5 Must-Have Security Tools for Your Computer

Not everyone on the internet has good intentions, but you can keep your computer safe from hackers and other malicious people with various security tools.

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But with so much advice and so many different options available, what are the must-have security tools for every computer?

VPNs

Virtual private networks (VPNs) do much more than merely allow you to access geo-restricted sports channels and Netflix series. When using a VPN, you can hide your IP address and encrypt the information you share online. They’re great for private and public Wi-Fi networks.

Below, you’ll find two VPNs (one paid and one free).

Proton VPN

Proton VPN's free version lets you use the technology on one device at a time and is also covered by a no-logs policy. You also gain access to a handful of global servers in five countries, namely:

Once you’ve signed up for Proton VPN, you’ll also find it easier to access the privacy-oriented Proton ecosystem (we’ll talk more about their email service later). The paid version of Proton VPN lets you connect to servers in over 90 countries, so you can always subscribe if you feel like you need something more substantial.

Related video: National Cyber Security Center gives out advice following tech outage (KOAA Colorado Springs, CO)

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If you choose to upgrade to a paid subscription, pricing varies depending on whether you get a one-month, 12-month, or 24-month subscription. Here’s a breakdown:

Download: Proton VPN for for Mac | Windows (Free, in-app purchases available)

ExpressVPN

If you want an alternative to Proton VPN, ExpressVPN does many of the basics well. The VPN has several security features, such as the ability to block malicious sites and IPv6 Leak Protection. When using ExpressVPN, you can also opt to stop all internet traffic if your VPN suddenly disconnects. ExpressVPN also has extensions for Google Chrome and Firefox.

ExpressVPN lets you connect to servers in 94 countries, with over 3,000 available. You can pay month-to-month or for 6/12 months in one go. Here’s how much ExpressVPN costs:

If you’re looking for a VPN and want to compare ExpressVPN to other services, consider checking out this ExpressVPN vs. CyberGhost comparison.

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Download: ExpressVPN for Windows | Mac | Linux | Chromebook (Free, in-app purchases available)

Password Manager: Bitwarden

Whether you add a VPN to your computer or not, password managers are also essential for adding another layer of security to your device. Our top choice in this category is Bitwarden, which features zero-knowledge encryption and the option to share sensitive files via a secure link.

When using Bitwarden, you can also set up two-factor authentication and download the password manager for eight browsers. In addition to its free version, Bitwarden has paid pricing plans starting at $10/yr (Premium) and $40/yr (Families). Meanwhile, Team and Enterprise—designed for businesses—cost $48 and $72 per user, per year, respectively.

Check out our Bitwarden vs. 1Password review if you want to see how well this password manager shapes up against its competitors.

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Download: Bitwarden for Windows | Mac | Linux (Free, in-app purchases available)

Encrypted Messaging App: Signal

You may already have thought about the importance of encrypted messaging for your smartphone, but have you also considered using these apps on your computer? Doing so will make it much harder for malicious third parties to access messages you send. Signal, which features end-to-end encryption (E2EE) via its open-source protocol, is one option.

Besides E2EE, Signal also has a feature that lets you send disappearing messages. Moreover, you can send notes to yourself if you want to keep those in a safe place. To use Signal on your computer, you must first activate the app on your smartphone. This guide outlining how to link your devices in Signal provides all the steps you need.

Download: Signal for Mac | Windows | Linux (Free)

Privacy-Oriented Email Providers

You can get email encryption software, but it’s often incredibly expensive. Nonetheless, it’s easy to encrypt your emails by using a privacy-oriented provider instead. Below are two encrypted email services you may want to consider using.

Proton Mail

You should consider using Proton Mail for several reasons, such as its zero-access encryption and 24/7 monitoring for external threats. Proton Mail also lets you send password-protected messages to non-Proton Mail accounts and hides your IP address.

Proton Mail features open-source software and has a free plan with one email address, one user, and 1GB of storage. For bigger allowances and more features, you can subscribe to a paid plan instead. Here’s how much Proton Mail costs:

Download: Proton Mail for Mac | Windows | Linux (Ubuntu) | Linux (Fedora) (Free, in-app purchases available)

Tuta

Tuta features E2EE for mailboxes, calendars, and automatic E2EE for emails within its servers. You can also encrypt all emails that feature a password, making it less likely that prying eyes can access details for many of your online accounts.

When using Tuta, you also get a recovery code if you lose access to your account. As a result, it’s less likely that others can gain access to your emails if they try resetting your password.

Tuta is free for personal use, and the free plan involves 1GB storage and one calendar. Paid pricing is as follows (you have to pay in EUR as USD isn’t available):

If you want to research Proton Mail and Tuta in more detail, check out our Proton Mail vs. Tuta comparison.

Antivirus Software

While computers often have very good built-in security features these days, you may also want to think about subscribing to a paid service. We’ll cover one free option and one paid alternative.

Microsoft Defender

If you use a Windows computer, you probably won’t need anything more than Microsoft Defender for your antivirus needs. This tool searches your computer in real time for potential malware and can automatically stop attacks before they seriously harm your computer.

Microsoft Defender is capable of halting ransomware, too, and you can view secure score percentages to determine whether your computer is adequately protected or not. When you use this feature, you can also see which actions you need to review.

If you use Microsoft Defender and another antivirus tool, it’s worth reading about how to stop Microsoft Defender from blocking third-party antivirus software on Windows.

Download: Microsoft Defender for Windows (Free)

Malwarebytes

If you own a Mac or want to use a paid antivirus solution, Malwarebytes is worth checking out. Malwarebytes can also work with Microsoft Defender. When you download Malwarebytes, the software’s free version can remove any malware it already finds on your computer. The paid edition has several prevention features, such as Brute Force and Uninstall Protection on Windows.

Malwarebytes also has the ability to detect and nullify possible attacks, and you can stop ransomware from infecting important files and folders. When using the app, you also get to see how many of your items are quarantined and opt in for web and device protection.

Beyond the free version, Malwarebytes’ pricing is as follows:

Keeping your computer protected against all kinds of threats is paramount, and you often need a diverse security ecosystem. It’s worth ensuring that your emails are encrypted, your IP address is hidden, and that nobody can access passwords for your online accounts. Encrypting instant messages is also a good idea.