Anti viris/VPN

rockchick113

Since I've more or less been forced to use internet banking as my local branches of bank have closed or gone all machines in the branch, I've been more concerned about internet security. I have been using AVG Anti Virus and AVG VPN for Mac, both have seemed ok and I think have been doing there job, I scan my PC weekly as a mater of caution, and Yes Its picked up a few trojans and blocked popups so yes its been working. BUT its working out expensive. Both have now come to an end of my contract. I'm looking for a company that does it all in one package Antivirus/VPN/antispy  or what ever to protect me, and possible with multiple devices. 
Any help on this would be great.

victor2

Look at Bitdefender free. I think for VPN you might have to go for the paid version, but it does get good reviews.
Most banks have pretty good security anyway, so if you only access them through trusted internet connections, do you really need VPN?

JJ_Egan

PC  then if win 10  windows defender is all you require .

VPN   why ??

Neil49

I can't see the need for a VPN if you are using your home internet connection. 

Accessing your bank account through free WiFi in a coffee shop or similar is a different matter and then a VPN would be necessary. 

rockchick113

I'm using Mac and Was recommended to use VPN by a tech guy at work, and I' so much scarred of all theses internet scams getting your information .
I never do on line banking away from my home, App only on my iPad which never leaves the house

RumRat

Just keep using the banks app on your iPad, you don't need anything else really.

arciere

It will come the time when people start to understand how useless VPNs are for the average user.

Stop listening to whoever tells you that you need a VPN to browse the internet. You don't even need that if you're using a "free wi-fi", since all the websites that matter already use HTTPS.

VPNs are a waste of money.

Laz123

arciere said:

It will come the time when people start to understand how useless VPNs are for the average user.

Stop listening to whoever tells you that you need a VPN to browse the internet. You don't even need that if you're using a "free wi-fi", since all the websites that matter already use HTTPS.

VPNs are a waste of money.

They're not if you live abroad and want to watch UK TV, log into UK lottery and BBC IPlayer etc. And Surfshark only set me back £50 for 2 years VPN.

arciere

Laz123 said:

arciere said:

It will come the time when people start to understand how useless VPNs are for the average user.

Stop listening to whoever tells you that you need a VPN to browse the internet. You don't even need that if you're using a "free wi-fi", since all the websites that matter already use HTTPS.

VPNs are a waste of money.

They're not if you live abroad and want to watch UK TV, log into UK lottery and BBC IPlayer etc. And Surfshark only set me back £50 for 2 years VPN.

Agreed, but the vast majority of people are convinced that they need a VPN service, and not because they live abroad.

JJ_Egan

Agree and the vast majority do not live abroad .

PS i have three VPNs  under test for a specific IPTV purpose .

CoastingHatbox

If you are using a Mac, I would suspect the bundled XProtect is sufficient.

I find third party AV products cause as many problems as they solve and I don't recommend them. In Windows land, the paid for version of BitDefender has a feature (on by default) which basically Man-In-The-MIddle attacks all of your HTTPs traffic so that the AV engine can inspect it. This feature uses an insecure certificate to re-encrypt the HTTPs traffic which leaves users vulnerable to bad actors doing bad things with their Internet traffic.

A check on badssl.com for a colleague using this showed that any phishing/scam website could, using a freely available private key, impersonate a legit websit and look secure.

You don't need a VPN to access your on-line banking. I would refrain from using online banking on any network other than your home network. Using a commercial privacy VPN will probably result your bank refusing access to its on-line banking and if the VPN endpoint is compromised in anyway, probably make it possible for you to be defrauded. Most of these VPNs are built to be as cheap to implement as possible given that all of the providers are competing with each other on cost. Back in 2019, NordVPN was hacked and their private key was leaked.

Personally, I tend to use different computers for things like banking and VPNing into work versus general web browsing. Right now I'm remoted into work from a physical machine, but I'm sending this from a virtual machine via a virtual console.