Technology
Is your VPN enough without antivirus protection?
As cyber threats continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, many people like yourself are seeking effective ways to safeguard their online presence. That includes Keith from Lisbon, Iowa, who asked, “If I have a VPN, do I still need an antivirus app?”
The answer is a resounding yes. While a VPN (virtual private network) provides crucial privacy and security benefits, it doesn’t protect your device from malware, viruses or other cyber threats. Let’s get into why you need both and how they complement each other to provide comprehensive digital security.
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Why you need both a VPN and antivirus
To achieve comprehensive online security, it’s crucial to understand the distinct yet complementary roles that VPNs and antivirus software play in protecting your digital life.
Virtual private network
A VPN is your first line of defense for online privacy and security. It works by:
1) Encrypting your internet connection: This makes it extremely difficult for hackers, ISPs or other third parties to intercept and read your data.
2) Masking your IP address: By hiding your real IP address, a VPN allows you to browse the internet anonymously, making it harder for websites and advertisers to track your online activities.
3) Bypassing geo-restrictions: VPNs can help you access content that might be blocked in your region, giving you more freedom online.
BEST ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC, PC, IPHONES AND ANDROIDS – CYBERGUY PICKS
Antivirus software
While a VPN protects your online activities, antivirus software focuses on defending your device itself. Here’s what antivirus does:
1) Malware detection and removal: Antivirus software scans your device for viruses, trojans, spyware and other malicious software, then removes or quarantines these threats.
2) Real-time protection: Modern antivirus programs continuously monitor your system, preventing malware from infecting your device in the first place.
3) Phishing protection: Many antivirus solutions include features that block malicious websites and warn you about potential phishing attempts.
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How VPNs and antivirus complement each other
VPNs and antivirus software serve different but complementary purposes in your digital security arsenal.
VPNs secure your internet connection: They focus on protecting your data as it travels across the internet, ensuring your online activities remain private. Using a VPN service can enhance your privacy by encrypting your internet traffic, making it harder for hackers and third parties to intercept your data, especially on public Wi-Fi. A VPN masks your IP address, helping to obscure your location and online activity. While VPNs don’t directly prevent phishing emails, they reduce the exposure of your browsing habits to trackers that may use this data maliciously. With a VPN, you can securely access your email accounts from anywhere, even in areas with restrictive internet policies. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
Antivirus protects your device: It guards against threats that could compromise your device’s security, regardless of how they reach your system. Therefore, it’s important to have strong antivirus software actively running on your devices. Antivirus software helps protect your devices from malware, viruses and other security threats. Regularly update the software to ensure it can detect and remove the latest threats.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
By using both a VPN and strong antivirus software, you create a robust defense system that protects both your online activities and your device itself.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Remember, Keith and the rest of you: Cybersecurity is not about choosing between a VPN and antivirus; it’s about leveraging both to create a multi-layered defense against the ever-evolving landscape of online threats. Combining these two powerful tools allows you to enjoy a safer, more secure and more private online experience.
What are your biggest cybersecurity concerns, and what specific help would you like from us to address them? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
This LG lamp is also a projector and Bluetooth speaker
LG is coming to CES with two all-in-one “lifestyle projectors” which means they’re gong to look great when off, but not necessarily provide the best picture for the money when on. Both run on webOS with plenty of support for your favorite streaming apps.
The PF600U is three devices in one, combing a simple full HD projector with a Bluetooth speaker and standing floor lamp. It weighs 16 pounds 8 ounces (7.5kg) and features two speakers of unknown spectitude, as well as an LED lamp capable of nine colors and five brightness levels.
The projector swivels on a 110-degree tilting head with an automatic screen adjustment function that should make it quick and easy to fine tune the projected image as you move the lamp around the room. Just note that it’s only capable of producing 300 ANSI lumens of brightness which means that 1920 x 1080 image won’t look very good unless viewed in blackout conditions.
The CineBeam S (model PU615U) is a remarkably small (4.3 x 6.3 x 6.3 inches / 110 x 160 x 160mm) ultra-short throw projector that can sit just inches from the wall — or better yet, an Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen — and still produce a giant 4K image from its laser (RGB) light source. It has integrated stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. And while it can produce a slightly brighter 500 ANSI lumen image, it’s still going to look washed out if it has to fight with any ambient lighting in the room.
LG isn’t announcing anything useful like pricing or release dates or countries of availability. Presumably the company wants to keep everyone on their toes when these are demonstrated publicly for the first time in Las Vegas, starting next week.
Technology
The latest RTX 50 leak comes from Nvidia
It seems like Nvidia might be about to reveal its RTX 50 series GPUs, and now Nvidia itself is teasing that the new graphics cards are nearly here. As spotted by VideoCardz, a video for Nvidia’s upcoming LAN party includes brief look at a shadowy PC that will be given as a prize, and if you brighten up the image, the GPU in the computer appears to be one that’s a new design.
See for yourself — I’ve included an image of the shadowed version at the top of this post, but here’s our take at tweaking the image to reveal what’s hidden:
Image: Tom Warren / The Verge
I’ll admit I am not an expert in GPU designs, but VideoCardz says the design is “unfamiliar” and that an RTX 5080 or 5070 Ti could be “among possible candidates” of what’s being shown.
Leaks last month from Zotac and Acer indicated that Nvidia may reveal as many as five RTX 50 series GPUs very soon, including an RTX 5090, an RTX 5080, and an 5070 Ti. VideoCardz also reported today on a leak of an RTX 5080 from MSI featuring 16GB of GDDR7 memory.
And Nvidia isn’t being particularly secretive about the potentially imminent launch of the RTX 50-series GPUs. The LAN party, which runs from January 4th through 6th, is called the “GeForce LAN 50”, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to deliver a CES keynote on January 6th at 9:30PM ET.
Technology
Easy internet sleuth tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner
The internet is a treasure chest of information … if you know where to look. Whether you’re trying to verify a website, learn more about your neighborhood or dig up what’s floating around online about you, a little tech know-how goes a long way.
Here are some simple, powerful tricks to level up your sleuthing skills.
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See the details of any website
You’ve come across a website that offers an incredible promise of a free trip to Hawaii. Aloha! All the site needs is your personal info and a credit card. Before you take the plunge, make sure you’re not getting screwed over.
A WHOIS lookup search checks a database that contains information about domain names and their registrants — so you can find out who owns the website and see if they have a real business address and contact information.
How do you get this done?
- Head to a WHOIS lookup website. There are plenty of them on the web. I use who.is.
- Plug the site’s URL into the search bar. You’ll see who owns the site and their contact information, including address and phone number.
Next time you think a friend is getting scammed, pull out this awesome tech party trick. You could save them some cash and embarrassment!
RELATED: Your IP address: What it is and why you need to protect yours if you care about privacy
Run a free background check
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Your online business is everyone’s business, like it or not. How can you check what the internet’s got on you? Here’s a quick and easy way:
- Head to Google and type in your first and last name in quotes. See what pops up. People are usually interested in the organizations you’re affiliated with, your social profiles and any photos of you floating around the web.
- Next up, your credit score. You can get a free credit report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion once a year. Go here to get yours online. Check the fourth credit bureau, Innovis, too.
- What about family tree sites? They can be fun and informative … and incredibly invasive. Look yourself up at FamilyTreeNow.com. You’ll be shocked.
Find out who your neighbor is
Go introduce yourself. If that’s not possible, you can find out online in most cases through a county’s assessor site. These government-run sites use data from assessors to estimate the value of real property within a county, city, town or village.
Once you get there, you can see where your person of interest lives, get details on their home or any other properties they own, and much more. You can even view signed documents, like the deed to their home. Yes, really.
The easiest way to find your county assessor’s site is a quick Google search. Just type in the county you’re looking for, along with “assessor.” You can also go to Publicrecords.netronline.com. This directory includes official state and county websites you can search for by ZIP code.
Every county assessor’s site works a little differently, but here’s an overview of how to search on the Maricopa County site here in Arizona.
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Click on the Go to Data Online button next to the County Assessor option, then search by name or address. Click the magnifying glass icon to search and you’ll see the address, owner, parcel number and other information. Then click on the parcel number and to get even more detailed information and access any related documents.
PRIVACY 101:How to get photos of your home off Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com
A picture is worth a thousand words
Words and profiles are one thing, but what about pictures of you? All these sites are
worth checking to see what pops up.
- Pimeyes: This site allows you to upload an image of yourself (or anyone) to find that image across the internet. This is particularly useful for tracking down where your photos appear online. Beware: You may get back blurred-out images from adult content.
- TinEye: Another excellent reverse image search tool that may turn up additional results.
RELATED: Think of Google Lens as the smarter version of Google Images.
Go down memory lane
Not all online sleuthing is of the sneaky variety. This one is fun to try with all the places you’ve lived or a home you’re considering buying.
Pop into old Street View photos on Google Maps. You’re able to see what a place looked like going back as long as Google has captured photos there. I’ve spotted pictures going back over a decade. Talk about a hit of virtual nostalgia.
- Open Google Maps on a browser, type in an address and click the photo that pops up.
- Choose See more dates to scroll through the photos.
Now, share this article and impress your friends with your tech savvy — or save them from falling for a scam. Either way, you’ll look like the smartest person in the room.
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