About the test
AV-TEST is an independent research institute for IT security from Germany conducting tests of cybersecurity products. In a recent test, the minds of the institute fed 5,507 links (3,209 malicious and 2,298 harmless) to five well-known VPN providers to evaluate their malware detection capabilities. The pool of malicious links contained three specific categories: phishing links, portable executable (PE) URLs (links that lead to .exe, .dll, and .sys files), and non-portable executable web addresses (hosting .pdf, .docx, and .jpg files). The test also measured participants’ capacity to avoid marking false positives (harmless links that may sometimes be flagged as malicious).
You can read more about the test on the AV-TEST website: https://www.av-test.org/fileadmin/pdf/reports/AV-TEST_NordSec_VPN_Additional_Security_Feature_Evaluation_November_2024.pdf
Crunching the numbers
Out of all participants, NordVPN’s scam, phishing, and malware protection managed to detect and block 2,677 malicious links, resulting in a whopping 83.42% detection rate. In contrast, the second-best result captured only less than half (46.96%). While NordVPN led in all three malicious URL detection categories, the most notable advantage of scam, phishing, and malware protection emerged in PE and non-PE graphs. Out of 1,050 PE links, it managed to detect malware in 925 (88.10%), while out of 1,031 non-PE URLs 870 were flagged by this feature (84.38%). For comparison, the second-best result scored a detection rate of 39.24% and 34.53% respectively.
NordVPN also ranked well in false positive detection, flagging only 11 out of 2,298 websites (0.48%). While it wasn’t the top number, compared to other test participants (best score 0.3%), the overall performance suggests tremendous NordVPN next-gen antivirus** malware blocking capabilities.
Why does it matter?
The internet is full of scammers. Even the most innocent-looking link may contain malware or redirect users to fake sites where malicious actors may steal their sensitive information (such as login credentials or credit card information). These cyber threats may seem minor at first, but can quickly result in account takeover, financial loss, or even identity theft. That’s why it’s important to safeguard yourself online with additional security measures, such as NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus.
How NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus keeps you safe
NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus is a built-in digital protection tool designed for safer online browsing. It comes with features such as a malware scanner and blocker, a search results safety indicator, and even an ad and tracker blocker. With these benefits, NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus can block unwanted ads and URL trackers, scan the web for malicious websites and search results, and instantly cut off access to harmful content (including downloads).
And that’s not all. NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus offers an advanced anti-phishing solution that uses machine learning and an extensive database to protect its users from phishing links. And it’s not just fancy words – the AV-TEST results show it can detect and neutralize phishing links with 78.1% accuracy (the highest of participating VPN providers).
Finally, NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus is a tool that continues to gain praise and recognition among cybersecurity experts. The latest AV-TEST certification for detecting malicious websites is yet another testament to NordVPN’s proficiency.
*Please note that all certificates mentioned in this article were awarded to a NordVPN feature formerly known as Threat Protection Pro™. Threat Protection Pro™ is now referred to as scam, phishing and malware protection in the NordVPN app, its capabilities and functionality have not been affected.
**NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus is a comprehensive digital threat protection tool that’s available on Windows and macOS. Learn what it is and how it works in the next-gen antivirus whitepaper.
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