Security & Privacy

News Parental Control October 22, 2026 Google Family Link can now share a child's age range with apps Google says parents can pass a child's age range to apps from Family Link. It is a signal, not a filter. Here is what parental control buyers should check.

News Antivirus October 19, 2026 Bitdefender leads September malware test as false alarms split awards AV-Comparatives tested 20 consumer security suites. Protection was close at the top, but false alarms decided which products earned the highest award.

Opinion Parental Control October 15, 2026 Subscription buyers need a federal click-to-cancel rule, not a patchwork New York City's cancellation rule took effect this month, but the federal rule is still missing. Buyers of subscription apps should not have to depend on where they live.

Opinion Password Managers October 12, 2026 Early Black Friday password manager deals should show the renewal price Early Black Friday offers on password managers lead with percentages off. The price after the first term should sit in the same line, so buyers see the full cost.

Opinion ID Protection October 11, 2026 Cancelling a protection plan should be as easy as joining it A new FTC order expands refunds over subscription cancellation. Even with no federal click-to-cancel rule, identity protection sellers should make leaving as easy as signing up.

News ID Protection October 9, 2026 ASOS confirms customer data breach after hackers hijack its app alerts ASOS says names and contact details were taken after attackers tricked an employee into handing over login credentials, then pushed an extortion message to shoppers through the ASOS app. Card details and passwords were not affected, the retailer says.

Guide Password Managers October 7, 2026 Passkeys explained: how they work with password managers and what to do with old passwords What a passkey is, why it resists phishing, where to store it, how to move passkeys between password managers and why your old password still matters.

News Password Managers October 7, 2026 UK police urge a switch to passkeys as hacked account losses rise 417% Report Fraud says money stolen through hacked email and social media accounts rose from £1.2 million to £6.3 million in a year, and wants people to move to passkeys, with password managers for everything else.

Guide ID Protection October 5, 2026 The dark web explained: what it is and what it means for your data What the dark web is and is not, why privacy-minded people use Tor, how stolen data is traded, what dark web monitoring checks, and what to do after an alert.

Guide ID Protection October 5, 2026 Identity theft: how it happens, warning signs and what to do The main types of identity theft, how criminals get your details, the warning signs, a step-by-step recovery plan, and an honest look at paid protection.

Guide ID Protection October 5, 2026 The best free email services, compared Gmail, Outlook.com, Proton Mail, Tuta, iCloud Mail, Yahoo, Zoho and GMX side by side: storage, ads, encryption, custom domains and inactivity rules.

Guide Antivirus October 5, 2026 Antivirus and password manager renewals: the first year vs what you pay after We read ten vendors' own US pricing and checkout pages. The median plan costs about 55% more at renewal; Norton 360 Deluxe rises 150%.

Guide Parental Control October 4, 2026 Parental Controls by Age: Built-In Tools, Apps and the Conversation What the free controls on Apple, Google and Microsoft devices do, when a paid app is worth it, sensible settings at each age, and how to talk it through.

Guide Password Managers October 4, 2026 How to Choose a Password Manager and Switch Without Losing Anything When the free manager on your phone is enough, what to check before paying, how passkeys fit in, and a safe step-by-step way to move your vault.

News Antivirus October 4, 2026 Two Chrome flaws used in attacks were patched in a week: check your browser Google fixed two V8 bugs in early September that attackers were already exploiting. Edge needed the fix too. How to confirm your browser is up to date.

News Parental Control October 4, 2026 WhatsApp adds parental controls for teens: what parents can and cannot see Parents can now lock a teen's WhatsApp privacy settings behind a PIN and get group alerts, but messages and calls stay end-to-end encrypted.

Guide Ad Blockers October 4, 2026 How to Choose an Ad Blocker: Types, Manifest V3 and Safety Checks Extensions, apps, DNS filters and VPN blockers compared: how each works, what Chrome's Manifest V3 changed, why security agencies mention ad blocking and what to check first.

News Antivirus October 3, 2026 Bitdefender AI Guardian: a free Mac beta that polices what AI agents do Bitdefender's beta checks each AI agent action against your policy and blocks prompt injection, tampered tools and leaked keys. What it does, and its limits.

News ID Protection October 3, 2026 Pentagon personnel breach exposed Social Security numbers of 3 million people Unauthorized users could read unencrypted Defense Manpower Data Center files for nine months. What was exposed, what is offered and how to protect yourself.

Guide VPN Updated October 3, 2026 Free vs Paid VPNs: How Free VPNs Make Money and What It Costs You How free VPNs pay their bills, what researchers and the FBI have found, the limits of honest free plans, and how to check any VPN before you trust it.

Guide VPN Updated October 3, 2026 What Does a VPN Actually Do (and Not Do)? A Plain-English Guide How a VPN works, what it really hides and from whom, why it will not make you anonymous, and when you genuinely need one.

Guide Antivirus Updated October 3, 2026 Signs Your Computer or Phone Is Infected, and Exactly What to Do Next Which warning signs really point to malware, which are innocent or a scam, and the order to act in, based on NCSC and FTC guidance.

Guide Antivirus Updated October 3, 2026 Do You Still Need Antivirus? What Built-In Protection Covers and Where It Stops Windows, macOS and Android now ship with strong malware protection. What the test labs show, where the real gaps are, and when a paid suite adds value.