I’m a privacy expert, here’s 5 things I’d buy to stay safe over Black Friday

If you want to avoid data breaches, malware attacks, online scams, ID theft, or unwanted tracking, Black Friday is a great time to save. Some of the best Black Friday VPN deals, antivirus deals, and password manager savings offer great ways to access the best security services for less.

I’ve been writing about privacy for years, and have seen how shoppers can fall victim to online threats over the sales period. To help avoid this, here are the five key tools I recommend you pick up over Black Friday. Plus, they’re all on discount for the sales weekend, so you can get them for less right now!

1. Virtual private network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is security software that encrypts your internet connections to prevent third-party access while spoofing your real IP address to grant online anonymity and access to otherwise geo-restricted content.

Together, these two skills bring many advantages. They reduce online tracking, for instance, while ensuring the content of your online activities remains private. You need IP-spoofing to bypass geo-restricted content, whether that’s a foreign streaming library, censored apps, or workplace firewall. A gaming VPN also helps you prevent cyberattacks and bandwidth throttling.

While there are many free applications, most are scams or offer poor privacy protection and performance. The good news is that some of the best VPN providers on the market have seriously axed their fees thanks to some great Black Friday VPN deals so, if you need a reliable VPN, make sure not to miss out.

2. Antivirus

Clicking on a dodgy link or downloading unsecured files is all it takes to infect your device with malware, viruses, or other malicious programs – whether you’re browsing with your laptop or mobile. Attackers often do so to compromise your most sensitive information for financial gains or worse.

This is why it’s important to have a reliable antivirus on at all times when browsing the web. These services can proactively protect you by preventing malicious software from reaching your device in the first place. They regularly scan for threats, while helping you maintain healthy cyber hygiene.

Even though the likes of NordVPN have become very effective in malware and phishing protection, I recommend complementing tools provided by VPNs with a standalone antivirus solution. Many big names have cut their prices this year, including Norton, Avast, and McAfee, so check out these Black Friday antivirus deals before it’s too late.

3. Password manager

If you had to think about how many active passwords you have, you’d probably struggle to remember them all. Recent data suggests that every internet user handles an average of 168 passwords in 2024.

The struggle to come up with a new password – and then remember it – leads many to use the same one repeatedly. This means if one account gets compromised, cybercriminals can use credential-stuff attacks to gain access to others using the same login details.

A password manager can fix this problem for you. While storing all your log-in details for you – something that your laptop or web browser already does – such software also helps you create strong and unique passwords each time. Some VPN services, including NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and ProtonVPN, as well as antivirus bundles offer a password manager as a free extra tool, so this would save you a subscription – even if that’s discounted!

4. ID and credit protection

Identity theft and financial fraud incidents are on the rise. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) counted over 550,000 cases of ID theft reported in the US in the first half of 2024, This number is set to exceed all reports throughout the 12 months in 2023. Hence, you increasingly need identity protection and credit monitoring solutions to take control of your most precious data.

While you can get standalone products, opting for an antivirus provider with these included can save you some bucks and the hassle of signing up for a different service. For instance, McAfee+ Family comes with both identity and credit monitoring, among other things, and it now costs $150 less than in normal times.

Also, VPN providers have been beefing up their offerings on this front recently. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have launched an identity protection suite alongside their VPN. While NordProtect only comes with the provider’s more expensive plans, the ExpressVPN ID suite is my top choice if you’re living in the US.

5. Data removal service

You are now all geared up and ready to surf the web with your security and privacy armor but, wait a minute, what about all the data you have already leaked online?

Besides cybercriminals, data brokers are very hungry for your information. They use this data to build a digital profile of you and tailor targeted ads. Yet, under privacy laws like the GDPR in Europe and similar, you can exercise your right to be forgotten and ask these firms to delete all the data they have on you.

Data removal services are handy because they manage this process for you. Again, some antivirus and VPN providers offer security bundles that include data removal and other extra tools – and are now a bargain thanks to Balck Friday discounts.