Bitwarden
Bitwarden
Good for: a free password manager on every device you own.
- Free plan: unlimited passwords on unlimited devices
- Open source
- Families plan for up to 6 people
From Bitwarden’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Buying guide
Cyber Security Products
Password managers, security keys, antivirus, privacy tools and VPNs: what to look for, the free options first, and a few examples.
We pick these from published specifications and what is sold to Ireland. We have not tested them ourselves.
Free first
- Turn on two-step verification for your email and your bank first. It costs nothing, and it protects the accounts that matter most.
- Windows 11 has Microsoft Defender Antivirus built in. Microsoft, Windows security
- Bitwarden, Proton (Pass, Mail and VPN), Signal and Brave all have free versions, listed below.
- If an account has already been taken over, start with our hacked account recovery guide.
Before you buy
- Check it works on the devices you use: Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone.
- Check the price after the first year, not just the first-year offer.
- Buying a security key from outside the EU, Britain included, can cost more: VAT, a handling fee from the delivery company and, since 1 July 2026, a €3 customs duty for each type of product in the order. You also have fewer consumer rights. CCPC, buying outside the EU CCPC, the €3 customs charge Citizens Information, buying from the UK
Password managers
One app that creates and remembers a different strong password for every account.
Security research note: Bitwarden, LastPass and Dashlane
Researchers at ETH Zurich found practical attacks on the end-to-end encryption of Bitwarden, LastPass and Dashlane: 12, 7 and 6 attacks. They were able to reach the stored passwords, and to change them, using only the steps a browser or a user takes normally. The attacks assume the password manager’s own server is malicious or has been compromised. So this is a finding about how much you have to trust the vendor’s servers. It is not a report that ordinary users’ vaults have been stolen. The researchers told the companies before publishing and gave them 90 days; ETH Zurich says not all of them fixed the problems quickly.
We still list Bitwarden. A password manager is still far safer than reusing the same password across sites. This note reports published research; we did not run these attacks.
Checked 28 August 2026 · ETH Zurich, 16 February 2026. Paper presented at the 35th USENIX Security Symposium, Baltimore, 12–14 August 2026.
What to look for
Read first: Passwords, password managers and security keys- Use one strong main password, and turn on two-step verification for the password manager itself.
- Check it works on all your devices and browsers.
- Set up the recovery options it offers, so you are not locked out if you forget the main password.
Proton
Proton Pass
Good for: keeping your real email address private: it comes with email aliases.
- Free plan: unlimited logins on unlimited devices
- 10 hide-my-email aliases on the free plan
- Supports passkeys
From Proton’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Security keys
A small key you plug in or tap, so a stolen password alone cannot open your account.
What to look for
Read first: Passwords, password managers and security keys- Match the connector to your devices: USB-A, USB-C, or NFC to tap a phone.
- Register two keys on each account, so losing one does not lock you out.
- Check the accounts you use accept security keys or passkeys.
Yubico
YubiKey 5 NFC
Good for: computers with a USB-A port, and phones you can tap it on (NFC).
- USB-A connector and NFC
- Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys
From Yubico’s Irish store page, checked 6 October 2026.
Yubico
YubiKey 5C NFC
Good for: newer laptops and phones with a USB-C port, and phones you can tap it on (NFC).
- USB-C connector and NFC
- Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys
From Yubico’s Irish store page, checked 6 October 2026.
Antivirus and security software
Software that blocks and removes harmful programs.
What to look for
- On a Windows 11 PC, Microsoft Defender Antivirus is built in. Check it is on before paying for another. Microsoft, Windows security
- Keep your computer and phone updated.
- A pop-up that says your computer is infected and gives a number to call is a scam, not antivirus.
Microsoft
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Good for: Windows 11 PCs: it is built in, so there is nothing to buy.
- Part of Windows Security in Windows 11
- Nothing extra to install
From Microsoft’s Irish Windows security page, checked 6 October 2026.
Bitdefender
Bitdefender Total Security
Good for: a home with a mix of Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone: one plan covers them.
- Windows, macOS, Android and iOS
- Plans from 5 devices
- Includes a password manager and an email breach check
From Bitdefender’s product page, checked 6 October 2026.
Privacy tools
Private messaging, email and browsing.
Update Brave Browser: an exploited Chromium flaw, CVE-2026-87491
Google fixed CVE-2026-87491, an out-of-bounds write in Chromium’s V8 engine, in Chrome 153.0.8010.36 on 8 September 2026. Google’s release post says it is aware that an exploit for the flaw exists in the wild, and CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue the next day. A crafted web page can use it to run code inside the browser’s sandbox. Brave is built on Chromium, so the fix reaches Brave through a Chromium update: Brave desktop v1.95.104, released 18 September 2026, ships Chromium 153.0.8010.53, which is later than the fixed 153.0.8010.36. CISA says the flaw could affect multiple web browsers that use Chromium. Neither Google nor CISA names Brave, and there is no report that Brave users were attacked.
Open Brave, go to Menu → About Brave, let it download any update, then restart the browser and check the version again. v1.95.104 or later carries the fix. A browser that has not been restarted since early September may still be running an older build. This note reports what Google, CISA and Brave have published.
Checked 24 September 2026 · Chrome Releases, “Stable Channel Update for Desktop”, 8 September 2026. · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, added 9 September 2026.
What to look for
- Look for end-to-end encryption, so only you and the people you are writing to can read the messages.
- Check how the company is paid: no ads and no tracking is a good sign.
Signal
Signal
Good for: free private messages and calls.
- End-to-end encryption on every message and call
- No ads and no trackers
- Free
From Signal’s own site, checked 6 October 2026.
Proton
Proton Mail
Good for: a free private email account.
- Free plan
- Zero-access encryption: Proton says it cannot read your mail
- 10 hide-my-email aliases on the free plan
From Proton’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Brave Software
Brave Browser
Good for: a free browser that blocks ads and trackers.
- Ad and tracker blocking on by default
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
- Free
From Brave’s own site, checked 6 October 2026.
VPN services
Hide what you do online from the Wi-Fi network you are using.
What to look for
- Most useful on public Wi-Fi, such as in a café, hotel or airport.
- A VPN does not stop scam texts, calls or emails.
- Choose a provider whose no-logs policy has been independently audited.
Proton
Proton VPN
Good for: trying a VPN without paying: there is a free plan.
- Free plan for 1 device, no credit card needed
- Paid plans cover up to 10 devices
From Proton VPN’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Surfshark
Surfshark
Good for: a household with many devices: there is no device limit.
- Unlimited devices on one plan
- Audited no-logs policy (Surfshark)
- Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and TV devices
From Surfshark’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Home network
Block ads and known bad websites for every device in the house.
What to look for
Read first: Your home Wi-Fi and network- Start with your router: change its default admin password and keep it updated.
- These tools change how your network looks up websites. They suit someone comfortable with settings.
NextDNS
NextDNS
Good for: blocking ads and trackers for the whole home, with no new hardware.
- Free up to 300,000 queries a month
- Unlimited devices
- Paid plan for unlimited queries
From NextDNS’s pricing page, checked 6 October 2026.
Pi-hole
Pi-hole
Good for: do-it-yourself: free software that blocks ads on every device at home, smart TVs included.
- Free and open source
- Runs on a Raspberry Pi, an old PC, a NAS or a virtual machine
From Pi-hole’s own site, checked 6 October 2026.
Related guides
None of the links on this page is an affiliate link, and we earn nothing if you buy through one. We pick these from published specifications and what is sold to Ireland. We have not tested them ourselves.