- NordVPN blocked 92% of phishing websites in AV-Comparatives’ test
- NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro ranked 4th among the tested products
- NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro is available to top-tier subscribers
NordVPN’s phishing protection has blocked 92% of malicious websites in the latest round of testing by AV-Comparatives, reaffirming its stellar security capabilities and further cementing its status as TechRadar’s best VPN on the market today.
The Austrian-based independent lab assessed the phishing detection skills of antivirus products, browsers, and VPNs using a total of 250 phishing URLs.
The evaluation, which took place between 7 and 19 January 2026, confirmed the efficacy of NordVPN‘s anti-malware tool, Threat Protection Pro. NordVPN’s cybersecurity gem ranked fourth in the overall standings, only behind (in order) Norton Antivirus Plus, Avast Free Antivirus, and Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus. This proves the VPN is not only great for boosting online privacy but is also a bulletproof shield against scams.
A complete, 360-degree protection solution
Launched in June 2024, NordVPN Threat Protection Pro protects users from phishing and a variety of other online dangers, including tracking, malware, ads, and scams. The tool works at the network level, scanning all the traffic directly on the client’s device with no need for an active VPN connection to benefit from its protection.
The product was launched as a revamped version of NordVPN’s tracker blocker, offering a superior alternative to its DNS-based predecessor Threat Protection (formerly known as Lite), which blocks malicious websites, trackers, and ads at the domain level only.
Threat Protection Pro remains exclusive to higher-tier subscriptions, including Plus, Complete, and Ultra, on Windows and macOS only.
If the latest AV-Comparatives results seem like déjà vu, that’s because they are – the tool has already secured high rankings in previous AV-Comparative tests.
However, in spite of its impressive 2026 performance, NordVPN has lost its spot on the podium, falling to fourth place. The provider had previously won bronze in a similar test conducted in January 2025 (when Threat Protection Pro scored 93%). In July, NordVPN also tied for third place, with a ranking supported by a 90% detection rate out of 1,000 phishing URLs tested during the year.
Nevertheless, the latest results continue to reinforce Threat Protection Pro’s stellar reputation after NordVPN became the first VPN service provider to be approved by AV-Comparatives for anti-phishing protection in 2024. In August of that year, the product also ranked as the third-best software for avoiding online shopping scams out of 35 competitors.
Additionally, Threat Protection Pro gained recognition from two other independent auditors in 2024, AV-TEST and West Coast Labs (WCL), which gave the tool two golden medals in phishing detection.
Phishing – a growing threat
The abundance of phishing attacks in the digital world means that the chances of falling victim to a single wrong click – and accidentally revealing crucial information such as personal credentials and financial details – are high.
Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN, warns: “Phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated, often deceiving even cautious users with convincing replicas of trusted websites.”
Although the latest results show that NordVPN remains a valuable ally in the fight against such threats, the VPN expert still recommends keeping your eyes open and always practising healthy ‘cyber hygiene.’
Tips for safe browsing include checking the URL in the browser address bar for any changes to the domain name that could indicate a fake site, particularly ensuring that the website you are visiting uses the HTTPS protocol, as fake websites often only use HTTP.
An email containing alarming content or grammatical errors should raise suspicion. And, of course, always remember to enable more secure forms of authentication, starting with two-factor authentication (2FA), for greater peace of mind.
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