England vs Ghana 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.

Antivirus software is imperative if you want to avoid the latest threats, from info-stealing malware or ransomware that locks up your computer unless you pay a fine. It works in the background, combating these risks and allowing you to go about your day as you normally would.

Some computers have built-in antivirus software, for example, Window's Microsoft Defender. While this is great for baseline protection, if you want something more comprehensive with more customization, that's where the best antivirus software comes in.

To help you find the best antivirus software for your devices, we spent weeks installing, testing, and uninstalling all of the programs below while taking a close look at their features, extras, and design. We even reached out to customer support to see how easily each company was able to solve common and not so common problems.

Based on our extensive testing, research and the results from third-party labs, Norton 360 Deluxe is our pick for the best antivirus software overall. It’s easy to use and provides effective malware protection without significantly impacting your computer’s performance. You also get plenty of extra features you’ll actually use.

However, there are plenty of other great antivirus providers too, and in this guide we'll take your through all the options. Whether you’re looking to secure a single device or ensure your entire household is protected from the latest threats, this is the best antivirus software you can get right now.

The quick list

The best antivirus software you can buy today

The best antivirus software overall

Norton 360 is an antivirus that perfectly strikes the balance between usability and strong protection, with feature-packed plans that cover just about every cyber threat you could want to protect yourself from.

Norton 360 offers varying levels of protection, depending on which plan you go for. Its standard plan is its cheapest. It costs $42 for the first year and renews at $94, coming in a little cheaper than Bitdefender Total Security, which starts at $109. For this price, you can protect one device against malware, viruses, ransomware, and hackers. You also get Deepfake Protection, 10GB of cloud backup, Dark Web Monitoring, and a VPN.

Its most expensive tier, Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus, starts at $99 for the first year and renews at $189. For this price, you can protect up to 10 macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices, as well as getting access to features 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. This includes SafeCam, which protects your webcam and microphone, and its backup tool Time Machine.

In independent testing, Norton 360 performed incredibly well. AV Test’s February 2026 report certified Norton 360 as a “Top Product” with a 6/6 score across Protection, Performance and Usability — the same score as both Bitdefender and McAfee.

Additionally, AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test, 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. It was outperformed, however, by McAfee, which achieved a 3.3/10 in Impact.

Finally, in its UK April 2026 report, SE Labs awarded Norton 360’s macOS version an AAA rating with 100% protection accuracy, which is the highest possible rating.

On top of this, its low system impact means that you can run its scans in the background without disrupting your computer's performance, even if you're doing something that requires a lot of system load, like gaming. During testing, where I played Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra graphics) with Norton 360 running in the background, system impact was minimal. Frames per second (fps) only dipped from 118 to 105 while doing a Full Scan of almost 900,000 files.

When it comes to its downsides, Norton 360 does have a couple. Some of its protection features (like SafeCam) are Windows-exclusive, while others are paywalled.

Additionally, in testing, I found Norton 360's Ask Genie AI assistant was a lot slower and more inconsistent than the AI assistants offered by competitors such as Avast One and Malwarebytes.

Still, regardless of these (relatively minor) shortcomings, Norton 360 is still one of the most dependable and feature-rich antivirus software suites on the market.

• Read our full Norton 360 review

The best antivirus software for features

Bitdefender is a great option if you want feature-heavy antimalware software, thanks to its range of plans for you to choose from.

Unlike Norton 360, however, it does not offer discounts for the first year of use. Its cheapest Consumer plan, Bitdefender Total Security, starts at $109; Bitdefender Premium Security costs $129; Bitdefender Ultimate Security retails for $159; and Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus costs $189.

These plans all offer different levels of protection, with Total Security having the least security features, and Ultimate Security Plus having the most. Still, Total Security offers protection against malware, ransomware, and network threats, Advanced Threat Defense, which monitors active apps, Cryptomining Protection that fights against apps that you have no knowledge of, Anti-Phishing, Anti-Fraud, Antispam, and more.

For this review, I tested the Bitdefender Ultimate Security plan, which includes all this as well as email protection, Scam Protection Pro that fights sophisticated scams, Digital Identity Protection, as well as a VPN.

Bitdefender's independent testing scores were decent. It achieved 6/6 scores across Protection, Performance, and Usability in AV Test’s February 2026 report, the same as McAfee and Norton.

With this being said, its AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test results were not as good. This test uses benchmarking tools to assess system impact. It scored 85/100 in AVC, 95.4/100 in Procyon, and 9.6/10 in Impact. McAfee performed better with a 90 and 96.7 score respectively.

This was the only test Bitdefender slightly underperformed in, however. SE Labs (U.K.) gave Bitdefender an AAA (highest possible rating with a 100% protection accuracy.

Its protection doesn't hamper your computer's performance, either. I performed a full scan (of over 2.3 million files) while also running Cyberpunk 2077, and it only dipped from 100 fps to 97 fps.

If I could change a couple of things about it, it would be this: adding a Quick Scan option, and allowing its app window to be resizable on Windows. In the grand scheme of things, though, these are relatively minor complaints.

Overall, Bitdefender is a great bit of kit to have in your arsenal for giving you peace of mind against ever-evolving AI and malware threats.

• Read our full Bitdefender Total Security review

The best antivirus software for families

McAfee+ Ultimate is a welcome security package if you have many devices to protect, a big household, and a lot of family members. It does everything you’d want to protect your PC, Mac, or smartphone, and the package doesn’t limit how many devices you can use with your account.

In addition to an extremely powerful antivirus solution, you get features that help protect you (and your family) during your online activities as well. Among the many included features that come with McAfee+ Ultimate is a VPN (with no restrictions to a set file transfer limit), full access to a password manager, identity monitoring, a social media monitoring tool, a text scam detector, and more.

During testing, there were no performance problems during scanning. A full scan of 926K files took 35 minutes, which is the same time as Norton 360 Deluxe, although slightly slower than Bitdefender Total Security. McAfee+ Ultimate also offers options for a quick scan and a five-minute scan if you want to speed things up a little.

Some of the features offered, however, are available in Windows as free tools, like a file shredder and a clean up tool that removes temporary files.

McAfee+ Ultimate's pricing starts out pretty reasonable, usually around $49.99. However, you should keep in mind that after the first year, this price jumps up quite significantly to $149.99. So, if you don’t need many devices covered, it may not be worth the fee.

McAfee+ Ultimate offers an unlimited VPN, which is handy for those who want a VPN along with their antivirus. During testing, we found the unlimited VPN easy to configure and use. Additionally, its features, like the password manager, were easy to install and worked as expected.

McAfee+ Ultimate's antivirus protection scores in independent tests are outstanding overall, achieving a protection rate of 99.5% in AV-Comparatives' tests published in December 2025. Its false positives score was excellent too, on par with Bitdefender Total Security, and better than Norton 360 Deluxe, Malwarebytes Plus, and Avast Premium Security.

The main drawback here is the higher price point, although if you’re covering multiple devices, then you may find it worth it. Still, if you're after a budget antivirus, consider Malwarebytes Plus.

• Read our full McAfee+ Premium review

The best antivirus software for banking

Avast One offers not only excellent antimalware and antivirus protection, but also protection against AI-generated scams, deepfakes, suspicious texts and links, and more.

The biggest plus about Avast One is that it offers a completely free tier, which is great if you want to protect yourself without breaking the bank. This blocks viruses and malware and offers protection against ransomware, as well as allowing you access to Avast’s AI-powered assistant for catching scams.

On top of this, 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 all paid add-ons, 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.

During testing, I used Avast Premium Security, which includes Wi-Fi protection, WebGuard, which uses AI to block scam websites, and Mail Shield, which monitors your email address for threats.

Avast was rated as a top product by AV Test’s February 2026 report, achieving a 6/6 score across Protection, Performance and Usability. In AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test report, 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. Finally, it achieved the highest rating possible of AAAwith a 100% total accuracy percentage in SE Labs (U.K.) April 2026 report.

Unlike some competitors (like Bitdefender), 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 thanBitdefender's full scan, which took 26 minutes and 23 seconds. However, Avast One doesn’t tell you how many files it has scanned, unlike Bitdefender.

I tested the impact of these scans by running Cyberpunk 2077 while running them and measuring the slowdown. During a Full Scan, Cyberpunk 2077 dropped from 99 fps to 96 fps, meaning the impact was barely noticeable at all.

However, if you're looking for antivirus protection for your family, you may be a bit disappointed to learn that Avast One does not feature built-in parental controls, unlike Bitdefender. Additionally, it can only protect up to 10 devices, meaning if you have more devices than this, it may not be suitable.

Still, if you want antivirus software that offers swift and diverse system scanning as well as modern AI threat analysis, Avast One is a great choice.

• Read our full Avast One review

The best budget antivirus software

Malwarebytes is user-friendly, excellent value for money and includes some great tools like an AI-driven Scam Guard and Digital Footprint Scanner to keep you safe from cyber threats.

As with the other antivirus software providers on this list, Malwarebytes has a range of different plans that cover various needs and requirements. It has three consumer plans, with its Standard plan available for $44 / £29 per year. This plan offers basic protection against malware, viruses, and more on one device only.

The next step up is the Plus plan, which costs $79 / £49 annually. It includes everything offered by Standard, plus a high-speed VPN and anonymous browsing.

Malwarebytes’ most expensive plan is called Ultimate in the U.S. ($279 per year) and Total in the U.K. (£129 per year). Regardless of what they are called, Ultimate and Total feature Advanced Social Media Monitoring as well as $1 million in identity insurance. While these are great features, this plan is pricier than both Bitdefender and Norton 360, although there are also various Family plans starting from $149 / £109 per year.

You don't have to fully commit off the bat, though. Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money-back guarantee — just like Norton 360.

One thing I did find slightly disappointing about these plans was that none of them offer cloud backup and storage or parental controls. If these are features you desperately want, you'd be better off checking out Bitdefender, Avast One, or Norton 360.

In independent testing, Malwarebytes performed decently. In AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test report Malwarebytes scored 75/100 in AVC, 97.4/100 in Procyon, and 17.6 in Impact. The Impact score is a little worrying, however, as it means that (on paper at least) Malwarebytes has a negative impact on your system resources. Bitdefender (9.6), Avast (5.5) and Norton 360 (5.3) all performed better than Malwarebytes in this area.

In SE Labs (U.K.) April 2026 report, Malwarebytes Premium was awarded an AAA rating with 97% protection accuracy. While this bad at all, it should be noted that Bitdefender, Norton 360 and Avast One are all rated 100% for their protection accuracy.

Malwarebytes offers three scan levels —Threat Scan (quick), Deep Scan (full), and Custom Scan (targeted). The quick scan option is nice to see, and gives it an edge over the likes of Bitdefender, which don't offer these options. In testing, its Threat Scan was completed within 22 seconds, having scanned over 176,000 files without detecting any anomalies or threats. Its Deep Scan took 14 minutes and two seconds to finish, and scanned a total of 427,157 files — a little less than Bitdefender, which scanned over two million files in 26 minutes.

To test its impact on system performance, I ran Cyberpunk 2077 while these scans ran in the background. Cyberpunk 2077’s frame rate dipped a fair bit, from 87 to 75. While this isn't the worst impact on performance, especially as I didn’t notice any stuttering or lag while playing the games, with Bitdefender I achieved 97fps in Cyberpunk 2077 with the software performing a Full Scan.

Overall, Malwarebytes is user-friendly and offers a great range of features to keep you and your devices safe and malware-free. However, it is lacking in a couple of key areas, and its system impact does leave a little to be desired.

• Read our full Malwarebytes Plus review

Also tested

We test a lot of apps when searching for the best antivirus software, but only a handful can reach the top spots. If you're after more options, here are some other great antivirus packages that didn't quite make the mark.

How we test the best antivirus software

We test each antivirus program and evaluate its interface, performance, protection, extra features and — above all — overall value.

After timing and rating the installation process’s ease, we looked at whether the interface was simple and straightforward, convoluted and difficult to grasp — or something in between.

Next, we went through all the major and many minor features that each suite provides, including VPN access, file shredding and backup software, if included.

As far as performance goes, we measured how much the system slowed down while the program was scanning for malware using a Lenovo ThinkPad T470 with a 2.5GHz Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage containing 43.3GB of files.

To gauge each program’s impact on system performance, we used our custom Excel test which measures how long a PC takes to match 20,000 names and addresses on a spreadsheet. The longer the task takes versus a baseline reading, the more the system performance is impacted.

For malware detection performance, we referred to results from tests conducted by three independent labs: AV-TEST in Germany, AV-Comparatives in Austria and SE Labs in England.

Each lab periodically subjects major antivirus programs to stress tests that include thousands of pieces of malware as well as hundreds of “zero-day” samples that the software has to learn to recognize.

We paid particular attention to false positive readings of safe software deemed dangerous by the program under review as an indication of the precision of the program’s scanning technology.

How to choose the best antivirus software for you

When choosing an antivirus software, the top priority among all other decisions should be how well it performs to keep your system safe from malware and viruses.

To help you determine which of the many options out there will be the best at protecting your devices, we use results from tests conducted by three different independent labs to help us determine which antivirus program excels at finding and eliminating malware threats.

We also perform our own tests to see how much each program slows down your system, and how many resources it will consume to run both while scanning and while running in the background.

You’ll also want to read reviews online to see what other users have to say about their experiences with using the software, how it performed, what the interface was like, and how responsive the customer service was.

Next, consider the needs of your household and what devices you want to protect. How many family members do you have in the home? How many devices does each person need coverage for? What platforms do each of those devices use, and are the features they'll need available on these platforms?

Make a list of what devices and operating systems you need coverage for, as not all antivirus programs will cover all of them, and some will offer bundles for multiple family members or devices.

Narrow down the features you would like to see included in your antivirus program – because most antivirus programs offer so many features, it’s easiest to start out by making a list of what features are most important to your needs.

Do you also need parental controls? Is a VPN important to you? Would you like a password manager or file shredder? What about a hardened browser, a firewall, or webcam protection? Think about what you’d like most as additional security features and list them out, and see what the top antivirus programs offer.

Lastly, consider how much you want to spend — some antivirus programs will offer bundles for their suites, or tiers, that will package deals that include numbers of licenses or devices protected for a single purchase. You should also check a company’s website for any trial offers, as many will give you 30 days to try out their program for free before purchasing. Just make sure to cancel before the trialis over, or risk paying for software you don't want.

Free vs paid antivirus software

With so many antivirus programs to choose from, there’s absolutely no reason for your PC or smartphone to go unprotected — especially when there are free programs available to choose from as well. So, why would you bother paying for something that you didn’t have to?

Well, there are lot of reasons to choose one antivirus program over another but if you’re looking specifically at just free versus paid antivirus programs there are a few reasons to choose one over the other.

Free antivirus software will always provide users with basic protections against the most common malware threats, and will block dangerous files and applications. It should also warn you about suspicious websites, offer a cleanup option for infected files or apps and recognize when unknown devices are using your network.

However, a paid option is going to go a step beyond and offer more comprehensive security features — more advanced protections against unknown or upcoming threats, a more thorough feature set including VPNs, password managers, a file shredder that will fully remove deleted files and may cover more devices including tablets and smartphones.

Paid antivirus software also generally includes customer support via phone, chat or instant messaging and email whereas free versions will not. Plus, they add functions like an ability to customize your antivirus service, a feature to block suspicious sites, and a backup service to save data or back up devices.

It might also include features like webcam protection, remote control prevention to keep others from controlling your system, and the ability to run apps or software in a “sandbox” setting.

Paid antivirus software also generally includes customer support via phone, chat or instant messaging and email whereas free versions will not. If just the basics will do, a free version will be enough but if you’re looking for something more then it’s worth looking at some paid options.

Antivirus FAQ

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

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.

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• Update your Nvidia GPU drivers now to protect your PC from 9 "high-severity" vulnerabilities — here's what's at risk
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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

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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• 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.

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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.

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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.

U.S. Memorial Day 2026 is here. You might be travelling, seeing family, watching sports, or streaming your favorite shows.

Whatever you're doing, the best VPNs might be able to help. Online privacy has never been more important, and there are countless VPN deals out there. Whether it's ease of use, streaming power, or affordability, there's a VPN for you.

With that in mind, we've picked out three VPNs you can subscribe to this Memorial Day 2026 weekend.

Complete VPN protection

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN out there right now. Blending speed, power, features, and privacy, it's the perfect all rounder and the best choice for most people.

There are four subscription tiers to choose from, with each unlocking awesome extra features such as Threat Protection Pro, NordPass, and NordProtect.

27 month plans start at $3.09 per month ($83.43 upfront, pre-tax), and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee as standard. Check out our NordVPN prices and plans page to examine each tier in detail.

This isn't the cheapest we've ever seen NordVPN, but it's a decent price for what you're getting.

NordVPN is super fast, capable of topping 1,200 Mbps. There's 211 server locations in 135 countries worldwide, including one in every US state. No matter where you are on Memorial Day weekend, you'll always get the fastest VPN speeds possible.

This speed makes NordVPN an ideal streaming VPN, and it can unblock almost every streaming site. It has no trouble with Netflix, Disney+, or BBC iPlayer. It's very good at unblocking Amazon Prime Video too, only failing to access the service in Australia and New Zealand.

Industry-leading post-quantum encryption is supported on all platforms, up to 10 devices are protected on one plan, and it boasts a fully audited no-logs policy.

The VPN for beginners

ExpressVPN is a great VPN if you're a complete beginner. Its apps are very easy to use, and feature a giant on/off button that makes it simpler than ever to protect your online privacy. What's more, all apps look the same no matter your device, and depending on your plan, you can protect up to 14 devices.

The speed and unblocking power of ExpressVPN can't quite match NordVPN, but it's still pretty decent. The Windows-exclusive Lightway Turbo recorded 1,177 Mbps in our testing, while WireGuard (compatible with every platform) recorded 967 Mbps. Considering you only need 25 Mbps for 4K Netflix, these speeds are more than fast enough.

Speaking of Netflix, ExpressVPN easily unblocked it in the US, UK, and Canada – but had some issues in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Again, it's not quite as capable as NordVPN, but not bad.

ExpressVPN has completed numerous independent audits, and implements post-quantum encryption as standard. It has recently launched an entire privacy suite, with up to five apps included in your subscription (depending on plan and region).

Three tiers of plan are on offer, with prices starting at $2.79 per month ($78.18 upfront, pre-tax). There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee and four additional free months.

The most affordable VPN

When it comes to price, PrivadoVPN is unbeatable. A 27 month plan costs $1.11 per month ($30 upfront) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

It's not packed with features, but the basics are there, such as split tunneling and a kill switch. It's speeds are off the charts, no other VPN we tested went faster than PrivadoVPN's 2,334 Mbps.

It's good at streaming, unblocking Netflix and Disney+ in all regions, plus local services too. It failed to unblock Amazon Prime Video anywhere, but it's not alone here.

There's P2P support and a 10 device connection limit, plus its threat protection – ad, phishing, and malware blocking – offering is better than a lot VPN's.

It's apps can feel clunky, and there's not much in the way of customization, but for the price PrivadoVPN is hard to ignore. The cherry on top is its free VPN, PrivadoVPN Free, tops our best free VPNs list – but it can't compare with its paid counterpart.

Why might you need a VPN?

You might be wondering why you need a VPN this Memorial Day (and beyond).

The purpose of a VPN is to protect your privacy. They encrypt your internet traffic and mask your IP address, keeping it hidden from third parties and hackers. They can also include threat protection, and are ideal for accessing geo-restricted content like streaming libraries.

So whether you're travelling and using public Wi-Fi, or looking to stream your favorite shows, a VPN is a handy companion for Memorial Day. Just remember, they can't save you money on your Memorial Day flights!

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.

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

A court in Spain has rejected calls to fine NordVPN over alleged non-compliance with blocking orders.

NordVPN, which ranks first in our guide to the best VPNs, was targeted by LaLiga, Spain's soccer administrator, back in February 2026. Along with others, the privacy firm was ordered to block certain IP addresses to prevent the illegal streaming of matches.

NordVPN refused to do this, and subsequently LaLiga called for the VPN to be fined. However, the Commercial Court of Córdoba has dismissed the request following NordVPN's submission of technical evidence.

Proceedings are still ongoing, but NordVPN says the ruling "marks an important step in recognising the consequences of such indiscriminate blocking."

Technical impossibility

On May 19, the Commercial Court of Córdoba dismissed calls from LaLiga to "impose coercive fines" on NordVPN for allegedly failing to comply with interim blocking orders.

The case was first heard in February 2026, as VPNs – including NordVPN – were ordered to block IP addresses used to illegally stream Spanish soccer matches. At the time, NordVPN said blocks were "ultimately ineffective in combating piracy" and claimed it had no opportunity to defend itself in court.

At the time, and over the following months, NordVPN's experts argued it "was not technically possible" to block IPs "without harming thousands of lawful websites in Spain and beyond."

NordVPN said these experts demonstrated two things in court. It explained that the aforementioned IP addresses "change constantly" – often occurring within hours. The list of IPs supplied would therefore not match, and blocking couldn't take place.

Secondly, NordVPN argued the "blanket" blocking demanded would see "thousands of entirely lawful websites inaccessible to users in Spain and beyond."

LaLiga believed NordVPN "had deliberately and without justification breached the order" and called for fines. But the judge accepted NordVPN's report and ruled the fines were not warranted.

Proceedings for the case are still ongoing, and NordVPN has said it "will continue to engage with the Spanish courts in good faith." It added that "technical concerns [around IP blocking] are real and evidenced," and it welcomed the court's recognition of this view.

Not an isolated case

LaLiga's attempts to pull VPNs into its fight against piracy is not an isolated case. Cloudflare and GitHub are two services which have been intermittently inaccessible to Spanish users during soccer match windows, and many groups have documented this disruption.

In France, Canal+, alongside France's soccer governing body, won a case in May 2025 which ordered VPNs to block over 200 illegal streaming sites. In June 2025, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) – which represents Disney+, Netflix, and Warner Bros. – called on VPNs to block online piracy sites.

VPNs have constantly stressed they do not support piracy, but argue mass blocking is not the appropriate way to tackle it, and warn of widespread collateral damage.

NordVPN is one of those VPNs, and explained how its position hasn't changed. NordVPN said: "Protecting intellectual property is a legitimate goal, and rights holders are entitled to effective remedies. But the means used to achieve those remedies must be proportionate, technically sound, and respectful of everyone who depends on the same shared infrastructure."

"Blanket IP blocking imposed on VPN providers fails on each of those counts. It does not stop determined infringers, who adapt within minutes, and it imposes real costs on users, businesses, and lawful services that have nothing to do with the underlying dispute."

NordVPN thanked the Córdoba court for its engagement. It reaffirmed the level of standards displayed by the court are what's needed across Spain and Europe.

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.

Accessing geo-restricted streaming libraries is one of the most popular use cases for the best VPNs.

Whether your comfort films are only available in another country, or you're away from home but can't bear to miss your favorite show, the best streaming VPNs can access every major streaming service.

CyberGhost is one of the most capable. In our latest streaming tests, it unblocked every service we tested it with – including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, as well as a host of regional sites.

A 26-month CyberGhost plan costs $2.19 per month ($56.94 upfront, pre-tax) and comes with an impressive 45-day money-back guarantee.

Near-perfect streaming unblocking

In our May 2026 round of streaming testing, CyberGhost's results were almost perfect. The regions we looked at were: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and US.

CyberGhost succeeded first time in unblocking all regions of Netflix. It also saw success with Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. Its ability to unblock Amazon Prime Video is impressive considering many major VPNs have struggled with the latter in recent months.

US YouTube is another notoriously hard test to pass – NordVPN and Surfshark both failed – but CyberGhost unblocked it first time.

Regional services are no trouble either. Channel 4 and ITV in the UK can be accessed, along with 9Now in Australia. CyberGhost also had no trouble with Apple TV+, Paramount+, and DAZN.

We can't test every streaming site out there, but from what we've seen, CyberGhost is unlikely to be blocked by your favorite platform. CyberGhost's 125 server locations in 100 countries means you'll have plenty of choices – and it has dedicated servers for UK BBC iPlayer and US Netflix.

Only two services caused CyberGhost any trouble. BBC iPlayer in the UK, and 10Play in Australia took a few tries to unblock – the VPN managed it after switching servers a couple of times.

Streaming 4K Netflix requires a minimum of 25 Mbps. CyberGhost's 674 Mbps is more than enough to handle this, but it isn't quite as speedy as the fastest VPNs out there.

Streaming is what CyberGhost does best, and it does it better than most. Its apps are simple and easy to use, with seven devices supported on one plan. With subscriptions costing just over $2 per month, it won't break the bank.

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.

Google Search used to feel like opening a door to the internet. There was a time when we could type something in the Search bar, hit enter and disappear down a rabbit hole of websites, forums and Reddit threads. We'd see random YouTube videos and blogs made by people who we truly wanted to know. The pure serendipity of the experience was fun and interesting.

My sister actually met her husband that way. She Googled "Mr.Show" 20 years ago and stumbled upon her now husband's website about the sketch comedy show starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. I still love hearing them tell that story.

Now, after Google’s latest AI search updates, the internet increasingly feels like something else entirely: one giant conversation happening inside a single AI response box.

Google's AI-powered vision for Search

At Google I/O 2026, Google doubled down on its AI-powered vision for Search with expanded AI Mode features, conversational follow-ups, synthesized answers and tools designed to keep users interacting with Google’s AI instead of bouncing between websites. The experience looks fairly smooth and easier to digest than the traditional wall of links.

Instead of opening 15 tabs to compare information yourself, Google increasingly does the comparison for you. Now, rather than hunting for the best answer, Google just generates one. In other words, the days of "surfing the web" are over.

That's a shift I know I'm not ready for. But, I've been Googling long enough to know that Google Search has never been ideal. For years, people complained about results crowded with SEO spam, low-quality affiliate content, endless recipe backstories and websites clearly written more for algorithms than humans. And while AI search solves a lot of that, it's forced discovery and curiosity out of the picture almost entirely.

A decade ago we weren’t consuming content at the rapid pace we do now, we were exploring spaces created by actual humans. Now AI increasingly compresses all of those voices into one unified response. The more AI summarizes the web, the more the web itself risks losing its personality. That’s where the “group chat” feeling starts creeping in.

AI controls the conversation

In a group chat, information moves fast. As a mom in a group chat with 14 other moms, I know just how hard it is to keep up. Everyone talks over each other even if they don't mean to, context gets compressed, the loudest voices dominate and most people don’t leave the conversation to independently explore sources. That’s increasingly what AI-powered search feels like.

The internet used to feel expansive — now, it feels summarized. The irony, of course, is that AI-generated answers still rely heavily on websites. Publishers, creators, journalists, bloggers, reviewers and independent writers are still doing the work of reporting, testing, researching and publishing original information. AI simply reorganizes it into a cleaner conversational layer.

Unfortunately, users may never actually visit the sources anymore. If Google becomes the destination instead of the gateway, the entire relationship between websites and readers changes.

And honestly, users may not even notice it happening because the new experience feels so much easier. And that's the tradeoff at the center of this AI era. Convenience, speed and summarizations trump exploration, discovery and individual voices.

The walled-garden paradox

Statistically speaking, you probably didn't type "tomsguide.com" into a browser bar to find this page. You likely found it because an algorithm — quite possibly Google Discover or a personalized Google feed — served it up to you on your phone based on your reading habits.

This highlights the bizarre paradox of the internet today. To read a critique about Google enclosing the open web into a walled garden, you have to pass through the gates of that very same walled garden.

We are relying on the gatekeeper to show us the article complaining about the gatekeeper. Right now, that system still works in a fragile sort of harmony: Google’s feed sends you to our website, you read our writers and we get the support needed to keep reporting.

Final thoughts

Maybe this is inevitable. Maybe AI assistants replacing traditional browsing is simply the next phase of the internet, the same way streaming replaced video stores and TikTok replaced cable TV for an entire generation.

But something undeniably feels different now. The internet used to feel like a giant world waiting to be explored. Now I just feel like I'm chatting with AI.

And websites like this one? Well, they’re at risk of becoming background characters in a chat they helped create. So if you enjoyed this article, I hope you come back to the site. Bookmark the page and comment. Remind us journalists that we still matter in a sea of AI.

More from Tom’s Guide

• 5 signs you’re still using ChatGPT like a beginner — and how to fix them
• I used NotebookLM to make a 'Family Wiki'— and now everything I need to run the household is a click away
• Google’s new $100 AI Ultra plan just changed the AI race — here's what you get

Mullvad VPN has disclosed a fingerprinting vulnerability that could allow websites to link a user's activity across different VPN servers.

When a user switches servers, their exit IP address lands in a predictable position within the new server's IP range, allowing third parties to connect activity on the old server to the new one.

Fingerprinting identifies devices based on unique characteristics, without relying on cookies or login data. Here, the consistent positioning of exit IPs across servers creates a traceable pattern.

The flaw doesn't expose a user's real identity, but for those who switch servers specifically to separate their online sessions, it undermines that expectation. A fix is in testing.

Mullvad VPN is seen as a highly secure and private alternative to the best VPNs, and this an uncharacteristic issue. However, the quick response to its discovery is encouraging.

How the fingerprinting flaw works

Each Mullvad VPN server assigns users one exit IP from a range of addresses. Every device has a unique WireGuard encryption key tied to an internal tunnel address, and exit IPs are assigned based on that address' relative position in the server's range.

If that position is 40% on Server A, it will be approximately 40% on Server B. A website observing traffic across multiple servers could therefore infer the same user appeared on both.

Why Mullvad VPN's network design created the issue

Unlike most VPNs, Mullvad VPN operates a range of exit addresses per server to reduce overcrowding and avoid mass IP blocks, and it's this architecture that makes consistent positional assignment possible.

The issue was flagged by an independent security researcher on May 15. Mullvad VPN acknowledged the disclosure promptly and published a detailed technical breakdown on its blog.

What Mullvad VPN users should do now

For most users, no action is needed. The vulnerability only matters if you switch servers with the specific goal of separating your online sessions, and prevent linking your activity from one server to another.

If that applies to you, Mullvad VPN recommends:

• Open the Mullvad VPN app
• Log out of your account
• Log back in
• Connect to your new server

This regenerates your WireGuard key, breaking the pattern that enables fingerprinting. A permanent fix is in testing and will roll out server-side over the coming weeks, with no app update required.

Mullvad VPN has created a page for users to monitor the fixes as they happen.

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.

A co-ordinated international operation, led by France and the Netherlands, has seen authorities seize and dismantle a VPN used by cyber criminals.

"firstVPNservice" – software not featured in our guide to the best VPNs – was "deeply embedded in the cybercrime ecosystem," and has been promoted on Russian-speaking cybercrime forums.

The investigation, supported by Europol and Eurojust, was launched in 2021 and dubbed Operation Saffron. Domains, IP addresses, and servers were seized, and users of the VPN have been identified.

A complete shutdown

Operation Saffron was led by France and the Netherlands, and was assisted by crime agencies from the UK, Switzerland, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Romania, and the EU. Additional support was provided by Spain, Sweden, Canada, Germany, and the US.

The target was firstVPNservice. The VPN has been described as "a trusted tool for remaining beyond the reach of law enforcement." It reportedly offered anonymous payments and hidden infrastructure to its users, as well as "services designed specifically for criminal use."

Action took place between 19-20 May, and targeted firstVPNservice's infrastructure. The VPN's administrator was interviewed, and a house in Ukraine was searched.

33 servers used for criminal activity, covering 27 countries, were dismantled. Infrastructure used to support worldwide criminal activity was disrupted. The following domain names were seized:

• 1vpns.com
• 1vpns.net
• 1vpns.org
• Associated .onion domains

Users of firstVPNservice have been identified and notified of its shutdown. 65 IP addresses were identified and posted online.

According to Europol, "investigators gained access to the service, obtained its user database, and identified VPN connections used by cybercriminals seeking to conceal their activities."

Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol's European Cybercrime Centre, said: "For years, cybercriminals saw this VPN service as a gateway to anonymity. They believed it would keep them beyond the reach of law enforcement."

"This operation proves them wrong. Taking it offline removes a critical layer of protection that criminals depended on to operate, communicate and evade law enforcement."

This case reinforces the fact that VPNs are not an excuse for criminal activity. VPNs are legal, but using them for illegal purposes will see law enforcement take action.

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.

Obscura VPN has launched on Android, marking the privacy-focused provider's first step beyond Apple's ecosystem. Previously limited to macOS and iOS, the app is now available on Google Play, with a secondary listing on Obtainium for users who prefer open-source app distribution.

To celebrate, Obscura VPN is offering 25% off for all users with promo code ANDROID26 for a limited time – bringing its monthly cost down from $8 per month, to $6 per month.

Windows and Linux apps are also in development, with a waitlist open for those platforms.

Obscura VPN is still very new, and its release on Android sees it make a big step towards seriously challenging the best VPNs.

How Obscura VPN works

Obscura VPN's two-party relay architecture is what sets it apart from mainstream VPNs. Most route traffic through a single server operated by one company, where your whole connection journey can be seen (but not logged).

Obscura VPN splits that picture in two. Your connection enters through Obscura VPN's server, which sees your IP but never logs it, before passing to an exit node run independently by Mullvad VPN. This then connects you to the internet without ever seeing who you are.

The app also uses a custom obfuscation protocol based on QUIC to disguise VPN usage and bypass firewalls, making it well-suited to users in regions with heavy internet censorship.

Obscura VPN's source code is publicly available on GitHub, and a December 2025 audit by German security firm Cure53 found no high- or critical-severity vulnerabilities.

Why Android, and what's next?

Obscura VPN launched exclusively on macOS in February 2025, later expanding to iOS. Android is its first move onto non-Apple hardware, and is a logical next step for a provider that has stated its ambition to be available to everyone, regardless of platform.

Carl Dong, founder of Obscura VPN, commented on the Android release: "For many, Android is their primary way of getting online, including in places where surveillance, blocking, and censorship are increasingly part of daily life."

"As the only Two-Party Relay VPN on Android, Obscura offers verifiable privacy that doesn’t rely on pinky promises, paired with strong obfuscation that resists blocking and censorship."

"We’re grateful to everyone who waited for Obscura on Android, and we’ve already started working on Windows and Linux to bring the private and open internet to every major platform."

A Linux and Windows waitlist is open on Obscura VPN's website.

How to get Obscura VPN on Android

The app is available now on Google Play or Obtainium. Existing subscribers can log in with their account number, and no email address is required. New users can sign up anonymously.

To claim the 25% launch discount, use code ANDROID26 at checkout. Users on Windows or Linux can connect manually in the meantime via Obscura VPN's WireGuard guide on its website.

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.

With the rise of AI scams and sophisticated malware threats that we may not always see, it’s more crucial than ever to have one of the best antivirus software installed on your devices — and luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from. However, if you use multiple devices or run a business, there’s one antivirus software that’s better than the rest, and that’s Bitdefender.

Bitdefender offers many different tiers for consumers, families and businesses, and having tested the Ultimate Security plan, I wonder how I’ve gone so long without it. Bitdefender offers extensive protection thanks to anti-theft and anti-scam features. It sports a clean interface that makes the numerous settings easy to understand, whether you’re on mobile or desktop. The VPN and comprehensive Identity Protection are cherries on top of the cake.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Bitdefender review.

Bitdefender review: Specs

Bitdefender review: Costs & what’s covered

Bitdefender is one of the most prominent names in the world of antivirus software. The brand offers multiple tiers of protection — depending on whether you’re buying it for personal use, for your small business, or at an enterprise level. For the regular Joe and their family, the cheapest Consumer plan, Bitdefender Total Security, starts at $109; Bitdefender Premium Security costs $129; Bitdefender Ultimate Security retails for $159; and Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus costs $189.

If you own a small business, you can get the Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security Plan starting at $189 for three members. For 25 members, this jumps up to $799. For medium-sized businesses, the GravityZone Small Business Security plan for five devices costs $169 for a year, with the most expensive GravityZone Business Security Plan costing $444. The price will naturally vary depending on the number of devices and the years you buy the subscription for.

Depending on the plan you buy, each tier carries different levels of protection and additional services. It’s worth looking into what each individual plan covers before committing to one — but each tier also offers trial periods as well as 30-day money-back guarantees. I won’t bore you with all the details but I’ll share an example with you. I tested the Bitdefender Ultimate Security Family plan which, alongside basic protection, offers email protection, Scam Protection Pro that fights sophisticated scams, Digital Identity Protection, as well as a VPN.

Bitdefender’s cheapest Consumer plan is a little pricier than Norton 360’s, which starts at $94 for a year. Both brands’ most expensive Consumer tier, though, costs the same. Bitdefender offers better value for money when compared to McAfee, though, as the latter’s cheapest plan starts at $119 and goes all the way up to $119. As you’ll soon see throughout this review, Bitdefender doesn’t give you much to complain about, and you’re getting bang for your buck.

Bitdefender review: Protection

Bitdefender offers varying levels of protection depending on the plan you buy. The most basic tier for consumers, Total Security, offers protection against malware, ransomware and network threats, Advanced Threat Defense which monitors active apps, Cryptomining Protection that fights against apps that you have no knowledge of, Anti-Phishing, Anti-Fraud, Antispam, and lots more. These features are also included in the Ultimate Security plan with some other extras.

For antivirus reviews, we refer and compare testing results from three independent labs who test antivirus software twice a year (for the most part). I looked at AV Test’s February 2026 report for this review. Their results certify Bitdefender Total Security as a “Top Product” with a 6/6 scores across Protection, Performance and Usability. McAfee and Norton also received the same scores.

Bitdefender didn’t perform as well in AV Comparatives’ April 2026 test which uses benchmarking tools to assess system impact. It scored 85/100 in AVC, 95.4/100 in Procyon, and 9.6/10 in Impact. McAfee performed better with a 90 and 96.7 score respectively. Bitdefender did better than Norton’s 94.7 Procyon score, but lagged behind Norton’s 90 AV-C score. Don’t let this put you off, though, as Bitdefender is still an excellent antivirus. And if numbers matter a lot to you, SE Labs (U.K.) gave Bitdefender an AAA (highest possible rating with a 100% protection accuracy.

Bitdefender review: Performance

The first thing you’ll naturally be doing after you’ve signed up for a subscription is downloading and installing Bitdefender — and doing so is extremely easy. You’ll need to login to the Bitdefender Dashboard, where you originally bought the plan, and activate it. You’ll then be able to download the software onto your machine. It took me mere seconds to download the app and get it up and running on our testing rig — on which I ran the majority of the testing.

Also depending on the plan you purchase, you’ll be able to install the app following the same procedure on different devices. For instance, I was provided a code for the Ultimate plan, as I mentioned earlier, so I could download it onto my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. Once I’d activated the subscription on our testing PC, all I needed to do was login using my registered email on my phone, and I was in. It took mere seconds to get up and running.

Now for the big question: how does the antivirus software perform in regard to scanning? Bitdefender offers a full system scan which, as the name suggests, scans every single file on your machine — even the ones you might not be aware of. Surprisingly, there’s no option for a Quick Scan, as offered by the likes of Norton and McAfee.

It’s easy to start the Full Scan as the button to do so is within the app’s dashboard. I ran a Full Scan of our testing rig and it took 26 minutes and 23 seconds to complete, and it scanned a total of 2,319,256 files (I didn’t even realize there were that many to scan!). As I expected, the scan didn’t flag any viruses or issues.

This was done with no other heavy-duty apps running (I used the first scan’s results as the baseline), but to put the software through its paces, I ran Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5 to see how the games’ performance was impacted.

After running the numerous in-game benchmark tests, I’ve noted the results in the table above. With Bitdefender simply running in the background, Forza Horizon 5 achieved 125fps while Cyberpunk 2077 achieved 100fps. I then started a Full Scan which resulted in Forza Horizon 5 achieving 123fps and Cyberpunk 2077 achieving 97fps. This goes to show that the antivirus software doesn’t hamper your gaming PC’s performance. The loss of two or three frames per second is hardly noticeable.

I also ran a few internet speed tests at speedtest.net to see how Bitdefender impacted upload and download speeds. The first test I ran was without Bitdefender installed; the second with it installed; and third while running a Full Scan.

As you can see in the table above, even with the Full Scan running, the internet download and upload speeds remained pretty much the same — and I even got the fastest upload speeds with Bitdefender running in the background, surprisingly.

Bitdefender review: Features

Aside from scanning and other basic protection features, Bitdefender offers plenty of goodies, especially if you get one of the higher tiers. Like I mentioned earlier, the Bitdefender Ultimate Security plan comes with the likes of Web Scam Protection, Anti-Phishing and Anti-Fraud countermeasures, and more, so I put a few of these through their paces, starting with the Vulnerability Scan.

The Vulnerability Scan gives you an overview of any critical updates and settings you can change to better protect your device. Much quicker than the Full Scan, this is a good way to see all updates available at a glance.

There’s also Scam Protection Pro, which many antivirus companies seem to be pushing right now, and for good reason too. With the rise of AI, it’s easier than ever to fall for a scam, no matter how alert we think we are. Scam Protection Pro reads your emails and text messages (if you’re logged into Bitdefender on your smartphone), and verifies any links it finds. It’s very useful, and one feature I’m sure consumers and businesspeople would appreciate.

As you do with many other antivirus software suites, you get access to Bitdefencer VPN too. The VPN allows you to choose from over 4,000 servers in more than 50 different countries. The Ultimate plan includes unlimited VPN traffic, so Bitdefender encrypts all internet traffic, your bank information, passwords, downloads, and everything in between. Having used ExpressVPN in the past, I personally prefer Bitdefender VPN’s interface and clean look. This, combined with the SafePay browser, means you can browse the internet with confidence.

Bitdefender also offers identity theft protection through continuous dark web and surface monitoring, digital footprint visualization, identity protection score, real-time breach notifications, and even security advice from Bitdefender experts. Consumers on the Ultimate plan get this feature bundled in, but if you’re on a lower tier, you’ll need to buy it separately, starting at $129 / £79 annually.

Bitdefender review: Interface

What I really like about Bitdefender is that there are no intrusive or unnecessary pop-ups and ads. The interface is extremely clean, intuitive and user-friendly. Performance-wise, I didn’t notice the software have any detrimental impact on our testing PC either, as all other programs ran smoothly without any lag, even when the software was running in the background.

But the one thing I don’t like is that you can’t make the Bitdefender window full-size, so it occupies only a small portion of your entire screen. This isn’t a massive drawback, but it would have been nice to be able see all the features and settings at a glance rather than having to scroll through them.

The Bitdefender software is also compatible with iOS and Android, and as I alluded to earlier, I tested it on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. Similar to the desktop version, Bitdefender Mobile Security on Android is just as user-friendly, with the dashboard giving you quick access to all the settings, such as Scam Protection Pro and System Scan. Unfortunately, you need to download a dedicated app to access the VPN on mobile devices. Luckily, neither app eats up your storage as they’re both under 100MB.

Bitdefender review: Support

While Bitdefender is a sheer delight to use, you may run into some issues — that’s bound to happen with any hardware or software you’re using. If you’re in a pickle, Bitdefender offers extensive customer support — for both consumers and businesses alike.

On the consumer side of things, you get access to a number of troubleshooting guides, but if those fail, you can contact Bitdefender support either via email, 24/7 chat, or over the phone. You must answer three questions pertaining to your issue, after which the website will suggest a few troubleshooting guides, or give you the option to contact support.

When I did this, I had to speak with the Bitdefender Helper AI about my problem, and it was quick to answer a simple question: “How do I activate my subscription?” I found the advice straightforward and helpful. I then asked to speak to a human and after explaining my issue briefly, it connected me to a human being, who was prompt and very helpful. All tiers get a similar level of support, which is fantastic.

For businesses, there’s a dedicated B2B help center offering specialized help. What I love about the support center is that it offers 24/7 support, and a specialized team is available around the clock. This is similar to what Norton and McAfee offer. It’s important to note, though, that local language support is available during working hours only, for all three brands.

Bitdefender review: Verdict

Bitdefender stands out as a premier choice for individuals, families and businesses seeking robust digital security. Having tested the Ultimate Security plan, I can confidently say that it’s a comprehensive security suite. Its protection capabilities are stellar as they protect you against malware, identity theft and scams, which is more important than ever in the age of AI.

What truly impressed me in my testing was Bitdefender’s low system impact as even with full system scans running, it didn’t deter internet speeds or tank the frame rate in intensive games. The interface, on both desktop and mobile, is clean and simply a joy to use. Features like Scam Protection Pro and unlimited VPN on higher tiers add to its value, and make the top-tier subscription worth the investment.

Of course, few things in life are perfect and Bitdefender isn’t one of them, as there’s no Quick Scan option, and the non-resizable app window on Windows can be a little annoying. But these are soft cons, and something you should be able to overlook given the trade-off. If you prioritize peace of mind against evolving AI and malware threats, Bitdefender is, in a word, exceptional.

A newly discovered Android 16 bug could allow apps to leak traffic outside VPN tunnels, potentially exposing users' real IP addresses even when Always-On VPN and Android's built-in kill switch are enabled.

The flaw affects all the best VPNs, and was highlighted by Mullvad VPN, one of the most private VPNs available.

Its blog post announcing the bug is designed to spread knowledge about this issue to help keep our users safe.

According to the Mullvad, malicious apps may be able to bypass VPN protections under certain conditions and reveal a user's real IP address to external servers.

That's a serious concern for those who rely on the best Android VPNs to hide their location, reduce tracking, or secure their traffic on public Wi-Fi networks.

What's behind the Android 16 VPN leak?

The leak stems from a flaw in how Android 16 handles QUIC connection shutdowns.

According to Mullvad, apps can abuse a system function tied to the Connectivity Manager service to send specific traffic outside the VPN tunnel. This means a malicious app could reveal a user's real IP address to external servers, even if the device is configured to block all non-VPN traffic.

Mullvad says the issue affects all VPN apps on Android 16 because the vulnerability exists within the operating system itself. The Sweden-based VPN also noted that GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused Android-based operating system, has already patched the flaw in its own codebase.

Why this isn't just a Mullvad problem

VPN leaks are not entirely new, but this case stands out because it bypasses Android's strongest VPN protections, including "Always-On VPN" and "Block connections without VPN."

The issue was reportedly shared with Google's Android Security Team, but Mullvad says the report was closed as "Won't Fix (Infeasible)." The company later submitted a separate issue through Google's Android issue tracker, although Mullvad says the report is currently inaccessible.

Features like kill switches and Always-On VPN settings are often seen as critical protections, especially for users connecting through hotel, airport, or café Wi-Fi networks, or operating in higher-risk environments.

Because of this, reports of those protections being bypassed entirely are likely to concern privacy-focused VPN users.

How to reduce the risk on Android

Mullvad says a mitigation is available, although it requires enabling USB debugging and running Android Debug Bridge (adb) commands manually.

To apply the workaround:

• Enable Developer Options and USB debugging on your Android device
• Connect the device to a computer with adb installed
• Run: adb shell device_config put tethering close_quic_connection -1
• Reboot the device

According to Mullvad, this disables the QUIC graceful shutdown feature linked to the leak.

However, future Android updates may undo the fix, meaning users could need to repeat the process after updating their device.

Beyond the workaround itself, it's still worth being cautious about installing apps or visiting websites you do not fully trust.

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.

Proton Unlimited rarely gets this cheap. The 12-month plan normally costs $12.99 per month, but it's currently down 30% to $8.99 per month – a saving of $4, or $48 over the year.

Outside of Black Friday, this is as low as the price gets, and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it risk-free.

Proton is a Swiss-based privacy company, and Unlimited is its flagship subscription: a bundle of eight encrypted apps designed to replace the Big Tech tools most of us rely on by default. That means one of the best VPNs, private email, cloud storage, a password manager, a calendar, and more – all end-to-end encrypted, all under one roof.

What makes it worth considering isn't just the breadth of the suite, but the philosophy behind it. Everything Proton builds is encrypted by design, with no ads and no data harvesting. Its Swiss base matters too – it places Proton outside US and EU jurisdiction, meaning no FISA orders, no surveillance partnerships, and no obligation to hand your data to third parties.

If you've been looking for a clean break from Google, this deal is a good moment to make it.

One subscription, eight apps

At $8.99 a month, Proton Unlimited covers a lot of ground. Proton VPN gives you access to 20,000+ servers across 145 countries, support for up to 10 devices, and fast speeds. It also includes NetShield ad-blocking, Secure Core servers for extra security, Tor over VPN, split tunneling, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy.

Proton Mail adds 15 encrypted email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, and support for up to three custom domains.

Proton Drive adds 500 GB of encrypted cloud storage with version history, while Proton Pass goes beyond basic password management with 50 vaults, unlimited logins, and a built-in 2FA authenticator that means one less app to juggle. Proton Calendar keeps your schedule encrypted and off Big Tech servers, and Proton Meet offers private video calling without the Google or Zoom overhead.

Round that out with Proton Wallet – an encrypted Bitcoin wallet – and Lumo AI, Proton's privacy-first AI assistant, and you have a self-contained privacy ecosystem that rivals anything Big Tech offers.

Eight apps, one subscription, and the biggest discount you'll see outside of Black Friday.

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.

If your Windows or Linux computer uses one of best graphics cards made by Nvidia, you're going to want to make sure you're using the latest drivers. This week, the company issued a security alert and driver updates to combat a variety of vulnerabilities.

The alert highlights 15 issues, nine of which Nvidia has marked as "high-vulnerability." The high-risk flaws run the gamut of what bad actors can do to your PC. That includes letting hackers get access to your PC kernel, inject malicious code, steal crucial data, or gain administrative access. All the stuff you don't want happening.

For both Windows and Linux, you can download the driver update directly from Nvidia. On Windows, you'll want to make sure you upgrade to driver version 569.49.

On Linux, you want to make sure you update to version 590.48.01. The new versions were released about a week ago, so most people who have automatic updates turned on should have the update. But check your driver version just in case.

According to the alert, all Nvidia drivers before version 596.36 — version 482.53 for GTX 10-series and below — are potentially at risk from these vulnerabilities.

Keep your PC safe from malware

This is a general reminder to ensure all your drivers are up to date. Most driver releases patch security flaws like the ones outlined by Nvidia.

To be fair, some driver updates can cause issues, but later this year, Microsoft will automatically roll back bad Windows drivers to the most recent stable version. Still, keeping your drivers up to date is good practice.

If you're on PC, Microsoft releases new security updates every second Tuesday of each month.

Additionally, you'll want to ensure that Windows Defender is enabled. It largely does a great job of catching threats before they do damage.

For extra protection, you should consider the best antivirus software. Paid antivirus solutions usually update regularly, plus you often get access to VPNs, a password manager and other security goodies.

New vulnerabilities crop up all the time, but if you practice good cyber hygiene you devices and data should stay safe.

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Imagine this: one minute you’re checking your email, and the next, your browser is completely locked. If that wasn’t worrying enough, whenever you click your mouse, a warning sound plays and your current IP address is shown prominently on your screen. No, this isn’t a ransomware attack where you’re locked out of your files by hackers. Instead, it’s a new scareware attack currently making the rounds online where scammers try to trick you into picking up your phone and calling them.

As reported by Cybernews, 2.8 million people have been targeted by this attack since the beginning of this year. Dubbed CypherLoc by security researchers at Barracuda, it uses a combination of phishing, malicious code and social engineering to get potential victims on the phone. From there, the scammers on the other end can get all sorts of personal and financial information out of them or even launch follow-up attacks.

Here’s everything you need to know about this new scareware attack, along with some tips and tricks to help you avoid falling for this scam and others like it in the first place.

Socially engineered panic

Just like with many other attacks, this one begins with a phishing email in your inbox. According to a blog post from Barracuda, there’s either a malicious link in the body of the email or one included in an attachment.

While you should never click on links in emails from unknown senders, those who do in this case are taken to a webpage that appears harmless at first glance. However, it gradually transitions into a scareware page once triggered to do so.

Within the page, there’s a hidden, encrypted payload that executes the scareware. Before it can be decrypted and launched, though, the site checks to see if it is being run in a testing environment (usually by security researchers), and if so, a blank screen appears instead. This helps CypherLoc avoid detection.

On an ordinary user’s computer, though, the page will transform into a scareware interface that locks their browser, shows alarming-looking security messages and urges them to contact tech support immediately to fix the issue.

Although the tactics used in this campaign are similar to a ClickFix attack, the scammers behind it have a few more tricks up their sleeves to coerce potential victims into calling them. In addition to fake login forms to appear more legitimate, the most surprising one is that this fake page plays a warning sound whenever a user clicks, switches to full screen or tries to reload. Then, to make things personal, CypherLoc retrieves and then displays a victim’s public IP address on its scareware page.

Between showing a user’s IP address and random alarm sounds playing from their browser, this will usually be enough to convince potential victims to call the phone number that appears on screen. If they do so, they’re met with scammers posing as Microsoft tech support, which is likely enough to convince many people to hand over sensitive details they would have ordinarily kept private.

How to stay safe from scareware

Scareware is often a last resort to trick unsuspecting users into doing something they normally wouldn’t. However, by practicing good cyber hygiene from the start, you’re much less likely to actually end up on one of these fake but equally terrifying pages.

So how do you avoid falling victim to CypherLoc? Well, you need to be extra careful when checking your inbox, social media and even your text messages. Given that almost anyone can contact you these days, you want to be on the lookout for messages from unknown senders and this is especially true with ones that invoke a sense of urgency to get you to click or call. You also always want to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown senders.

Carefully checking your inbox while keeping a level head about you will only take you so far and of course, we all slip up at times and make mistakes. That’s why it’s important to protect your computer from malware and other viruses by installing the best antivirus software. If you want to take your protection to the next level, though, you may also want to consider investing in one of the best identity theft protection services, as they can help you recover your identity and any funds lost to scams. Many identity theft services also include an antivirus, so while you’re paying slightly more for one of them, you often get multiple layers of protection in a single subscription.

Given that security tools have become so advanced recently, scammers and other cybercriminals now need to be a lot more creative in their attacks. CypherLoc is a great example of this, and another reason why you need to stay on your toes whenever you’re checking your email and other messages.

Although we don’t know who the scammers behind CypherLoc are targeting specifically, I’ll update this story when and if we find out more.

More from Tom’s Guide

• Microsoft's urgent Window 11 patch fixes 30 'critical' bugs — update your PC now
• That peace sign you do in your selfies could let AI steal your fingerprints for scammers — here’s how
• I put Apple’s new macOS ClickFix warnings to the test and they actually worked — now I want them on Windows too

IPVanish now offers 150 server locations worldwide, in a "key milestone" for the VPN. IPVanish is a long-term challenger to the best VPNs and it has steadily made some impressive upgrades to its server infrastructure over the last year.

Alongside new locations, IPVanish has improved speeds, added extra servers, and built out its RAM-only server network.

IPVanish said "this expansion represents months of behind-the-scenes work" and sees it continue to be a viable alternative to leading VPNs.

150+ locations worldwide

IPVanish now offers more than 150 server locations worldwide, more than Surfshark, Windscribe, and CyberGhost.

Recently added locations include:

• Calgary, Canada
• Berlin, Germany
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Detroit, US
• Salt Lake City, US

The total IPVanish server network exceeds 3,400 servers, with more than 1,000 added in the last year. These cover both new and existing, high-demand, locations, and 56,000+ IP addresses are available to IPVanish users.

Additional servers help improve speeds and reliability by reducing congestion and giving users the option to connect to a server closer to where they're physically located – the less distance your data has to travel, the better your VPN performance will be.

In our most recent round of testing, IPVanish recorded speeds of 742 Mbps. This doesn't make it one of the fastest VPNs out there, but speeds are more than good enough for 4K streaming, gaming, and browsing.

IPVanish said its recent upgrades have focused on North America and Europe, following on from 2024 updates to its servers in Africa, Asia, and South America.

Atlanta, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, New York, Chicago, and Toronto are "long-standing hub locations" and are some of IPVanish's "most-used server locations globally."

Subbu Sthanu, General Manager, Consumer Cybersecurity at IPVanish, said: "IPVanish is dedicated to continually expanding our server network, enabling us to offer customers the fastest VPN speeds at home and while traveling."

"Reaching 150 server locations is an important milestone, but it’s also part of a much larger investment in the future of the IPVanish network," Sthanu added.

880+ RAM-only servers

As well as its regular servers, IPVanish has 880+ RAM-only servers, representing 35% of its total network.

RAM-only servers don't rely on hard drives or SSD storage. Data is not permanently stored on the server – instead, it's wiped on shutdown. The amount of data collected and stored is also minimal, thanks to IPVanish's strict, audited no-logs policy.

The 880+ RAM-only servers cover 25 locations, with 13 of those in the US. RAM-only servers are available across all IPVanish platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, and smart TVs. Within the app, you can filter your server list so only RAM-only locations are shown.

RAM-only rollout began in June 2025, and IPVanish wants to transition to 100% RAM-only servers by 2027.

IPVanish's upgrades are a welcome, and impressive, step forward. The VPN is a highly secure, affordable, and capable alternative to some of the major names in the industry.

A two-year IPVanish plan starts at $2.19 per month ($52.56 upfront, pre-tax) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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.

So Google search just got the biggest upgrade in nearly three decades at Google I/O — killing off your standard page of links and replacing it with a redesigned search box giving way to AI agents and a generative UI.

I got to take a closer look, and I must admit it’s a love/hate relationship.

On the one hand, this is a generational leap for search that will surely make the ever-crowded internet much more personalized and curated to everyone using it. But on the other, it’s another potential death blow to tech journalism — or even journalism at large. I’m so conflicted, and therefore need to rant in written form to figure out where my head is on it. So please, join me, won't you?

Making search make sense

The two live demos I saw with Google were keeping up-to-date on indie concerts in my local area and planning a weekend. The former was done on a phone with the latter on a laptop, and the results were seriously impressive.

It’s easy with a rudimentary page of links to fall down clickbait rabbit holes and not actually get an answer to the original question you had, and to see an AI agent work to not only ask you clarifying questions to specify the search but also keep abreast of the information proactively makes this feel like a generational leap. Shout-out to even jumping on Reddit's rumored indie concerts sub too, so you never miss a beat!

Then there’s the generative UI element of the weekend planner, which takes context and memory from what Google already knows about you to build a schedule that knows your tastes and availability. Plus you can share these as pages that others can see too — it’s a really nice, curated way to scythe your way through what is becoming an increasingly noisy internet.

We’re so cooked

But here’s where my problems lie, and I must take you behind-the-scenes a little of how a business like Tom’s Guide works. Like many tech publications, we rely on eyeballs on our website — ads give us a decent chunk of revenue, while the rest is made up of sponsorships and affiliate revenue (when you buy a deal we recommend, we make a little on the side).

Talking in the media lounge, I noticed a definite anxiety amongst my friends from other publications. AI overviews have already shown a sharp decline in traffic referrals to many sites, and by eliminating links for an AI-powered search agent, it’s looking very likely that this downward trend will continue.

In fact, after asking Google about what their expectations are for referral traffic, the answer was essentially to repeat that “more people are searching than ever before,” which is great — but it doesn’t really answer the challenging question here.

A plea to Google

Now, I’m not going to sit here and beg Google to go back to the page of ten blue links. That era is officially dead and for what we get in its place, taking my “protecting the business” hat off, I’m happy it’s gone.

What I will ask for, however, is a more equitable use of it — maybe the memory of it can remember key sites people go to for stories and maintain those referrals. We could even go wild and have a pay-per-referral model to keep the original creativity of the internet alive.

Because while there are certainly ways that publications like ours can adapt (and if you’re not yet, you should join our Tom’s Guide club for free), these can only realistically go so far in making up for the inevitable shortfall of a key site referrer dropping to zero.

For Google to exist, it needs a financially viable, active internet to source from, search across and show its ads on too, which this would surely actively harm. This is a generational leap for search, but one that has some serious problems that need addressing fast.

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