Oh no, 73% of Americans think their antivirus alone keeps them safe on public WiFi

A new survey by NordVPN has revealed a lack of basic cybersecurity knowledge in Americans. Most surprising is the fact that 73% of respondents believe antivirus software can "safeguard information on public WiFi" - a feature that usually requires the use of a VPN.

Antivirus software, password managers, firewalls, and VPNs are all recognized as security tools, and antivirus software is among the most popular with Americans. But the features of the software are misunderstood more widely than simply misattributing VPN functionality. In fact, NordVPN's survey found that those surveyed believed antivirus software can protect against ID theft and even block phishing attempts.

Although some of the best VPNs offer some level of ID theft protection as an add-on, this isn't something generally found in VPN or antivirus software. But this isn't the biggest surprise in the findings, from a sample group of 18-74 year olds polled between September 2 and September 10, 2025.

No, almost 33% of the respondents rely on "safe behavior" to stay safe online, without employing any cybersecurity tools at all. Staying safe online requires a multi-faceted approach. Everyone needs antivirus and anti-malware software, and fortunately, most operating systems have something built in, along with a firewall.

Everyone needs to take steps, use these tools in combination with safe behavior, and employ two or multi-factor authentication where it is available. According to the survey, NordVPN found that "48% of Americans have discovered their data has been leaked" - a worryingly high figure.

If you're not already using a VPN, or you're coming to the end of your contract, now is a good time to sign up to our recommended VPN partner, NordVPN. Make sure you find out how to use a VPN for gaming if you want to get the most out of it when playing your favorites.