I found 5 search engines that don't force AI summaries on every search
• I was tired of AI slop ruining my Google searches, this Chrome extension fixed it

Identity theft is more common than most people realize. Data breaches expose millions of card details and personal records every year, and if yours end up on the dark web, the process of cleaning up the mess – cancelling cards, proving your identity, dealing with fraudulent accounts – can take months and cost a small fortune.

But one of the best VPNs is here to help. Surfshark One+ is designed to take that burden off your shoulders. For $4.19 per month on a 27-month plan ($113.13 upfront, pre-tax), you get Surfshark's most complete package, with every feature it has to offer including up to $1 million in ID theft protection.

What's more, right now you'll receive a free Amazon gift card worth $30 thanks to our exclusive deal.

If you're based in the US and want a proper safety net for your personal data, Surfshark One+ is one of the most comprehensive options on the market right now – here's what you get.

Total ID theft protection

If your personal data gets exposed, Surfshark One+ covers up to $1 million in identity restoration expenses. That includes practical costs like replacing documents, legal fees, and lost wages – but also less obvious ones, like up to $1,000 for mental health counselling. A licensed ID theft investigator is also on hand to guide you through the recovery process, which can make a significant difference when you're dealing with something as stressful as identity fraud.

Surfshark One+ also includes Incogni, a data removal service that contacts data brokers on your behalf and requests they delete your personal information. It's a proactive layer of protection that reduces your exposure before anything goes wrong, rather than just helping you recover after the fact.

It's worth noting that the ID theft coverage is available to US residents only, excluding those in New York State.

Rounding things out, Surfshark recently launched its Antiscam Hub for iOS – a dedicated section of the app that pulls together five personal protection tools including dark web monitoring, unsafe site blocking, and identity theft coverage into a single, streamlined interface. It's a sign that Surfshark is building toward something more than just a VPN.

The VPN itself is also one of the best, sitting #2 on our best VPN list. It's fast, secure, and good for streaming. You can protect an unlimited number of devices on one plan, perfect for families or those with a ton of devices.

Three tiers of plan are available, but if you want a complete cybersecurity package, Surfshark One+ is the one to go for.

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

Norton VPN has announced a big upgrade to its server spread, unveiling a host of new supported countries and locations.

You can now connect to a server in 18 new countries, bringing the VPN's total to 92. On top of that, Manual IP shuffle has been launched on desktop, and the VPN teased some significant features coming this summer.

Norton VPN continues to improve at pace and is amongst the best VPNs available right now. It's fast, secure, and our testing saw it take the crown of best streaming VPN.

With plans starting at $2.49 per month ($59.99 upfront), Norton VPN is an affordable choice. Plus, thanks to our exclusive deal, you can currently grab a free $30 Amazon gift card with your subscription.

18 new countries

The arrival of 18 new countries sees Norton VPN's offering rise from 74 to 92, with its total number of locations growing from 125. Norton VPN still lags behind NordVPN's 212 locations in 135 countries, and Proton VPN's 191 locations in 145 countries. But it brings it closer to Surfshark (142 locations in 100 countries) and ExpressVPN (188 locations in 105 countries).

The new countries are spread across various continents, and are:

• Algeria
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Bahamas
• Bermuda
• Egypt
• Georgia
• Jamaica
• Jersey
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Lichtenstein
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Puerto Rico
• Senegal

Norton VPN already covered most major locations, and this update represents a focus on less popular countries. However, this is vital for VPN users in these countries, as they can access local VPN servers and protect their data while keeping their IP address in their home country.

These servers can also be a lifeline for those facing internet censorship. Connecting to a VPN allows you to bypass online restrictions and access a free and open internet. VPNs came under attack in Myanmar in 2025, and Egypt has a history of internet censorship. Norton VPN's proprietary protocol Mimic, is designed to protect users thanks to its obfuscating capabilities.

Himmat Bains, Product Lead at Norton VPN, said: "With Norton VPN's expansion to 130+ server locations in over 90 countries, people now have more locations to choose from, helping them stay connected to the online content and services they rely on, browse with added privacy, and access a more localized online experience, all backed by the trusted protection Norton VPN is built to deliver."

More features to come

Alongside the new countries, Norton VPN has released Manual IP Shuffle on desktop. This expands its existing IP Rotation offering, which is currently automatic.

Shuffling, or rotating, your IP sees your VPN regularly change your virtual IP address, without disconnecting, making it more difficult for you to be tracked online.

Currently, Norton VPN's automatic IP Rotation changes your address every 30 seconds. But Manual IP Rotation gives you more control over when you want to shuffle that connection.

Simply hit the refresh icon next to your connection every time you want to switch. You can also connect to any of Norton VPN's locations. A downside to the existing automatic IP Rotation is you're limited to six countries.

"VPN customers today expect more than just a secure connection – they want flexibility that fits how they actually live online. Broadening our IP Rotation capabilities is a direct response to that," explained Bains.

"Norton VPN customers can now choose between automatic IP Rotation, which refreshes their VPN IP every 30 seconds in the background, and our new Manual IP Rotation, which puts that same control in their hands on demand."

Manual IP Shuffle will be coming to mobile in the coming weeks.

Norton VPN teased some upcoming features, which represent further significant improvements to its VPN apps. New SDKs (Software Development Kits) will be coming to mobile. This aims to improve performance and app stability.

Split tunneling is coming to Mac. It's currently available on Windows and Android only, and the reduced support for Apple devices is something we noted in our Norton VPN review. However, this is something Norton VPN is addressing and split tunneling coming to Mac will be a significant upgrade for the platform.

Arguably the most interesting feature upgrade is the implementation of post-quantum encryption (PQE) on WireGuard. PQE is blended with AES-256 encryption within the Mimic protocol, so adding it to the WireGuard protocol will see Norton VPN become one of the most quantum secure VPNs.

PQE is the new industry standard and protects your devices against the emerging threat of quantum computers, as well as "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks.

The features will be coming between now and the summer, so users won't have to wait long.

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

The Champions League final is almost upon us. Arsenal – who have just won their first Premier League title in 22 years – are aiming to win Europe's biggest club competition for the first time. Reigning champions PSG are looking to make it back-to-back titles. Millions of football fans will tune in for what promises to be one of the biggest matches of the year.

But for traveling Gunners, Les Parisiens, or any true football aficionado away from home this weekend, accessing your usual stream isn't always straightforward. Geo-restrictions can block the platforms you'd normally use, leaving you searching for alternatives just hours before kick-off.

That's where one of the best VPNs comes in. Norton VPN seriously impressed us in our latest testing, rising to #1 in our guide to the best streaming VPNs. It unblocked every streaming service we tested, which makes it ideal for unblocking the likes of Paramount+ and DAZN in the US, and HBO Max and TNT Sports in the UK.

Better still, Norton VPN is one of the cheaper big-name VPNs around, with a 24-month plan starting at $2.49 per month ($59.99 upfront, pre-tax) and a generous 60-day money-back guarantee included.

Even better, thanks to our exclusive deal, you can grab a $30 Amazon gift card with all subscriptions.

Norton VPN's streaming power is unmatched.

Norton VPN has become a quality streaming VPN, and the timing couldn't be much better for the Champions League final weekend. Its latest test results were excellent, especially for anyone trying to watch while away from home.

For US viewers hoping to use Paramount+ or DAZN to catch the final, Norton VPN should have no trouble accessing a smooth stream. UK users logging in via HBO Max or TNT Sports should have an equally good experience.

Elsewhere, Norton VPN unblocked streaming sites in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan. So wherever you are in the world, Norton VPN is the perfect choice.

It also unblocked Netflix libraries in all regions, as well as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and US YouTube. So you're not just paying for one match, you're getting a VPN that can help with movies, shows, and live events throughout your trip.

There are apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, Apple TV, and Fire TV, so you can stream on your laptop, phone, tablet, or big screen. Setup is quick, the apps are simple, and connecting before kick-off should only take a couple of clicks.

If you think that a $2.49 per month price means cutting corners on performance, Norton VPN proves otherwise. We recorded WireGuard speeds of up to 1,010 Mbps, which is far beyond what you need for smooth HD or 4K streaming.

So if you're after a fast and secure VPN to stream the Champions League final, check out Norton VPN – and there's a free $30 Amazon gift card as an added bonus

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

ExpressVPN has completed its 27th independent security audit, the most out of any of the best VPNs.

Cybersecurity firm Cure53 carried out the latest round of reviews, assessing two of the company's newest privacy tools: ExpressMailGuard, an email alias service, and Identity Defender, a US-only protection app.

The audits were comprehensive in scope. Cure53 – known for rigorous white-box penetration testing – examined ExpressMailGuard's secure relay layer, and stress-tested the backend infrastructure behind Identity Defender. It validated that sensitive personally identifiable information remains isolated and protected against unauthorised access.

The milestone marks another step in ExpressVPN's broader ambition to bring independently verified privacy tools under one subscription. Since publishing its first audit in 2018, the company has subjected every major component of its infrastructure to independent scrutiny – from its VPN protocols and no-logs policy to its private AI assistant, and now its email and identity protection products.

What did Cure53 test?

ExpressMailGuard allows users to generate unlimited anonymous email aliases, shielding their real inbox from the services they sign up to. Cure53's audit focused on the secure relay layer, verifying that the system strips identifying metadata, routes messages through aliases, and deletes delivered messages from ExpressVPN's servers – ensuring the relay cannot be used to build user profiles or retain communication archives.

Identity Defender is available as a standalone app for US users. It monitors public records, home and auto titles, court records, financial records, and Dark Web data for early signs of identity theft. It also includes an automated data-removal tool that continuously scrubs personal information from data broker sites.

Cure53 stress-tested the backend infrastructure powering these monitoring services, confirming that sensitive PII remains isolated against unauthorised access.

Full audit reports are published on ExpressVPN's Trust page.

A compounding investment in accountability

Reaching 27 audits reflects a deliberate and long-running commitment that stretches back to 2018, when ExpressVPN published its first independent security review. Since then, the company has submitted every major component of its infrastructure to outside scrutiny – a standard it says goes well beyond industry norms.

"Security audits are not a checkbox exercise for us," said Aaron Engel, CSO at ExpressVPN. "Every product we build that touches user data gets handed to independent researchers whose job is to break it. Twenty-seven audits later, we remain committed to the same standard: trust must be earned, not assumed."

Other leading VPNs do conduct independent security and privacy audits – NordVPN has completed six no-logs reviews and Surfshark two – but neither matches ExpressVPN's volume, or the breadth of products covered.

What sets ExpressVPN apart is that its audits now span its entire product stack – not just the VPN itself. Its password manager, email relay, AI assistant, and identity protection tools are all covered.

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

Norton 360 is one of the best antivirus software suites you can buy today, and it’s worth (nearly) every cent. Boasting a plethora of protection and security tools, Norton 360 protects you and your devices from AI scams, ransomware, and even deepfakes. What makes Norton 360 a sublime choice is the 24/7 customer support, user-friendly interface, and 60-day money-back guarantee. Low system impact is a boon too.

But the software isn’t perfect, as some features, like SafeCam, are restricted to Windows only. Norton 360’s AI assistant which checks links for malware is a little slow as well, especially when compared to the ones offered by its competitors.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Norton 360 review.

Norton 360 review: Specs

Norton 360 review: Costs & what’s covered

Norton 360 offers different plans offering varying levels of protection, depending on whether you’re a consumer or the owner of a small business. If you’re buying a subscription for yourself and/or your family, Norton 360’s cheapest plan, fittingly named Standard, costs $42 for the first year and renews at $94. This is a little cheaper than Bitdefender Total Security which starts at $109.

Naturally, prices jump up the more advanced the plan is. Norton 360 Deluxe for consumers starts at $52 for the first year and renews at $124, and Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus starts at $99 for the first year and renews at $189. Norton 360’s most expensive plan costs the same as Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus — one of the biggest differences, though, is that Norton 360 offers a lower price point for the first 12 months.

If you own a small business, there are two plans to choose from for up to 10 employees: Norton Small Business starts at $59 for the first year and renews at $119 (for three employees), and Norton Small Business Premium starts at $199 for the first year and renews at $299 (for five employees).

It’s important to note that Norton 360 offers different plans for American and non-American customers. For instance, Norton 360 with LifeLock requires a valid Social Security Number so it can’t work in the U.K. or elsewhere outside of the States. Due to this limitation, I tested the Advanced plan, which is the highest tier available outside of the U.S.

Before you commit to a plan, it’s worth reading the fine print and going through all its features. Happily, Norton 360 offers a 60-day money-back guarantee for its consumer and business customers alike. Even better, Norton 360 says that if your device catches a virus its software can’t detect, you’ll get your money back (terms and conditions apply, naturally).

Norton 360 review: Protection

As I mentioned before, Norton 360 offers varying levels of protection depending on the plan you choose. Norton 360 Standard, the cheapest plan for consumers, protects one device against malware, viruses, ransomware and hackers, and offers Deepfake Protection, 10GB of cloud backup, Dark Web Monitoring, and a VPN.

The most advanced plan for consumers, LifeLock Select Plus, protects up to 10 macOS, Windows, iOS and Android devices from all the aforementioned, while including Scam Protection Pro, 250GB cloud storage, Parental Control, Credit Monitoring Coverage, and up to $25,000 in stolen funds reimbursement, amongst some other extras.

As with other antivirus software we test, I referred and compared testing results from three independent labs who test antivirus software twice a year (for the most part). The first thing I looked at was AV Test’s February 2026 report which certifies Norton 360 as a “Top Product” with a 6/6 score across Protection, Performance and Usability. Bitdefender and McAfee also received the same scores.

In AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test, Norton 360 performed better than Bitdefender. This test uses benchmarking tools to assess system impact. Norton 360 scored 90/100 in AVC, 94.7/100 in Procyon, and 5.3 in Impact. The lower the Impact score, the better, and Norton 360 outperformed Bitdefender which scored a 9.6/10 in Impact. McAfee, on the other hand, achieved a 3.3/10 in Impact, making it better than both its competitors.

As for the SE Labs (U.K.) April 2026 report, Norton 360’s macOS version was awarded an AAA rating with 100% protection accuracy, which is the highest possible rating.

Norton 360 review: Performance

Once you’ve bought your subscription, it’s time to download and install Norton 360 on your computer or smartphone. On Windows and macOS, you’ll need to log into My Norton with the registered email address and find the Download button on the dashboard. If you can’t see it, you may need to enter your 25-character unique license key and the Download button should then show up. It took under five minutes to get Norton 360 up and running on our testing rig on which I ran the majority of the tests.

On iOS and Android smartphones, you’ll need to download Norton 360 from the respective app store and sign in with your registered email address. The app should then automatically pull your subscription details. It takes mere seconds — the process couldn’t be smoother.

The first thing I did to test the antivirus software was to run a system scan — most users will be doing the same, I’m certain. There are a few types of scans available. You’ve got your classic Quick and Full scans, and in addition to those, you get access to Targeted (custom) and even a Startup scan which, as the name suggests, scans your files when you boot up the computer. Startup scan is something I haven’t seen other antivirus software suites offer, including Bitdefender and Malwarebytes.

To start with, I ran a Quick Scan which took three minutes and 33 seconds to complete, and it scanned 96,054 files without detecting any threats. The Full Scan took a bit longer, as expected, and it took just over five minutes to scan 896,544 files. Again, no anomalies were detected. Norton 360 didn’t scan as many files as Bitdefender, which scanned over two million files in 26 minutes.

The Quick and Full scans were conducted without any other heavy-duty apps running in the background. To see if Norton 360 has an impact on system performance, I ran in-game benchmark tests on two games: Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5. With Norton 360 running in the background, Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra graphics) achieved 118fps which dipped to 107fps with the Quick Scan running, and 105fps with the Full Scan running.

Similarly, with Forza Horizon 5 running on High graphics, the game achieved 125fps with Norton 360 running in the background. With the software performing a Quick and Full Scan, the frame rate dropped to 123fps in both instances. This goes to show that Norton 360 doesn’t have a detrimental effect on your system’s performance, and that you can continue gaming as usual even with the software running in the background.

After finishing the in-game benchmark tests, I ran a few tests at speedtest.net to see how Norton 360 impacts internet speeds. As you can see from the table above, upload speeds dropped a fair bit with the Quick and Full Scans running — though the latter’s were faster than the former’s (surprisingly).

Norton 360 review: Features

In addition to system scanning, Norton 360 packs other goodies too, all of which ensure your device and online identity remain protected from threats. I tested the Advanced plan which comes with extras like Deepfake Protection, Parental Controls, Dark Web Monitoring, and Social Media Monitoring which notifies you of suspicious activity, like changes to your account settings and risky links.

I put a few of those through their paces, starting with Ask Genie, which is Norton 360’s built-in AI assistant. It helps you assess links and images to determine whether they’re safe to open or believe. I’ve seen AI assistants in Malwarebytes and Avast One too, so I was looking forward to testing Norton 360’s.

Unfortunately, I found Ask Genie to be quite slow to respond. I started off by asking it to check if a YouTube link was safe to click on. I got texts back that it was working on the thumbnail, content and more and to come back in a few minutes. Ask Genie never completed the task and said to try again later — which was disappointing.

I then asked it to check whether a security alert from Microsoft was legitimate (I knew it was). It asked me a number of questions to figure out what exactly I wanted to know. I was surprised by this, as I didn’t have to do so with Malwarebytes and Avast One. Both those suites’ AI assistants were quick to answer. Similarly, I had to tell it thrice what to do with a TikTok link I shared to check its legitimacy. I felt frustrated by Norton 360’s AI assistant, truth be told.

On to the good things now. Norton 360 comes with a Secure VPN, depending on the plan you purchase but it’s included in the Advanced tier I tried. You don’t need to download a separate app for the VPN, which is great, and it lets you connect to 2,000 servers across 65 counties — a little less than Bitdefender where you can connect to one of 4,000 servers globally, but still good.

Norton 360’s Advanced plan features a handy File Cleanup tool too, which detects unneeded files on your machine, and determines whether they’re safe to delete. This is good for those who have many, many files on their computer, as it gives you an at-a-glance view of files eating into your storage and hampering system performance. You can then go through the files and choose which ones you want to get rid of.

Though Norton 360 offers robust protection thanks to features like Credit Alerts and Dark Web Monitoring, I’m surprised one of its features is paywalled. When I opened Norton 360, it told me my computer was at risk and that “6,553 issues” were slowing down my PC. When I clicked on it to fix the issues, I was told to purchase Norton Utilities Ultimate. It isn’t expensive, with the add-on costing £29 for the first year, but still disappointing that you have to buy it separately.

Also worth noting: some features are available to Windows users only. SafeCam, which protects your webcam and microphone, and Cloud Backup aren’t compatible with non-Windows machines, including MacBooks. This isn’t a massive drawback, per se, as macOS features reliable built-in privacy tools to protect your webcam, and Time Machine is a powerful backup tool, too.

And to top it all off, Norton 360’s Advanced plan includes advanced security measures like AI agent protection. If you use, say, Claude Code, Cursor or OpenClaw, you can integrate Norton 360 into it to keep your AI tools secure while they work.

Norton 360 review: Interface

I’m yet to test an antivirus software that doesn’t sport a clean, accessible interface, and Norton 360 is no different. My Norton, the online dashboard, serves as the central hub for managing your subscription and activating it on different devices. There are no intrusive pop-ups or ads, so it’s a joy to navigate the dashboard.

The software itself is extremely user-friendly, and everything is well-signposted for new (and returning) users to understand. It’s important to note that you can’t make the window full-size — but this is a common occurrence with antivirus software suites. I’ve seen it with Avast One and Bitdefender, and the only software suite that doesn’t follow this convention is Malwarebytes.

Norton 360’s mobile app is just as intuitive to use. It’s available on both iOS and Android. I tested it on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, and found the activation process super quick — all I needed to do was login with my registered email address. I found the mobile dashboard easy to understand, and I also liked that I didn’t need to download a separate app for the Secure VPN.

Norton 360 review: Support

Regardless of how smoothly an app runs, you may run into some issues that can’t be solved by a simple Google search. Norton 360 offers extensive support for consumers and businesses alike. The support center features detailed help pages and troubleshooting guides, and there’s an active community of other users who discuss issues and solutions on Norton 360’s official forums.

If the guides fail to enlighten you, Norton 360 happily offers 24/7 email, chat and text support — just like Bitdefender, Avast One and McAfee. To get started, you must type in your registered email address, after which you’ll be asked to select the topic you need help with. Norton 360 will then suggest contact methods, but if you don’t want to speak to a human being over the phone, you can ask to be connected to the live chat.

The AI-powered chatbot is useful and quick to answer your questions. I asked it for help with two separate things and it quickly presented the solution to me. I then asked to speak with a human being and it took just under five minutes for the chatbot to connect me with another person.

Norton 360 review: Verdict

Norton 360 delivers a comprehensive security suite that strikes a balance between strong protection and ease of use. Its top-tier plans pack in nearly every feature you could want: malware and ransomware defense, Dark Web Monitoring, Parental Controls, Secure VPN, and more. Its low system impact is a standout advantage, as the software can run without seriously disrupting gaming or day-to-day performance.

However, there are a few niggles standing in the way of Norton 360 achieving the perfect score. Some features remain limited to Windows machines, including SafeCam, and Norton’s Ask Genie AI assistant feels slow and inconsistent compared to offerings from Avast One and Malwarebytes.

But even with these shortcomings, Norton 360 remains one of the most feature-rich and dependable antivirus software suites today — and it offers bang for your buck.

T-Mobile has had some hiccups this week, as users started reporting issues yesterday (May 28) with the popular provider. However, it doesn't appear to be affecting the company's mobile signal, but its fiber home internet service. While that means fewer people are affected, it hasn't stopped more than 1,000 from hitting Downdetector to report issues.

The outage lasted multiple hours with no serious decline on Downdetector. T-Mobile finally sent us a response around 2:00 p.m. Pacific/5:00 p.m. Eastern. We were told at that point that the company had resolved the issue and most people should be back online, though it admitted that some people would still have issues as recovery progressed.

On the company's T-Mobile Help X account, there are a few users reaching out about the issue, but the company is just asking them to send a direct message, thus offering no public solution to the ongoing outage.

T-Mobile down — live updates on the fiber outage

T-Mobile Fiber has tons of reports, too

Some users have figured out that there's a T-Mobile Fiber page on Downdetector and are reporting the outage there, as well.

The number is lower, but for a relatively small internet provider available in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, and the Carolinas, it's a good number of reports.

And so it begins

Currently, T-Mobile's main Downdetector page has around 1,100 outage reports. Were this a mobile outage, that number would be substantially higher, but since it's home internet that's only available in 10 states, it's a relatively modest number of reports.

Lumos also getting reports

T-Mobile bought out Lumos home internet services in a lot of markets, so it's also seeing a sudden spike in reports, which we have to assume is connected to the ongoing T-Mobile Fiber outage.

Long hold times

As is often the case with outages, hold times have become extremely long on the phone. One X user said they waited more than an hour to speak to someone at T-Mobile, only to be given the standard "we're working on it" speech. According to someone who managed to get through, "it’s a widespread outage with no resolution time as of yet," so we'll have to keep waiting to find out anything new.

The first downturn

We're seeing a small downturn in the number of reports on Downdetector for both T-Mobile and T-Mobile Fiber. Does that mean the outage is coming to an end or are people just not reporting problems as much since it's been happening on and off for a while. Time will tell.

T-Mobile is trying

You have to hand it to T-Mobile; the company is trying to respond to users on X, which is hopefully alleviating some of the strain of people trying to get through on the phone.

Unfortunately, the company is hopping into direct messages with the customers, so we have no way to know what is coming from initial reach-outs.

Up for some, still down for others

Looking through the Downdetector comments, some T-Mobile Fiber customers are saying that things are back and some are saying it's still down for them. Presumably, whatever fix T-Mobile is bringing forward is rolling out gradually, so the users still dealing with problems might just need to be patient.

The fact that it's back for some is a good sign, though!

Reports dropping fast

The reports for T-Mobile and T-Mobile Fiber are on a major downswing, which is great for users struggling to enjoy their home internet.

Holding pattern

At this point, it seems like we're just in a holding pattern waiting for the people who are still experiencing outages to get it fixed.

Hopefully it's all resolved soon so everyone can get back to their normal days!

Reader spoke to T-Mobile

A reader reached out via email and told me that they "just got done with T-Mobile customer care chat and were quoted 4-6 hours for restoration, where I am in North Atlanta suburbs."

Obviously, that timeframe could vary for different regions, but if you're in one of the areas still dealing with problems, just know that as of around 10:30 a.m. ET, that's the approximate time frame.

Downdetector staying steady

Unfortunately, there's not much new to report. Downdetector is hanging in the 300 range still and based on claims of 4-6 hours for a full return, I don't expect much to shift over the next hour or so.

T-Mobile Help isn't much help

Unfortunately, T-Mobile Help on X is still just directing people to DM without offering any public-facing updates on the downtime.

'Up and running where I am'

According to the same reader who messaged us, they said that it "looks like that 4-hour estimate was close and I know they always under-promise and over-deliver on those times…like any good restaurant does with their wait times."

It's not fully up and running yet, though

Despite anecdotal evidence from our readers and comments on Downdetector, there are still people without internet access, as reports haven't fully subsided. Currently, T-Mobile has 298 reports, and T-Mobile Fiber has 190, both indicating that some areas still don't have internet service.

It's back down in Georgia

We've received another update from a reader in Georgia that the fix didn't last long. They said the internet "only stayed on for about 23 minutes and has been down for almost another hour now ."

Clearly, there's still something not quite right with T-Mobile Fiber.

Down in Virginia

A reader let us know that their service in Virginia is out. Though it could be more of a systemic problem for them.

"Our internet is very slow because our T-Mobile fiber has not worked in over a week. So we are using T-Mobile home internet as a backup and are over our data limit. When will the T-Mobile fiber system be working again? We are in Norfolk, Virginia."

No acknowledgement from T-Mobile

We are several hours into the T-Mobile Fiber outage with claims form some people saying that it's lasted more than 11 hours for them.

Tom's Guide has reached out to T-Mobile about the outage but the company has not responded.

Meanwhile, the support account on Twitter is getting hit with people complaining about the outage; however, from what I've seen, the support staff there only pushes users to DMs or tells them they need to speak to the Fiber team.

Elsewhere, I don't see any announcements from T-Mobile.

T-Mobile responds!

A T-Mobile spokesperson reached out to Tom's Guide with this statement:

"We’re aware of an issue that impacted some T-Fiber customers earlier today. Service has since been restored for many of the affected customers, and restoration efforts are ongoing.

T-Fiber teams are continuing to work as quickly as possible to fully restore service soon, and we apologize for the inconvenience."

No clear timeline

A reader commented that their email went down around 2:00 am Eastern today. It took until 11:53 am for the company to notify them, they said.

However, they said that T-mobile said "an email forth coming to notify of restoration but provides no timeframe."

From what I can tell, recovery is ongoing which means some people may still lack connections.

Reader response

Reader says their 5G home internet is working while the fiber is down.

"T-Fiber, specifically, is what’s affected. My T-mobile 5G home internet is working as a backup while fiber is down."

It just drags on

Normally by now on Downdetector we would have seen reports dry up especially once a fix was initiated by the relevant company.

However today, the T-Mobile outage continues to drag on sitting around 300 reports since 2 a.m. Eastern.

It's honestly not clear when this will settle for people.

T-Mobile still down for some

I logged off for the day at 4 p.m. ET, assuming everything would be back to normal before I went to bed. Just for kicks, I decided to check Downdetector to see what was happening, and to my utter shock, there are still 288 reports of people having problems with T-Mobile's fiber internet.

Despite T-Mobile's best efforts (including the response we posted earlier, which claimed service was "restored for many of the affected customers"), things still seem broken for at least some of T-Mobile Fiber users. If you're among them, at least you know the company is aware of the issue and is trying its best to fix it.

Reports seem to have stabilized, but not gone away

Despite T-Mobile assuring us yesterday that service has been restored following the problems, reports on DownDetector continue to trickle through. Reports are just under 200 at the time of writing (about 4 a.m. ET), which could mean that lingering issues continue into a second day if users wake up and find their home internet still affected. If that's you, let us know in the comments box below.

A reminder that T-Mobile gave us an official statement on the outage yesterday:

"We’re aware of an issue that impacted some T-Fiber customers earlier today. Service has since been restored for many of the affected customers, and restoration efforts are ongoing.

T-Fiber teams are continuing to work as quickly as possible to fully restore service soon, and we apologize for the inconvenience."

On the rise again?

We saw a sharp drop in reports overnight, down to as low as 40, but that could be largely because almost everyone in the impacted areas was asleep. Now that the eastern portion of the U.S. is waking up, reports have jumped back to around 240, indicating that some T-Mobile Fiber users are waking up to find their internet still broken.

We'll keep this blog updated as we learn more. Hopefully, things get sorted this morning so everyone can get back to normal.

Fiber still chugging along

There's still some red showing on the T-Mobile Fiber Downdetector page. It's better and the main T-Mobile page is yellow now, but there does appear to be a few straggler outages happening out there.

Your Wi-Fi signal reaches every room in your house except the one where you actually spend time. The bedroom gets perfect coverage. The hallway is fine. But your living room couch, where you actually sit and stream, buffers constantly.

The problem is that routers broadcast in all directions equally, which sounds fine until you realize that means blasting signal into walls, out through windows, and into your neighbors' living rooms. Half your coverage is going somewhere you'll never use it.

A sheet of aluminum foil positioned behind your router can redirect that wasted signal toward the rooms that actually need it. It sounds like the kind of tip your uncle shares on Facebook, but research from Dartmouth College confirms it. Here's how to set it up.

Have another crazy tech hack that actually works? Tell us in the comments!

More from Tom's Guide

• 11 aluminum foil hacks to clean, cool, and keep pests out of your home and garden
• Best Wi-Fi 7 routers of 2026: The future of Wi-Fi is here
• This aluminum foil hack keeps birds away from grass seed — and it actually works

In April, Charter Communications suffered a data breach via the hacking group ShinyHunters. The company recently confirmed that the breach occurred, but has been insistent that no sensitive information was taken.

Charter is a large broadband provider that includes the Spectrum brand, which serves millions of customers across the entire United States.

The company confirmed the breach to Tom's Guide and said it launched protocols and alerted authorities about the incident. Charter said that no sensitive personal or business information was stolen.

"We are aware of the situation, following our security protocols and are working with appropriate authorities," a Charter spokesperson said. "No sensitive personal information (PI) or customer proprietary network information (CPNI) data was exfiltrated by the threat actor as a result of recent activity."

Contradictory statements

Charter's statement on the matter does seem to contradict statements from the ShinyHunters hacking group. The group claims that it stole 40 million records containing the personal information of home and business customers.

The group reportedly told BleepingComputer that it breached Charter on April 1 through a voice phishing attack that was used to compromise an employee account.

ShinyHunters claims the data includes customer names, email addresses, phone numbers, plan information and some CPNI data. The group also said it had some support ticket data.

ShinyHunters is on a tear

The threat actor ShinyHunters has been active since 2019, but in 2026 alone, we've tracked at least three separate data breaches claimed by the group. And there have been others targeting business users and not consumers, like Salesforce, that we haven't covered.

The first one we covered was a Panera breach in February that exposed information for more than 5 million customers. The identity protection company Aura suffered a nearly 1 million-person data breach in March that exposed customer information.

And just last month, the security company ADT was hit by a breach that affected 5.5 million customers, who saw stolen information leaked online.

How to stay safe after a data breach

It's not clear how much sensitive customer data was actually stolen. With that in mind, these tips are meant to help you protect yourself if sensitive information is taken.

Usually, a company sends out data breach notification letters to affected individuals. In the meantime, though, consider signing up for one of the best identity theft protection services, as they can help you recover your identity if it's stolen and any funds lost to scams, too.

Keep a close eye on your mailbox for any data breach letters. If Charter doesn't pay a ransom, keep an eye on your inbox for an entirely separate reason. Hackers could use any stolen information to try to launch targeted phishing attacks against you.

These phishing emails could contain malicious links or malware. So keep your PC protected with the best antivirus software and your Apple computer updated with the best Mac antivirus software.

ShinyHunters seems like it will continue hacking major companies, so more data breaches are likely in the future. Every company should be taking the threat posed by this group seriously.

More from Tom's Guide

• Avast One review: Robust protection at a reasonable price… but with some compromises
• Update your Nvidia GPU drivers now to protect your PC from 9 "high-severity" vulnerabilities — here's what's at risk
• 2.8 million hit in frightening scareware attack that holds your browser hostage — how to stay safe

NordVPN is bringing its VPN and antivirus protections together in one app. The best VPN for most people is now positioning itself as an "all-in-one digital security app" with privacy at its core.

Threat Protection Pro is being re-named, and stylized as "next-generation antivirus." The app is built around three core pillars – VPN, antivirus, and other features such as Dark Web Monitoring.

It aims to stop threats before they reach your device, rather than focusing on reactive virus detection. NordVPN says it's time to redefine the "outdated" antivirus concept, and believes that "the threat landscape has outgrown the file."

All-in-one protections

Traditional antivirus works by detecting malicious files, but threats are evolving. Phishing, fake online stores, scam messages, and identity theft often rely on compromised credentials and social engineering rather than downloadable malware.

NordVPN wants to stop these threats – in real time – before they reach your device. Three pillars are guiding its actions:

• Connect (VPN)
• Protect (Antivirus)
• Monitor (Other features including Dark Web Monitor)

Marijus Briedis, CTO of NordVPN, said "protection needs to evolve" and "should address the real risks people face online today." Briedis said NordVPN's new approach "reflects what users increasingly want from digital protection – stronger security, less complexity, and fewer separate tools to install and manage."

NordVPN isn't creating a brand new product, it's rebranding Threat Protection Pro. The tool, under its new antivirus name, will offer:

• Scam and phishing protection
• Malware protection
• Ad and tracker blocking
• Identity and account takeover protection
• File and device protection

Threat Protection Pro is currently included in NordVPN Plus plans and above, along with the NordPass password manager. Threat Protection Lite and basic Dark Web Monitoring is included with all plans.

NordVPN Complete gets you Dark Web Monitor Pro, Scam Call protection, and encrypted cloud storage.

NordVPN Prime is NordVPN's most premium plan. It includes everything the VPN has top offer and sees the addition of identity theft protection, Coveron (previously known as NordProtect).

You can read our NordVPN prices and plans guide for a complete breakdown of all subscription tiers.

Privacy remains a priority

NordVPN has said its security approach is designed to collect the "minimum signal required to make a threat decision," avoiding its app becoming a "surveillance product."

This principle is guiding NordVPN's approach to threat detection technologies. It highlighted how it is using machine learning models for certain threat categories that improve accuracy and speed.

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

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

Surfshark has launched an Antiscam Hub for iOS – a dedicated section within its app that consolidates five existing personal protection tools into a single, streamlined interface.

The hub brings together Personal Email Masking, Alternative Number, Dark Web Monitoring, Unsafe Site Blocking, and Identity Theft Coverage, removing the need to navigate between separate areas of the app.

We are seeing the best VPNs grow beyond traditional VPN protection in order to create complete cybersecurity packages, and Surfshark is the latest.

Surfshark says the move targets the growing threat of social engineering. These are scams that exploit trust, urgency, and exposed personal data rather than software vulnerabilities, and it describes the hub as the foundation of a broader anti-scam roadmap.

What's inside the Antiscam Hub?

The five tools housed in the hub each target a different layer of personal exposure. Personal Email Masking shields your real email address from scammers, while Alternative Number does the same for your phone – but it's still a paid add-on.

Dark Web Monitoring provides real-time alerts if your personal data surfaces in a breach or leak.

Unsafe Site Blocking automatically prevents access to malicious and phishing websites – Surfshark says the feature flagged nearly 1.2 million new phishing and malware sites in the past month alone.

Rounding out the hub is Identity Theft Coverage, which offers up to $1 million toward expenses like document replacement and legal fees, plus $1,000 for mental health counselling for affected users.

It's worth noting that there are no new features, simply a consolidation of existing ones.

An industry-wide shift

Surfshark isn't alone in moving toward consolidated security tooling. ExpressVPN recently overhauled its cybersecurity offerings to create five-app privacy suite.

NordVPN has rebranded Threat Protection Pro, consolidating its protections into one app.

"Cyberthreats are constantly shifting, and right now we are witnessing the ultimate uptick of scams," said Gabriele Sinkeviciute, Head of Product at Surfshark. "That's why easy-to-use tools that can make you more alert from such threats are much more important than ever."

"By consolidating these tools, Surfshark makes it easier for users to understand their exposure and take preventive action before a scammer even makes contact. This launch represents the foundation of Surfshark’s scam protection vertical, serving as a starting point for a roadmap of increasingly sophisticated anti-scam features," Sinkeviciute added.

What you need to do

The Antiscam Hub is available now for Surfshark iOS users. To access it, open the Surfshark app on your iPhone, ensure you're running the latest version – update via the App Store if needed – and look for the Antiscam Hub section within the app dashboard.

The hub is currently iOS-only. Surfshark has confirmed it will be piloted on the platform first, to gather user feedback, before rolling out to other platforms.

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

Surfshark is already one of the best VPNs, and right now it's sweetening the deal further. Sign up to a new 2-year plan and you'll get an Amazon gift card on top, worth $10, $20, or $30 depending on which tier you go for.

The price hasn't moved. Surfshark Starter still comes in at $1.99 per month on the 2-year plan, which gets you a VPN with servers across 100 countries, unlimited device connections, and 3 extra months free. Step up to Surfshark One or One+ and the gift card value rises to $20 or $30 respectively.

The catch is a small one: you'll need to keep your subscription active for at least 31 days before you can claim. After that, the voucher shows up in your Surfshark web app, ready to redeem. The offer runs until June 2, so if you need a VPN, I'd recommend pulling the trigger on this sooner rather than later.

We rate Surfshark as the best cheap VPN, the second best VPN overall, and also one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. It's also reliable as a VPN for streaming, with support for BBC iPlayer, ITV, Netflix, and a wide range of other streaming platforms across the globe.

If the Starter plan feels a little lean, the next tier up is Surfshark One, which adds antivirus, a private search engine, and an alerts system that flags if your personal or financial details show up in a data breach. The gift card steps up to $20 at this tier, which softens the price difference considerably.

At the top end, Surfshark One+ brings in Incogni – a data broker removal tool developed by the same parent company as Surfshark – and bumps the Amazon gift card to $30. For most people, Starter does the job. But if you're after a fuller security suite, the upgrade is worth a look.

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

Having one of the best antivirus software installed on your devices can protect you from AI-generated scams and viruses. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, Avast One is a great choice. It offers robust protection against deepfakes, sophisticated malware, and more. It comes with a built-in AI assistant which can analyze texts, links and images for anything suspicious. With low impact on system resources and an accessible interface, Avast One nearly does it all.

I say “nearly” because, unfortunately, the software has a couple of flaws. A maximum of just 10 devices are protected, and there’s no cloud backup.

Should you still buy this antivirus software suite? Read my full Avast One review to find out.

Avast One review: Specs

Avast One review: Costs & what’s covered

Avast One was relaunched in 2026 and since then, the software can be downloaded for free and paid add-ons can be added from within the software, depending on your needs. Instead of paying for a bundle of features you may never use, you have the option to build the protection with the features you actually need.

The free version of Avast One, without any add-ons, blocks viruses and malware, protection against ransomware, and you even get access to Avast’s AI-powered assistant for catching scams. You also get a 60-day trial of SecureLine VPN. Extra features, like Scam Guardian Pro, AntiTrack, and firewall, can be activated from within the app. These are paid products, but the good news is that you can pick and choose which ones you need, instead of paying for an all-in-one package, such as the tiers offered by Bitdefender and Norton 360.

Avast One is a consumer-focused antivirus software suite, so it doesn’t offer any business-oriented plans. For those, you may want to consider Bitdefender, Norton 360 or even Malwarebytes.

Before committing to any purchases, make sure you read the fine print. Luckily, if you aren’t happy with your purchase, Avast One offers a 30-day money-back guarantee — just like Bitdefender, although Norton 360 offers a longer 60-day guarantee.

Avast One review: Protection

Like I said, you can add extra protection features from within the free Avast One software. I was provided with a review code for Premium Security which already had things like Wi-Fi protection, WebGuard which uses AI to block scam websites, and Mail Shield which monitors your email address for threats. I’ll discuss these in detail shortly.

When we review antivirus software, we refer and compare testing results from three independent labs who test antivirus software twice a year on average. I looked at AV Test’s February 2026 report which rates the old version of Avast as a “Top Product” with a 6/6 score across Protection, Performance and Usability, just like Bitdefender and Norton 360.

After that, I read AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test report which uses benchmarking tools to assess system impact. Avast ranked 6th on the list, just under Norton 360, with a 90/100 AVC score, 94.5/100 Procyon score, and a 5.5 Impact score. The lower the impact score, the better, and Avast was just 0.2 off Norton 360.

Last but not least, the SE Labs (U.K.) April 2026 report gave Avast a AAA rating (highest possible) with a 100% total accuracy percentage. All of this proves that Avast is a comprehensive, well-rounded antivirus software boasting excellent performance — on paper, at least, and we’ll get into how it performs in real-world use next.

Avast One review: Performance

Once you’ve bought your Avast One plan, or are opting for the free version first, you’ll need to download and install it on your Windows or macOS machine, or your Android or iOS smartphone. Doing so is straightforward. You need to download the software from the Avast One homepage, or if you already have the free version, you can input your license key via the menu within the already-downloaded app. I installed the software on our testing rig, on which I ran the majority of the testing.

Activating your subscription on your smartphone is just as easy. Download the app from either the iOS or Android store and enter your registered email address when prompted. I did so on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and I was up and running in under a minute. The smartphone app offers many of the same features as the PC software.

The first thing I did after installing the software was run a computer scan. Avast One offers a few different types of scans: Smart (quick), Full, Targeted (custom), and Boot-Time. I ran a Full Scan which took 6 minutes and 12 seconds, which is a lot quicker than the time Bitdefender took (26 minutes 23 seconds). Avast One doesn’t tell you how many files it has scanned either, unlike Bitdefender. The Full Scan flagged a few system errors which it then helped me resolve.

Avast One upstages Bitdefender as the latter doesn’t offer any other scan options. The former’s Smart Scan is a handy option when you want a quick check after having downloaded a new file, for instance. I’m sure users will find Targeted and Boot-Time Scans useful too.

To put the software through its paces, I ran Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5 to see how the games’ performance was impacted, and you can see the results in the table below.

With Avast One running in the background (and no other apps open except for the game), Cyberpunk 2077 achieved 99fps while Forza Horizon 5 achieved 125fps. With the Smart Scan running, Cyberpunk 2077 achieved 96fps and Forza Horizon 5 topped at 124fps. Full Scan results were nearly identical too. The loss of a couple of frames is barely noticeable in real-world use, and it goes to show that the antivirus software won’t impact your work or gaming experience.

I also ran a few internet speed tests at speedtest.net to analyze how Avast One impacted upload and download speeds, and you can see the results in the table below.

With the Smart and Full Scans running, the internet download and upload speeds were impacted negatively. Antivirus software suites can sometimes act as a detriment in this area as they monitor incoming and outgoing data in real-time, and that could be one of the reasons why. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case with Bitdefender, and I even got the fastest upload speeds with the software running in the background.

Avast One review: Features

Avast One offers plenty of extras in addition to system scanning and basic protection, like Web and Email Shield, a VPN, dedicated browser, AI Agent Protection, Deepfake Protection, and more. There's also AntiTrack which stops advertisers and other websites from tacking you; BreachGuard Premium which monitors the dark web for your personal data and even sends opt-out requests to data brokers; CleanUp Premium for removing junk files; and Driver Updates to keep device driver up-to-date.

I tested a few of the extras, starting with Avast Assistant, an AI-powered cybersecurity tool which analyzes suspicious messages, images and links. In an age where AI scams are becoming more commonplace (and more sophisticated), having a feature such as this is very useful.

To test Avast Assistant, I copied and pasted an email from Microsoft pertaining to login information. Avast Assistant then asked me a couple of questions, which I answered, and it told me the text looked safe — and I already knew it was safe because the email was a direct result of me logging into a new device.

I then tried Network Inspector which scans home/work and public networks for vulnerabilities. As someone who tends to work on trains and in cafés over public Wi-Fi, I find this tool very useful, as it can protect me from threats I may not have been aware of otherwise. I scanned my workplace’s network and in just five minutes, Avast One told me the network was secure.

You also get access to an Uninstall Simulator which shows you how the system will be impacted without actually uninstalling the app. It temporarily hides the app so you can see if your system runs smoothly without it. This is a great tool for testing disruptions, system errors and breaks in dependencies.

Last but certainly not least, I tested the Avast One SecureLine VPN. The VPN enables you to choose from roughly 700 servers spread across 35 or so countries — that’s a lot less than Bitdefender’s VPN which offers access to 4,000 servers in more than 50 countries. Regardless, it’s easy to connect to an encrypted server in another country. SecureLine VPN features built-in DNS leak protection, and there are plenty of custom settings available to suit your needs.

The only noteworthy drawback in terms of features is that Avast One doesn’t offer Cloud Backup, and it doesn’t feature parental controls either. You’ll need to speak with an expert when you visit the official website if you want parental controls.

Avast One review: Interface

Similar to Bitdefender, Avast One doesn’t feature any intrusive or unnecessary pop-ups, and using it is a delight. The interface is clean and user-friendly, and everything is well-signposted. When you go through the different protection options for the first time, you’re given quick explanations of what each does.

But also like Bitdefender, you can’t make the Avast One window full-size, so it occupies only a small portion of your entire screen. This isn’t a major flaw, but it would have been nice to be able to see all the features and settings. As the window is quite small, you need to scroll quite a bit to go through all of them.

As I mentioned earlier, Avast One is available on Android and iOS, and the Android app that I tested sports a user-friendly design too. The dashboard gives you quick access to all the settings, and just like the desktop app, everything is easily understandable. The app doesn’t take up much space either as it requires approximately 150MB to install.

Avast One review: Support

Similar to Norton 360 and Bitdefender, Avast One offers 24/7 customer support over online chat, text or phone, so if you run into any issues, you can speak to a human to get to the bottom of it. Avast’s support page has comprehensive troubleshooting guides which should be your first port of call. If you can’t find a solution, you can get in touch with the support team via the Contact Us button.

Once you’ve clicked on it, you’ll be asked to answer a few questions pertaining to your issue. When the system has evaluated your problem, it suggests either calling the support team or chatting with an engineer. What I find odd, though, is that you can’t simply choose to initiate web chat — you can only do so when the system determines it. Bitdefender and Norton let you use the online chat function as and when you please.

After answering the questions, I was able to chat with the virtual assistant. It was able to answer my query quickly and correctly when I asked it how to access the VPN. You can also speak to a human by asking the virtual assistant to connect you with one.

Avast One review: Verdict

Avast One delivers strong security and robust protection against the most sophisticated of scams, including being able to identify deepfakes and AI-generated images. Backed by excellent lab scores, it provides top-tier malware defense with negligible impact on system resources. Its standout feature is the AI-powered Avast Assistant which flags text and link scams. Navigating the software is seamless on desktop and mobile, too.

However, Avast One doesn’t feature built-in parental controls, something its competitor, Bitdefender, bundles into its most expensive subscription. Also, the software can protect up to 10 devices only

If you prioritize swift and diverse system scanning, a clean interface and modern AI threat analysis, Avast One is a highly capable software suite.

Looking for the best antivirus software to protect your online identity and offline machines? Malwarebytes is an excellent choice, and it blends robust, smart features with a user-friendly design to deliver a comprehensive package. With its recent software refresh, Malwarebytes offers an expansive suite of features, including an AI-powered Scam Guard, Digital Footprint Scanner, and more.

The premium protection comes at a premium price, though, especially for businesses. Malwarebytes may have a detrimental impact on your system resources too, as I experienced in my testing. But if those are compromises you’re willing to make, I doubt you’d be dissatisfied with the software.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Malwarebytes review.

Malwarebytes review: Specs

Malwarebytes review: Costs & what’s covered

Just like every other antivirus software provider out there, Malwarebytes offers different plans for consumers and businesses, depending on the user’s needs and requirements. We’ll start with Malwarebytes’ consumer plans, and there are three available. The Standard plan is available for $44 / £29 and offers basic protection against malware, viruses and more on one device only.

The Plus plan is a step-up from Standard and costs $79 / £49 annually. It includes everything offered by Standard, plus a high speed VPN and anonymous browsing. Malwarebytes’ most expensive plan for consumers goes by different names in the U.S. and the U.K. In the States, it’s called Ultimate ($279) and across the pond, it’s called Total (£129). Ultimate and Total feature Advanced Social Media Monitoring as well as $1 million in identity insurance. It’s important to note that Malwarebytes’ top-tier consumer plan is pricier than Bitdefender and Norton 360. There are also various Family plans starting from $149 / £109 per year.

Now, on to the business plans. There are three tiers available. For Sole Proprietors, the plan covering three devices starts at $119 / £99. The Boutique Business plan for 10 devices costs $399 / £306, while the top-tier Small Office plan for 20 devices costs $799 / £612. That’s a lot of dough, especially when Bitdefender’s GravityZone Business Security Plan costs just $444.

As always, I’d recommend reading the fine print and seeing what each plan entails before buying it. But in case you aren’t happy with your purchase, Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money-back guarantee — just like Norton 360.

Malwarebytes review: Protection

The level of protection you get against online and offline threats will depend on the Malwarebytes plan you buy. The Standard consumer plan, for instance, offers protection from viruses, Trojans and spyware, as well as personalized security assessments and advice. The Total (or Ultimate) plan that I tested offers a lot more, including an unlimited VPN, Identity Theft Protection and insurance, Scam Guard (also included in all plans), Digital Footprint Scanner, and Personal Data Remover. I’ll discuss these in detail shortly.

What’s surprising is that none of Malwarebytes plans offer cloud backup and storage or parental controls. The likes of Bitdefender, Avast One and Norton 360 offer these to a degree, making any of these a better choice if these are features you value.

Before diving into Malwarebytes’ performance, let’s take a look at how three independent labs who test antivirus software twice a year (for the most part) rate it, starting with AV Test. Unfortunately, the last time AV Test tested Malwarebytes was back in October 2023, before the software was refreshed and updated, so take this with a grain of salt. The lab rated Malwarebytes as a “Certified” product, with 5.5/6 score across Protection and Performance, and 6/6 in Usability. Bitdefender and Norton 360 received 100% scores across all criteria, though.

AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test report rated Malwarebytes 12th out of the 19 antivirus software suites they tested. AV Comparatives assess system impact, and Malwarebytes scored 75/100 in AVC, 97.4/100 in Procyon, and 17.6 in Impact. That Impact rating is a lot, and it basically alludes to the software having a negative impact on your system’s resources — on paper, at least. Bitdefender (9.6), Avast (5.5) and Norton 360 (5.3) all outrank Malwarebytes here — and it was proven in my testing too, which I’ll discuss soon.

In SE Labs (U.K.) April 2026 report, Malwarebytes Premium was awarded an AAA rating with 97% protection accuracy. While this isn’t poor, Bitdefender, Norton 360 and Avast One are all rated 100% for their protection accuracy.

Malwarebytes review: Performance

After buying your subscription, it’s time to install the Malwarebytes software on your Windows, macOS, Android or iOS device. There are two ways of installing it if you’re on a desktop. You can either register your unique license key in the already-installed free version, or you can redeem the key via the dedicated webpage. Downloading and installing the software on our testing rig took me about five minutes.

On Android and iOS smartphones, you’ll need to download the app from the respective app store — as I did on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL — and enter your license key or registered email address when prompted. Of course, this will work only if you’ve bought a multi-device plan.

Naturally, the first thing I did after installing Malwarebytes on our testing rig was run a system scan, and there are three available: Threat Scan (quick), Deep Scan (full), and Custom Scan (targeted). The Custom Scan is especially handy if you want something between the speedy and detailed scans. I ran a Threat Scan first, as that’s the default option, and the scan was completed within 22 seconds, having scanned over 176,000 files without detecting any anomalies or threats. It’s nice to see Malwarebytes offer a quick scan option, unlike Bitdefender.

Via the Advanced Settings menu under Scanner, you can access the other scan modes, so I ran a Deep Scan which took 14 minutes and two seconds to finish. It scanned a total of 427,157 files — a little less than Bitdefender which scanned over two million files in 26 minutes. Again, no threats were detected, as I expected as our testing rig is a very clean system.

The first Threat Scan was done with no other heavy-duty apps running in the background, so to assess Malwarebytes’ impact on system performance, I booted up Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5, and ran in-game benchmark tests. As you can see from the table above, Cyberpunk 2077’s frame rate dipped a fair bit, from 87 to 75, and Forza Horizon 5’s from 110 to 99. This isn’t bad per se, and I didn’t notice any stuttering or lag while playing the games, but it’s important to note that with Bitdefender, I achieved 97fps in Cyberpunk 2077 and 123fps in Forza Horizon 5 with the software performing a Full Scan.

After finishing the in-game benchmarks, I ran a few tests at speedtest.net to see how Malwarebytes impacted upload and download speeds. You can see the results in the table above. Upload speeds took quite a hit with the Deep Scan running, something I didn’t experience with Bitdefender and Avast One.

My testing goes to show that Malwarebytes has a negative impact on system resources and performance, and aligns with the aforementioned AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test report.

Malwarebytes review: Features

Alongside in-depth and quick scanning, Malwarebytes includes a bunch of extras to protect you against online and offline threats. I tested a few of the goodies included in the Malwarebytes Total plan, starting with Digital Footprint. Digital Footprint basically lets you know of any security breaches, including leaked or stolen passwords. All you need to do is enter your email address and Malwarebytes will search the internet for any anomalies.

I first entered my team’s joint mailing address and Malwarebytes noted that the data from this email address was not exposed — which makes sense, as you can’t individually log into it. So to put the feature through its paces, I used my personal email address, and Malwarebytes found a few concerning breaches. Websites that I haven’t used in years still had my data, and were even involved in breaches.

Happily, Malwarebytes gives you a quick rundown of when the breach occurred to give you an idea of how long your data has been exposed. You can then fix the issues as needed.

Many antivirus software companies are pushing scam protection these days, which makes sense as AI-generated scams are more common than ever, and they can be quite hard to detect by humans. Malwarebytes’ Scam Guard is an integrated AI assistant, and within this tab, you can drop a link and image and ask the software to check if it’s legitimate.

I attached a screenshot of an email I received from Microsoft pertaining to a login on a new device. Scam Guard analyzed it and told me it was safe, and even advised me of next steps. I followed that up with asking Scam Guard to check if a TikTok URL was safe to click on, and it informed me that it was legitimate too, citing the legitimacy of the URL and TikTok’s position in the market.

I also tried the File Shredder tool which enables you to permanently delete files to varying degrees, including overwriting data several times using complex patterns so there’s no trace left of it. I did this with a throwaway screenshot that Malwarebytes promptly got rid of. It’s like using a physical paper shredder… but digital.

Finally, I tested the Malwarebytes VPN which is included in the Total plan. The unlimited VPN allows you to choose from over 150 servers in 60 different locations — a little less than Bitdefender where you can connect to one of 4,000 servers in 50 countries, but still good. The VPN takes around a minute or so to connect and once it’s done, Malwarebytes works to stop sophisticated cyberthreats while still providing fast internet speeds.

Malwarebytes also offers Identity Theft Protection and once you’ve signed up for it by entering your details, it monitors the dark web and alerts you if your data is being illegally traded or sold. It can track and report changes in your credit activity and score too. All in all, Malwarebytes offers a complete protection package — the top-tier Total plan does, at least.

Malwarebytes review: Interface

I really like Malwarebytes’ interface and design. The online dashboard, known as Secure Hub, where you can change account settings is accessible, clean and doesn’t feature intrusive pop-ups — and the same goes for the downloaded software too. Everything is easy to understand, thanks to plenty of signposting. I also like that the software gives you a protection score, depending on the measures you’ve taken and settings you’ve activated to protect yourself.

Another thing I appreciate about Malwarebytes’ software is that the desktop window can be maximized and made full-size to take up the entire screen, unlike Bitdefender and Avast One. This helps you see all the features at a glance and saves some time as you don’t have to keep scrolling to find what you’re looking for.

Malwarebytes’ app on iOS and Android is just as user-friendly if not more, and it also gives you a protection score — mine was 20 before I enabled the various features, like Firewall. The app doesn’t eat into your storage either as the download requires just 60MB of free space.

Malwarebytes review: Support

Since Malwarebytes was redesigned, the software now offers 24/7 customer support via email and online chat, so if you’re ever in a pickle, help is available. This is a similar level of support to what’s offered by Bitdefender, Avast One and Norton 360. Getting help is super easy too. There are plenty of troubleshooting guides available, and they should be your first port of call. Malwarebytes Labs is an extremely active blog too, where the team posts news and updates.

If all else fails and you need to speak with a human, you can first speak with the AI chatbot which can answer simple questions. I asked it how to register my license key and it promptly gave me a solution.

I then asked to speak to a human and it asked me to either sign in or continue as guest, so I chose the latter and I was asked to enter some information and a short description of the issue. It then created a ticket and told me a human agent would get back to me via email, and it took a human two hours to reply to my email.

Easy to do, but it’s worth noting that Malwarebytes doesn’t offer telephone support, unlike Bitdefender and Avast One. As someone who doesn’t like speaking on the phone, I don’t mind it, but it may be an issue for those who need urgent help.

Malwarebytes review: Verdict

Malwarebytes is one of the most intuitive and user-friendly antivirus software suites you can buy today. Packed with robust modern features, like AI-powered Scam Guard and Digital Footprint Scanner, it effectively protects you from online and offline threats. 24/7 web and email support, the unlimited VPN, and an accessible mobile app make this a compelling package.

However, Malwarebytes falls slightly short of perfection when compared to heavyweights like Bitdefender. It has a noticeable impact on system resources, including frame-rate drops in demanding games. Its top-tier business plan carries a premium price tag too, which means its competitors offer better value for money.

But at the end of the day, this is a highly capable and accessible shield against sophisticated, modern threats. Backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied, Malwarebytes is still an excellent choice for those who value identity protection — as long as you have the hardware to cushion its performance footprint.

Another dramatic Premier League season is coming to an end this weekend. Arsenal may have already wrapped up the title, but there's plenty still to play for.

European places are up for grabs, with Chelsea, Brentford, Brighton, and Sunderland all in the running. One team will be relegated on the final day – will it be Spurs or West Ham?

It's a day of soccer not to be missed, but what if you're away from home? The best VPNs can help, and I'd be turning to NordVPN to help me stream the Premier League from anywhere.

Prices start at $3.09 per month ($83.43 upfront pre-tax). There's three extra months included for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee as standard.

NordVPN has servers in 135 countries, covering 211 locations – including one in every US state. Speeds top 1,200 Mbps, and its streaming unblocking power is near-flawless. So no matter where you are, you'll be able to stream the Premier League uninterrupted.

Servers, speeds, & streaming

NordVPN sits at the top of the table in our best VPN guide for good reason. It's capable of exceeding 1,200 Mbps speeds, and your data is protected by post-quantum encryption – the new industry standard.

There's 211 server locations in 135 countries, with a server in every US state. So if you're outside the US, you have plenty of options to choose from to access NBC or Peacock and stream your soccer match of choice.

You should have no problem unblocking either service, as NordVPN is one of the best streaming VPNs out there. In our testing it unblocked almost everything we threw at our first time. This included all regions of Netflix and Disney+, as well as Amazon Prime Video in everywhere but Australia and New Zealand.

It did fail the notoriously hard US YouTube test, but many VPNs fail this and NordVPN isn't alone here.

You can protect up to 10 devices on one plan, and NordVPN's apps are fairly easy to use, although not the absolute simplest.

At just over $3 per month, NordVPN isn't the cheapest VPN you can buy. Surfshark or PrivadoVPN are two good, more affordable alternatives, but they can't match NordVPN for features or power.

The VPN is a complete all-rounder, and a great choice for streaming the final day of the Premier League season.

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

Update: Google is aware and working on a fix

At Google I/O 2026, the tech giant revealed the biggest update to Google Search in over 25 years that pushes AI into everything. It's a move that appears poised to transform how the internet has worked for decades.

As my colleague Amanda Caswell wrote, "the internet increasingly feels like something else entirely: one giant conversation happening inside a single AI response box.

What was unexpected is that it looks like Google's AI is also breaking Search itself. Google's controversial AI Overviews appear to be breaking when you use known AI commands like "disregard", "dismiss", and "ignore."

We first started noticing social media posts about the issue where people found searching "disregard" doesn't show the definition of the word. Instead, it says things like "No problem at all. If you have any other questions, let me know."

This is what AI bots tend to do when you're telling it do something instead.

As a reminder, part of the Google Search overhaul involves turning Search into an Gemini-powered AI chatbot that can build you an interactive website, set your calendar, and more.

It's a mixed bag

Several people on Tom's Guide and myself tried searching the known AI prompt words and it's an inconsistent experience.

For myself, on desktop, I have yet to get the broken AI overview. However, when I tried it on my phone, disregard broke the feature but ignore and dismiss didn't.

Tom's Guide U.S. editor in chief Mike Prospero found the words borked the overview in AI Mode including the new words "cancel" and "stop." AI Mode told him "No problem. I've stopped the current action."

My colleage Tony Polanco noted a problem on his work account but his personal one didn't have any issues.

Obviously, not everyone is just searching AI prompts in Google, but plenty of people utilize the built-in dictionary feature as a habit. On the whole, you probably won't run into this issue.

However, it does show the flaws in Google turning over Search functions to AI, especially after the original AI Overview controversies when it was introduced in 2025. Just a month ago, a study found that AI overviews are wrong 1 in 10 times, and could be even worse.

Tom's Guide has reached out to Google for clarity on the issue and I was told that Google knows.

“We’re aware that AI Overviews are misinterpreting some action-related queries, and we’re working on a fix, which will roll out soon," a spokesperson said.

They clarified that it appears to be an issue with how AI Overview interprets certain queries, and were keen to say that it's not related to the new Search tools announced at I/O this week.

More from Tom's Guide

• Biggest Google I/O 2026 announcements — Gemini Spark, Intelligent Eyewear glasses and more
• I tested Google’s “Intelligent Eyewear,” and found the smart glasses that will defeat Ray-Ban Meta
• Google’s new $100 AI Ultra plan just changed the AI race — here's what you get