Do You Need an Antivirus with a VPN?

It’s a common misconception that you do not need antivirus software with a VPN app to stay protected online. We don’t know where this idea originated from, but it’s 100% false. You need antivirus software along with a VPN tool. This is because both have different applications.

A virtual private network cannot double up as an antivirus software. Of course, VPN will help you unblock sites, tackle censorship, and improve your web experience. But it doesn’t have the qualities of an antivirus tool. Therefore, it should never be used as an antivirus tool.

Here’s a quick rundown on why and how you can stay safe.

Antivirus vs VPN: What’s the Difference?

Antivirus software is a security tool that protects your device from a virus or malware attack. It continuously monitors your actions on the device (such as file downloading and USB usage). It alerts you in case a potential virus attempts to enter the device online or offline. The sole aim of antivirus software then is to prevent virus or malware attacks. 

On the other hand, a VPN app is a privacy tool meant to enhance your privacy online. Its chief job is to cover your tracks online and protect you from snooping. It does this by tunneling or routing your connection through a distant server which is usually located in another country. That way, any website you visit will see the IP address of your VPN server and not of your original location.

A VPN is a classic privacy tool widely used to prevent snooping and access geo-blocked content online. It’s almost a necessity today and is recommended as an essential for digital life. In comparison, antivirus applications have always been an integral part of devices. Today, OSes come pre-installed with such security apps, thus underlining their significance.

However, the point of the matter is that you can’t have one of the two and call it a day. In today’s hostile internet, you need to have both a VPN app and an antivirus tool across your devices to stay protected from both snoopers and virus attacks.

So, do you need an antivirus software with a VPN? The answer is yes. Because both antivirus and VPN software have different uses you may be at risk if you don’t have them both installed on all your devices.

Do you have both of them on your smartphone and computer? If not, try tuxlerVPN. You can go with what your provider or operating system suggests for antivirus.

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