Nord's Threat Protection Pro rated the best VPN malware protection

Threat Protection Pro, the cybersecurity feature included in one of the best VPNs, NordVPN, has been named the most effective of all VPN tools tested for protecting users from malicious websites.

AV-TEST, a German independent research institute for IT security, conducted an extensive test of 5 well-known VPN providers, examining the VPNs' capabilities of detecting malicious links. 3,209 links were tested, including links to portable and non-portable malicious files, as well as to phishing sites. The test also measured the VPN's capacity to avoid making false positives – harmless links that are mistakenly flagged as malicious.

Nord's Threat Protection Pro topped the list by some way, with a total detection rate of 83.42%. US-based IPVanish placed second, with a total detection rate of 46.96%. This was some way behind Nord, but also considerably better than the other three VPNs. Mullvad, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN were the other providers tested and all performed poorly, with detection scores below 5%. ExpressVPN was the worst performer, with a total detection rate of 2.77%.

More praise?

Threat Protection Pro has also recently received praise from West Coast Labs (WCL), a technical research and product testing organization, earning the highest rating in their anti-malware validation test.

WCL's lab setup simulates real-world conditions, running Windows 11. Threat Protection Pro earned a AAA rating, achieving a 99.8% detection rate for high-threat malware. WCL noted the feature excelled in real-time malware detection, providing accurate threat reports and effective remediation options that allow users to respond quickly to detected threats.

"The internet is full of scammers. Even the most innocent-looking link may contain malware or redirect users to fake sites where malicious actors can steal their sensitive information (such as login credentials or credit card information," says Dominikas Virbickas, head of development at Threat Protection. "These cyber threats may seem minor at first, but they can quickly result in account takeover, financial loss, or even identity theft."

Back in June 2024, NordVPN became the first VPN to become a certified anti-phishing tool when it was certified by AV-Comparatives.

Should you rely on a VPN for cybersecurity protection?

Cybersecurity is a real concern in the modern world and with so many of us online, it's so important to think about protecting yourself. Around the holiday season, scammers create fake online shops to target unsuspecting shoppers and in 2023, Americans lost over $12 billion to cybercrime.

VPNs are a great tool for protecting your privacy online, but they can't always protect you from cybercrime. NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro is the best cybersecurity feature you can get with a VPN, but it does come at a price. The tool is only included in Nord's premium plans – which start at $3.89 per month. If protecting yourself from cybercrime is your main focus, you may be better off with a dedicated antivirus software and combine it with a VPN.

There are other ways you can protect yourself from cybercrime, and getting into good habits will serve you well. Always be suspicious. Only click links if you're 100% sure they're genuine. As well as this, you should be using strong, unique passwords for all your accounts. "123456" is still the world's most popular password and can be cracked in under a second. Long passwords, with random letters, numbers, and symbols are the best approach and you should never repeat passwords. Using one of the best password managers is a great way to improve your password habits.

If you are a victim of cybercrime, then VPN companies are beginning to offer identity protection features. NordVPN includes NordProtect in its prime plan, which offers identity recovery and restoration, including up to $1 million to cover identity recovery costs. ExpressVPN recently launched its own feature, Identity Defender. This includes ID Alerts, ID Theft Insurance, and data removal.