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Threat Protection Pro™: malware scanner

  • Scans your downloading files for malware.

  • Protects your devices from the newest cyber threats.

  • Blocks viruses, trojans, ransomware, and other malware.

  • Available with Threat Protection Pro™.

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A user checking an alert from Threat Protection Pro™ about malware found in their download.

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Benefits of NordVPN’s malware scanner

Threat Protection Pro™ offers advanced protection from malware and common digital threats.

Scans your downloads

Our malware scanner will check the files you’re downloading and delete the malicious ones before they can reach your device.

Works 24/7

No need to connect to a virtual private network. Threat Protection Pro™ guards your devices at all times.

Lightweight protection

Threat Protection Pro™ is integrated into NordVPN’s Windows and macOS apps, it works with minimal impact on your device’s performance.

Advanced prevention

The cloud-based threat scanner can run suspicious executable files in the cloud to determine if they are dangerous to your device.

Additional security

As part of Threat Protection Pro™, the malware scanner comes bundled with a scam and fraud alert feature, phishing protection, ad blocker, and dangerous website blocker.

Future-proof technology

Our cybersecurity experts use advanced threat intelligence to find and mitigate new threats to keep your devices as safe as possible.

How does the malware scanner work?

Threat Protection Pro™ scans the files you’re downloading in two different ways — you can pick which one you want in your app’s settings:

If you activate the malware scanner, Threat Protection Pro™ will scan the files you download to your device. It’s a quick scan, but you won’t be able to open or execute the file in the meantime. This feature works with all file types that can be malicious and uses signature-based detection, heuristics, advanced machine learning modules, and threat intelligence gathered by our experts.

If you’re not sure the software you downloaded is safe to use, you can enable the Cloud-based threat scanner. It will upload your file to the cloud, safely execute it to see how it acts, and determine if it’s malicious. This feature only works for executable files up to 20MB rather than pictures, documents, or videos.

How to use the malware scanner

Threat Protection Pro™ works on both Windows and macOS computers.

01

Open the NordVPN app.

02

Click on the shield icon.

03

Enable the Anti-malware feature.

To enable advanced scanning, toggle the switch next to “Cloud-based threat scanner.”

How to detect malware or viruses on your device

Learn to recognize the signs of malware before it causes too much damage.

Slow device

If your computer suddenly starts having trouble even with the simplest tasks, it could be a sign of malware draining its resources.

Drained battery

When malware gets on your laptop, it is likely to cause your device to use more power than usual.

Frequent crashes

A secure or safe browser provides additional security features, like blocking trackers and URLs that may contain malware. You can customize these browsers to give you more privacy and security as you surf the web.

Unauthorized changes

From your desktop to the camera and microphone permissions — malware may change all of your system and account settings.

Outgoing messages

If you notice lots of outgoing traffic and sent messages in your email that you never wrote — it could signal malware.

Browser activity

Sudden redirects, changed search engine and home screen, pop-ups, and suspicious browsing history could all mean you have malware.

Threat Protection Pro™ is a proactive anti-malware tool that blocks malware-ridden files when you try to download them. It can’t remove malware from an already infected device.

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Frequently asked questions