Email has become the center of our digital lives: bills, banking, social media, work, online shopping… That's why every time you open your inbox, a door also opens to phishing scams, malware, and trackers that try to sneak in without you noticing.
NordVPN, best known for its VPN for private browsing, is taking things a step further and has launched new features designed for secure your email and browsing Against malicious emails, scam websites, and downloads with unpleasant surprises. Let's take a close look at how these new features work and how they integrate with the rest of NordVPN's security tools.
NordVPN's Sonar: the new feature to protect your email
NordVPN's big new feature for protecting your inbox is called FishFinder, a browser extension created by the NordVPN engineering team and based on language models similar to those used by ChatGPTIts mission is simple to understand, but very powerful in practice: to warn you when an email looks like a phishing scam.
When you receive a suspicious email, Sonar analyzes its content and displays a warning indicating the probability that the message is fraudulentIt doesn't just give you a percentage and that's it, but also details which elements of the email have triggered the alarms: suspicious phrases, strange urgencies, requests for personal or banking data, dubious links, etc.
This explanation is very useful because it teaches you, little by little, to recognize for yourself the typical signs of phishingIn other words, it not only protects you today, but also helps you develop better instincts to avoid falling into traps tomorrow, even in emails that the tool hasn't yet detected.
For now, Sonar is available for Gmail users on Google ChromeAlthough NordVPN itself has already announced that it will be coming to more platforms. To try it, you have to register on the company's experimental platform, called NordLabs, which functions as a testing ground for new AI-based tools.
Users who sign up for NordLabs can request early access to Sonar and the rest of the projects in development. Those already registered must wait for approval to install and test the extension; if you're not yet in, you can join the waitlist and receive access when space becomes available. The entire process is free, because NordVPN's goal is to use community feedback to improve these tools before their widespread release.
Phishing and VPN: why a VPN alone isn't enough to protect your email
Many people experience the same thing: they install a VPN and assume they are now protected from any cyberattack, including phishingBut here's the uncomfortable truth: a VPN, by itself, won't save you from falling for phishing emails or fake websites.
A VPN takes care of Encrypt your traffic and hide your IP addressThis way, neither your internet provider nor the owner of the Wi-Fi network can snoop on what you're doing. However, phishing is a different story: it doesn't try to intercept your data, but rather trick you into handing it over willingly.
Attackers create pages or emails that appear to be from your bank, PayPal, a streaming service, or a well-known company, and invite you to enter passwords or card detailsIf you fall into the trap and write them, the cybercriminal receives the information as is, without needing to break encryption or tap your connection.
Although it sounds logical to think that a VPN "blocks dangerous websites", the truth is that phishing often It does not break any technical security.It simply slips through your trust. A VPN can't read your mind or decide for you whether a website or email is legitimate, so you need a different layer of protection—which is exactly where NordVPN's Sonar and Threat Protection features come in.
Therefore, in addition to using these tools, it is advisable to maintain some good basic safety habits To avoid phishing: carefully check URLs, avoid logging in via links in emails, use a password manager to prevent data from being automatically filled in on fake websites, enable two-step authentication, and keep your browser updated to detect known fraudulent sites.
Threat Protection Proâ„¢ and Threat Protection: Key Differences
Beyond Sonar for email, NordVPN has long focused on adding an extra layer of security to its applications. This is where two very important features come into play: Pro Threat Protectionâ„¢ and the standard version simply called Threat Protection.
Both are designed to block Invasive ads, trackers, and malicious domainsBut they're not exactly the same. The Pro version offers a deeper level of protection, capable of analyzing downloads and detecting vulnerabilities in your applications, while the standard version functions more like an advanced DNS filter linked to VPN use.
What exactly does Threat Protection Proâ„¢ do?
Threat Protection Proâ„¢ acts as a kind of active shield while you browseeven if you don't have the VPN connected. Its main features include:
- Automatic blocking of ads and trackers so that websites load cleaner and with fewer tracking scripts.
- Filter for malicious or fraudulent URLsIf you try to access a site known for scams or distributing malware, the feature displays an alert in the browser.
- Malware analysis of downloads, removing suspicious files before they can run on your computer.
- Application vulnerability review, detecting software that could potentially be exploited by attackers.
The most interesting thing is that this protective layer It does not require the VPN to be connected.It runs in the background from the NordVPN app on your computer, adding a permanent barrier against malware and dangerous websites.
Currently, Threat Protection Proâ„¢ is available in Windows and macOSIn both systems you can choose between using the Pro version or sticking with the standard Threat Protection, depending on your needs or whether you use the App Store app on macOS.
What does the standard version of Threat Protection offer?
The classic Threat Protection function operates at the level of DNS filteringIt blocks domains classified as unsafe, ads, and trackers while you browse with the VPN enabled. Here, protection does depend on being connected to a NordVPN server.
This version is available on a fairly wide range of platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and EdgeIt's ideal if you want something that "just works" every time you connect to the VPN, without having to configure a lot of extra things.
The big difference is that the standard version It does not analyze downloaded files or clean malware actively. It simply prevents you from connecting to dangerous domains and reduces the number of ads and trackers that sneak in while you browse.
Summary of differences between Proâ„¢ and Standard
- VPN requiredProâ„¢ works even when the VPN is disconnected; the standard version only activates when you connect to a NordVPN server.
- CompatibilityWindows and macOS can use both Proâ„¢ and standard; Android, iOS, Linux and browser extensions only have the standard version.
- Depth of protection: Proâ„¢ analyzes and can Remove files containing malware during download and blocks trackers more aggressively; the standard version doesn't reach that level.
NordLabs and the new AI tools: Sonar and Pixray
To bring features like Sonar to life, NordVPN has created NordLabs, a kind of laboratory where the company tests emerging technologies, especially those related to artificial intelligence, before incorporating them into its main products.
NordLabs allows registered users gain early access to experimental toolsThis includes features like the Sonar extension for Gmail and future projects that haven't yet reached the general public. The idea is to refine features with the help of the community, gathering real feedback and seeing what adds value and what doesn't.
In addition to Sonar, NordVPN has announced the launch of pixray, an AI tool focused on another very current problem: distinguish AI-generated images from images created by traditional meansWith the popularization of synthetic photos and graphics, being able to detect whether an image is real or artificial has become another important front in cybersecurity and disinformation.
This entire experimental ecosystem shows that NordVPN is not just "a VPN," but is trying combine encryption, artificial intelligence and advanced threat analysis to offer more comprehensive protection, covering everything from email to browsing and visual content.
