Windows Central Insider
We can’t live without the internet, but the online world is something that many users take for granted as being secure. As our tech evolves, so do the threats that attack it, and many of those threats are no longer easy to spot – if at all.
Being careful and hoping for the best are no longer enough to keep you safe online, which is why comprehensive and modern security solutions are quickly coming back into style. Here are five myths about online security and why Bitdefender is key in providing protection.
TL;DR:
- Many users believe that public Wi-Fi is safe if they have a VPN enabled, but a VPN only protects their internet connection. A digital protection platform like Bitdefender, combined with a VPN, is the only way to ensure full PC protection.
- Many users believe they can stay safe online as long as they don’t take risks. But bad actors are employing methods far beyond what most users assume is possible, and only a full security suite like Bitdefender can provide protection from all types of threats.
- Scams and deepfakes have evolved to the point where they’re no longer identifiable by even the savviest of users. Only a modern security solution like Bitdefender can track emerging threats while providing real-time scanning of email and web pages.
- Users often don’t know when their data is breached, and credentials can remain in the open online indefinitely. Live monitoring and identity protection tools from Bitdefender are a perfect remedy.
- Your data is constantly being tracked, and it’s often used against you. A comprehensive security platform like Bitdefender helps limit passive data exposure, making it harder for bad actors to get the information they need to threaten your security.
Myth #1: Public Wi-Fi is safe to use if you enable a VPN
VPNs are one step on the way to safe internet over public Wi-Fi, but a proper security suite is key to full system protection. Using open Wi-Fi is risky, but it’s just as easy to mitigate those risks.
VPNs are designed to encrypt your internet connection, making it difficult for bad actors (or anyone else watching a connection) to see what’s happening over Wi-Fi.
What a VPN cannot do is protect your PC from any malware, phishing attempts, malicious downloads, or other exploits you might encounter, even if the VPN is enabled. That’s where a digital protection platform like Bitdefender comes into play.
Keep in mind that Bitdefender’s Premium VPN is just one tool in your security arsenal, helping to provide full protection when you’re working from airports, cafes, hotels, and schools.
Myth #2: Your data is safe as long as you’re careful online
Most users don’t realize that being safe online is no longer enough to protect their PC and their data. Even the most tech-savvy users can be fooled by bad actors, often without realizing anything malicious has occurred.
Whether it’s a data breach from a site you signed up for years ago, a phishing email you swore looked real, malicious ads, or hijacked downloads of trusted software, Bitdefender’s security solutions have the tools to intelligently protect against threats most users don’t know exist.
What type of threats often go unnoticed by careful users?
One example of an area where a security platform like Bitdefender can protect is Living Off The Land (LOTL) attacks. These are a new form of malware that hijacks trusted utilities built right into Windows, making them incredibly difficult to detect.
Bitdefender’s specialized protection mixes cloud-based AI utility behavior tracking and real-time local analysis to sniff out these types of attacks before they can do serious damage to your PC.
Myth #3: Most scams and deepfakes are easy to spot
Scams and deepfakes have evolved to a point where they are indistinguishable from safe and trusted web content.
What’s worse is that many users don’t realize how quickly a new scam can be deployed; someone without secondary protection essentially has no chance of stopping them all. However, email and web scams can be mitigated with a proper security platform.
Can Bitdefender protect against scams and deepfakes?
A regular antivirus is no longer enough to protect you against emerging threats. That’s why a full security platform like Bitdefender, with multiple layers of protection against myriad threats, is such a smart choice.
Bitdefender Scam Protection Pro, included in Bitdefender Premium Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security plans, includes tools like real-time email and web monitoring, intelligent scam pattern tracking and blocking, early warnings of new scams spreading around the web, and even an AI assistant that’s always happy to take a look at potential scams to see if they’re legitimate or fake.
The AI assistant is particularly good at discovering fake login pages, giving you extra confidence when you’re browsing the web.
Myth #4: There are always signs that security has been breached
Credential leaks resulting from security breaches are believed to be severely underreported, which can leave even the most careful online user with no signs of a breach.
And because many users don’t understand the risks of reusing passwords and other credentials between sites, one security breach can unlock a whole lot of other problems, including identity theft and further phishing attempts.
Bitdefender tools like Scam Protection Pro and Digital Identity Protection, available for Individual or Family plans, keep users apprised and up to date with their current online safety level. If credentials have been breached, you’ll be informed of the situation, allowing you to take the necessary security steps.
As a precautionary measure that can further lower the impact of a single leak, Bitdefender SecurePass is a reliable password manager that makes it easy to keep track of different, powerful passwords for each account.
Myth #5: Online trackers can’t do any real harm
Every website and ad you see collects some of your personal information using trackers, and if enough of that info falls into the hands of bad actors, it can be used to create personal, targeted attacks.
The answer to this common problem is to block trackers before they get started. That’s where Bitdefender steps in, putting an end to any third-party cookies and other trackers from collecting your data.
And because webpages have less to load, your browsing experience will actually speed up rather than slow down.
