Norton VPN Review—Does It Protect Your Data?
With the estimated losses to cybercrime projected to increase from $9.22 trillion to $13.82 trillion between 2024 and 2028, adopting robust security measures is crucial for individuals and businesses alike. One such measure is using a reliable virtual private network (VPN) to secure browser traffic and protect online security.
Even though it was launched a few years ago, Norton VPN has become a top contender in the VPN market. But does this service meet all the requirements for enhanced online safety? This comprehensive Norton VPN review will help you make an informed decision by answering the following questions:
- How does Norton VPN work?
- What privacy and security features does it offer?
- What security concerns still remain?
This article will also introduce a way to bolster the security of your sensitive details online beyond the protection you get from a VPN.
Disclaimer: The information in this review is accurate and up-to-date as of March 2024. Please note that Norton VPN's features and performance may vary over time depending on the updates and changes made by the provider after this review's publication.
How Norton VPN Works
Norton VPN follows these five key steps to keep users’ online activities secure and private[1]:
- When an individual activates Norton VPN, the app establishes a connection with a server in the VPN’s network.
- Norton VPN encrypts the user’s internet traffic, making data unreadable to anyone who might intercept it.
- The encrypted data is then transmitted through the secure tunnel to the VPN server. The server decrypts the data and sends it to the intended destination.
- The destination sends data back to the VPN server, which then encrypts it and sends it back through the secure tunnel to the user’s device.
- Norton VPN decrypts the incoming data on the user’s device, allowing the individual to access the information.
Features of Norton VPN
To ensure users benefit from its service, Norton VPN offers a variety of features and services, which fall into these categories:
- Privacy and security measures
- Speed and performance
- Global server network
- Device compatibility
- Ease of use
- Customer support
Privacy and Security Measures
Norton VPN follows a strict no-logs policy, ensuring no user activity is tracked or recorded. The table below describes other notable privacy and security features Norton VPN offers:
Speed and Performance
Encrypting data and routing it through a VPN server can decrease internet speed. Norton VPN claims that its service doesn’t impact your internet speed as much as other VPNs, noting a 2.5x faster data transfer rate than the average VPN[2].
However, speed tests conducted for some of the most popular VPNs[17] found that Norton VPN slows download speed by 9.80% and upload speed by 87.98%, putting it at the bottom of the list of evaluated VPNs. Regarding latency, it showed a significant increase of 6,175%.
It’s important to note that the speed users experience may vary depending on their location, the server they're connected to, and their internet service provider.
Global Server Network
Norton VPN operates a network of servers across 29 countries[4]. Having servers in multiple countries allows users to bypass geo-restrictions and access content that may not be available in their location.
The extensive server coverage reduces the likelihood of server congestion, which can slow down a VPN’s speed. Still, Norton VPN lets users connect to a country, not a specific city. While this approach simplifies the user experience, it may impact performance for users who want to connect to the closest possible server for the lowest latency.
Device Compatibility
Norton VPN is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems. Since you don’t have to switch between different VPNs for each operating system your devices run on, you can have most of your devices covered when you’re on the go.
You can use Norton VPN with:
- Desktop and laptop computers (Windows, macOS)[2]
- Mobile devices (Android, iOS)[2]
Installing and setting up Norton VPN is simple and straightforward—the table below explains how to install Norton VPN on specific operating systems:
Ease of Use
Norton VPN offers a clean, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. The main dashboard provides a clear visual indication of the connection status, and users can easily switch between different server locations from a drop-down menu.
The intuitive settings menu allows users to customize their experience according to their needs. For instance, users can choose to launch Norton VPN at startup or enable the Kill Switch feature for added security.
Customer Support
Norton provides several options for users seeking assistance. It offers 24/7 live chat support, which provides immediate help for technical issues. The service also provides online resources on its support page, including guides and FAQs, which can help users troubleshoot issues independently.
Norton VPN vs. Other Services—Quick Comparison
While Norton VPN is one of the most popular services out there, you may want to compare it to other VPNs and determine whether one of them meets your particular needs better:
Seeking Online Protection Beyond VPNs
Even though VPNs like Norton can provide robust online security, they may not be able to address all potential threats. Some of the ways your personal or financial information may fall into the wrong hands are if your device is lost or stolen, you download malware to your device, or you share your private information with a website that doesn’t follow proper security practices. In such cases, a VPN cannot prevent an unauthorized third party from accessing your sensitive details.
Data breaches are one of the most frequent ways hackers get hold of users’ private information. With all the security measures in place, no website can guarantee complete user data protection. Hackers are constantly improving their techniques and developing more sophisticated methods to penetrate servers’ defenses. Your most sensitive details, such as the financial information you provide to online merchants, are regularly exposed to potential cyber threats.
Luckily, you can effectively shield your financial data online by using virtual cards. These cards are connected to a real funding source, such as your debit card or bank account, but mask that information with random card details at checkout. This means that a potential hacker who breaches a merchant’s server can only access your virtual card details, while your actual financial information remains hidden.
While some banks offer this service to their customers, an independent virtual card provider such as Privacy offers additional convenience features and allows for greater control over your expenses, on top of providing bank-level security.
Use Privacy Virtual Cards for Enhanced Security
Privacy provides a reliable and efficient way of staying safe when shopping online. A Privacy Virtual Card includes a unique 16-digit card number with its own expiration date and security code. This card works as a regular payment method during transactions but protects your real financial information from unauthorized access.
You can safeguard your financial details when transacting online by connecting your real card or bank account to Privacy and creating the following two card types:
- Merchant-Locked Cards—These cards “lock” to the first merchant you transact with, making them perfect for recurring payments such as bills and subscriptions or merchants you shop at often. If the card number gets stolen from the merchant’s server, it can’t be used anywhere else, which is an effective protection measure against potential hackers.
- Single-Use Cards—Designed to be used only once, these cards become invalid shortly after the first transaction is completed. Any potential hacker that manages to steal your Single-Use Card number from a merchant’s server won’t be able to use it at all.
Security Features and Measures Offered by Privacy
Your data is protected with Privacy since the company employs the same robust security measures as any reliable bank, including:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)—Your Privacy account is automatically equipped with this additional protection measure. You can configure the 2FA settings on your account and enable email, SMS, or a two-factor authentication app from your account page.
- Transaction alerts—You can enable transaction alerts to notify you when your virtual cards have been used or declined. This measure can help you keep track of your card activity and spot and address any potentially suspicious transaction promptly.
- Regular audits—As a BBB-accredited service, Privacy undergoes frequent third-party audits, ensuring the security measures protecting your sensitive information are stringent and up-to-date.
- 1Password integration—Privacy offers integration with 1Password, a popular password manager. This integration makes it easy to create and manage virtual cards through your password manager.
Additional Convenience Features
Other Privacy Card features that allow for smooth transactions and greater control over your expenses are:
- Pausing/closing your card and setting spending limits—Once you set a spending limit on your Privacy Card, any payments that exceed the preset limit will be declined. This feature protects you from any charges by merchants or subscription services that you haven’t approved. You can also pause or close your virtual card at any time, and Privacy will block all further transactions.
- Mobile app—Available on iOS and Android, the Privacy mobile app allows you to manage your virtual cards on the go.
- Browser extension—Privacy offers a browser extension compatible with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Safari for iOS. The extension autofills your virtual card data, preventing you from having to memorize your card numbers or reach for your wallet whenever you shop online.
How To Get a Privacy Virtual Card
To start using Privacy, follow these steps:
- Visit the signup page
- Enter the required details to verify your identity
- Add a funding source, such as a debit card or your bank account
- Request and generate your first virtual card
Privacy offers three plans you can choose from:
References
[1] Norton. https://us.norton.com/blog/wifi/how-does-a-vpn-work, sourced March 27, 2024
[2] Norton. https://us.norton.com/products/norton-secure-vpn, sourced March 27, 2024.
[3] Norton. https://us.norton.com/blog/privacy/secure-dns, sourced March 27, 2024.
[4] Norton Community. https://community.norton.com/en/forums/available-norton-vpn-regions, sourced March 27, 2024.
[5] NordVPN. https://nordvpn.com/servers/, sourced March 27, 2024.
[6] NordVPN Support. https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19476515228305-How-many-devices-can-I-use-with-NordVPN, sourced March 27, 2024.
[7] Surfshark Support. https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003069614-Server-locations#, sourced March 27, 2024.
[8] Surfshark. https://surfshark.com/vpn, sourced March 27, 2024.
[9] ExpressVPN. https://www.expressvpn.com/support/knowledge-hub/how-many-server-locations-does-expressvpn-have/, sourced March 27, 2024.
[10] ExpressVPN. https://www.expressvpn.com/go/features/how-many-devices-can-i-connect?, sourced March 27, 2024.
[11] ExpressVPN. https://www.expressvpn.com/features, sourced March 27, 2024.
[12] ProtonVPN. https://protonvpn.com/about, sourced March 27, 2024.
[13] ProtonVPN. https://protonvpn.com/free-vpn/free-vs-paid#, sourced March 27, 2024.
[14] ProtonVPN. https://protonvpn.com/features, sourced March 27, 2024.
[15] Mullvad VPN AB. https://mullvad.net/en/servers, sourced March 27, 2024.
[16] Mozilla Support. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/are-there-limits-my-mozilla-vpn-connection#, sourced March 27, 2024.
[17]Security.org https://www.security.org/vpn/speed-test/, sourced May 19, 2024.
